Challenge 2 Day 36

I feel like a bottomless pit today. Thank goodness for venison. I snacked a lot today.

apple
cottage cheese

egg salad on light English muffin
venison

cauliflower
venison

light English muffin w/ butter
coffee w/ cream

chicken quesadilla
coffee w/ cream

light English muffin
venison

Calories - 1638
Carbs - 142 (37 fiber)
Protein - 152
Fat - 62
C/P/F Ratio - 32.8/35.2/32

Challenge 2 Day 35

Up a pound this week. Not surprising, considering the crap I ate earlier in the week.

Today was more marathon house cleaning. It took 12 hours over 2 days, but my house is completely clean and organized. I am very tired and very sore, but very, very happy to be starting the new year with a clean house. I just can't focus well on other things when my house is wrecked.

fortified french toast
coffee w/ cream

McDonald's grilled bacon ranch salad w/ ranch dressing

venison jerky

chicken
cauliflower

venison
mint 3 Musketeers bar

Calories - 1243
Carbs - 101 (22 fiber)
Protein - 135
Fat - 43
C/P/F Ratio - 30.5/40.6/28.9

Challenge 2 Day 34

It's a high protein/calorie day, but in my defense, I've been busy cleaning the house. Tomorrow will be more of the same.

BFL golden pancakes
coffee w/ cream

tuna wrap w/ light mayo & mustard

kielbasa
broccoli

chicken & onions

"fried" eggs
venison sausage
toast w/ butter

venison jerky

Calories - 1817
Carbs - 98 (28 fiber)
Protein - 199
Fat - 73
C/P/F Ratio - 21.2/43.1/35.7

Challenge 2 Day 33

I think I'm hitting the mid-challenge slump: resenting my workouts, hating protein, wishing I could eat whatever I felt like it in whatever quantities. It's probably time to change up my routine, but I have this thing about even blocks, so the end of week 6 (next week!!) won't come soon enough.

My approach to food is more liberal these days. For example, I made banana bread today, and it was good! High in calories and carbs, but it still fit in, I guess. I didn't have an adequate protein amount to go with it though. Oh well.

cottage cheese

BFL golden pancakes
coffee w/ cream

shrimp
brown rice
coffee w/ cream

chicken stuffed peppers w/ onions, cheese & enchilada sauce
coffee w/ cream

banana bread

Calories - 1563
Carbs - 142 (11 fiber - YIKES!!)
Protein - 149
Fat - 45
C/P/F Ratio - 36.2/38/25.7

Challenge 2 Day 32

I really wanted to pig out today, but I didn't. It's been a frustrating day, and I'm an emotional eater. I hope tomorrow is better.

banana
cottage cheese
coffee w/ cream

"fried" eggs
toast w/ butter

carrots
cottage cheese

shrimp
brown rice

ham

Calories - 1492
Carbs - 130 (21 fiber)
Protein - 143
Fat - 53
C/P/F Ratio - 33.2/36.4/30.5

Challenge 2 Day 31

Today was much better for me, even though I still felt kind of crappy. It felt like I was starving! Probably because I was - I got up late and didn't get to eat until almost 11 AM. But I feel better now, after having protein and good carbs.

cottage cheese
banana
coffee w/ cream

homemade bread w/ butter
roasted ham

cottage cheese
carrots

broccoli
roasted ham

Calories - 1348
Carbs - 116 (17 fiber)
Protein - 127
Fat - 45
C/P/F Ratio - 33.8/37/29.2

Challenge 2 Day 30

I've eaten myself sick. I've had so much crap today and now I feel horrible, physically and mentally. The sugar rush and carb crash are the worst, but I'm more disappointed in myself that I wasn't able to show any restraint. There really is no excuse for it. However, I'm going to put it out of my mind and start Day 31 tomorrow, back on track. I'm going to stick to the lower ends of my goal ranges for the next few days, and Sunday I have my Virtual 5K, so I'll at least get a little extra exercise.

Challenge 2 Day 29

I'm not tracking today because I've really lost track of what I've eaten, in terms of quantity. I can tell you that I've had:

cottage cheese
banana
fortified french toast
coffee w/ cream
cookies, cookies, cookies
toast w/ butter
chicken sandwiches & fries
vodka & diet cokes

Challenge 2 Day 28

Merry Christmas to me! Down to 149.5! Of course, more baking today, so that means lots of spoon licking. I also had a bunch of cookies (and I feel totally sick!!!). They aren't reflected in my stats because again, I'm too lazy to enter the information.

I ended up doing my ab boot camp today instead of doubling up yesterday. It's not going to kill me to work abs two days in a row on occasion.

cottage cheese
toast

cookies
hard boiled egg

cookies
carrots
coffee w/ cream

chicken wrap w/ mustard

shrimp & pasta


Numbers, sans cookies, for what it's worth...

Calories - 1085
Carbs - 103 (24 fiber)
Protein - 129
Fat - 24
C/P/F Ratio - 36/45.1/18.9

Challenge 2 Day 27

I've been baking all day and, other than testing a shortbread cookie, the most I've done is lick my fingers. I'm not tracking the licking. Or the cookie. I'm too tired to enter that info tonight. From now on I will, though.

banana
cottage cheese
hard boiled egg
coffee w/ cream

chicken wrap w/ mustard
yogurt

carrots

broccoli
carrots
bear chops

Calories - 1206
Carbs - 91 (15 fiber)
Protein - 130
Fat - 38
C/P/F Ratio - 29.7/42.6/27.8

Challenge 2 Day 26

So far, so good with the goodies in the house. Tomorrow, I'll start my Christmas baking. Here is what's on the menu:

whole wheat chocolate chip cookies (and maybe some with Shrek M&Ms)
flourless tiny peanut butter cookies
shortbread cookies
sugar cookie cutouts w/ powdered sugar icing
low carb peanut butter fudge
coconut meringues
choco-coconut no bake oatmeal cookies
low carb NY cheesecake muffins (George Stella's recipe)
low carb chocolate cheesecake muffins
whole wheat bread

It looks like a lot, but I'm going to split the loot with my mom and step-dad. My niece and nephew are there visiting and I'm sure they will enjoy the offering.

Since Christmas in on a workout day and I have a 3 year old who will want me to play all day, I'll be doing my Tuesday workout on Sunday, so it's cardio all weekend. I don't want to do abs two days in a row though, so I'm just going to do a double ab workout tomorrow. I need to work up to doing 2 sets anyway.

cottage cheese
hard boiled egg
pumpkin muffin

fortified french toast
coffee w/ cream

broccoli
sweet potato
chicken breast
1 bite of meatloaf

hard boiled egg
no bake cookie
popcorn

Calories - 1321
Carbs - 117 (24 fiber)
Protein - 123
Fat - 46
C/P/F Ratio - 34.1/35.7/30.2

Challenge 2 Day 25

I made the mistake of starting my holiday baking. Well, technically they were no-bake cookies, but still. They were gooooooooood! I had one for a snack and another later. I'm going to make a small batch tomorrow with some vanilla protein powder to see if I can make them friendlier for BFL/BFFM.

It's a high fat day. Bah.

cottage cheese
hard boiled egg
pumpkin muffin
coffee w/ cream

tuna salad w/ lite Italian dressing

grilled cheese sandwich
cookie
coffee w/ skim milk

McDonald's bacon ranch grilled chicken salad
ranch dressing
cookie

Calories - 1629
Carbs - 109 (22 fiber)
Protein - 119
Fat - 89
C/P/F Ratio - 25.4/27.8/46.8

Challenge 2 Day 24

My 3 year old ticks me off sometimes. I made myself some toast and he wanted his own. I made him 2 slices with butter. He wouldn't eat it. He didn't want toast. Bread and butter aren't cheap and I hated to waste it. So I ate it, after I'd just eaten my own portion. GRRRR!!!!

cottage cheese
hard boiled egg
pumpkin walnut muffin
coffee w/ cream

carrots
chicken wrap w/ mustard

carrots
chicken wrap w/ mustard
(not a typo - I ate twice - seems to be a pattern today)

toast w/ butter
chicken breast
coffee w/ skim milk

peas
bacon wrapped shrimp
coffee w/ skim milk

Calories - 1588
Carbs - 152 (48 fiber)
Protein - 146
Fat - 62
C/P/F Ratio - 34.7/33.4/31.8

Challenge 2 Day 23

I think I'm going to be bumping my starting pace for running soon, probably when I start Week 7. It feels too slow. Also at Week 7, I'm going to double the sets in my ab workout. I'm currently only doing 1 set, mostly so I can get my form down. So there - progress!

banana
cottage cheese
hard boiled egg
coffee w/ cream

ground chicken
kidney beans

carrots
cottage cheese
coffee w/ cream

broccoli
jalapeno chicken
coffee w/ cream

Calories - 1417
Carbs - 113 (26 fiber)
Protein - 132
Fat - 51
C/P/F Ratio - 31.4/36.6/31.9

Jalapeno Chicken Recipe

This is what I'm having for dinner tonight. I used to make it all the time when I was on Atkins. I'm feeling nostalgic and my current philosophy is to not deprive myself (hence the resolution to work on portion control).

1 boneless/skinless chicken breast
1 tbs cream cheese (regular, low fat, nonfat - whatever floats your boat)
3-4 slices jalapeno rings (or just chopped/minced - to taste)
2 slices turkey bacon

Butterfly the chicken, or pound it thin. Spread cream cheese in the center, topped with jalapeno. Fold or roll chicken and wrap in bacon. Secure bacon with toothpicks. Bake at 350F until chicken is done.

Challenge 2 Day 22

I reached a milestone today! I started doing the President's Challenge for fitness and today I earned my Silver Award! Yay!

One thing I really want to work on in the coming year is portion control. I'm eating too much at once, I know.

cottage cheese
hard boiled egg
pumpkin muffin

ground chicken
kidney beans

coffee w/ cream
fortified french toast

coffee w/ cream

sweet potato
barley
stew meat

Calories - 1541
Carbs - 133 (30 fiber)
Protein - 141
Fat - 56
C/P/F Ratio - 33.3/35.4/31.3

Challenge 2 Day 21

I was really disappointed to see no loss on the scale this morning. I though I had a fantastic week, too. Oh well. I beat myself up and ate a piece of pizza. I should be able to stay within acceptable ranges though. I know I won't hit maintenance levels, so there's that!

I tried a new whole wheat pumpkin muffin today. It wasn't sweet enough. I like the carrot pumpkin muffins I made last week better. It's just a pain shredding the carrots.

cottage cheese
hard boiled egg
coffee w/ cream

pizza

carrots

cauliflower
kielbasa

yogurt
pumpkin muffin

"Big Mac" salad (just everything that's on a Big Mac, except for the bun - and I used ground chicken!)

Calories - 1745
Carbs - 116 (13)
Protein - 109
Fat -97
C/P/F Ratio - 26.2/24.5/49.3

Challenge 2 Day 20

I was hungry today. I hate days like this.

cottage cheese
hard boiled egg
coffee w/ cream

cottage cheese
carrots

chicken breast
kidney beans

pasta
shrimp
broccoli
Caesar dressing

Calories - 1818
Carbs - 147 (33 fiber)
Protein - 196
Fat - 51
C/P/F Ratio - 32.1/42.7/25.2

Challenge 2 Day 19

Today was the first day I've been able to complete a weight training session without a single "Mommy, are you done working out?" or "Mommy, I need a peanut butter & jelly sandwich." or "Mommy, I need you to come snuggle with me on the couch." As much as I love snuggling my kid, it was nice to have him sleep all the way through for a change.

I looked up a few cookie recipes that would pass for acceptable for me to eat, mostly oatmeal-type no bakes. I may give those a shot this year. I decided against making a bunch from scratch - too much temptation. I will buy a couple packs of the pre-made cookie dough to bake Christmas Eve, and the rest, if I make them, will be the no bakes I found today.

I'm giving up apples for a while. The last bag I bought tasted funny and the bottoms were a little fuzzy.

cottage cheese
hard boiled egg
toast
coffee w/ cream

broccoli scrambled eggs

cottage cheese
hard boiled egg

cheddar cheese

chicken breast
kidney beans

carrots
peanut butter sandwich

Calories - 1652
Carbs - 138 (43 fiber)
Protein - 170
Fat - 65
C/P/F Ratio - 30.5/37.5/32

Challenge 2 Day 18

So much for continuing my streak of getting up early. I slept in until almost 8 today. Then I had to hurry up and get through my workout and do everything I needed to do. Hopefully I'll get up early tomorrow.

I know I've said before that I'm not big on frankenfoods, but I absolutely have to plug the Atkins Advantage Chocolate Peanut Butter bar. I had a meeting an hour away today and needed a snack to take with me. I just happened to see these in with the bars and they had a better carb-protein ratio than the EAS stuff. One bar (about the size of a regular candy bar) is 240 calories, 22 carbs (with 10 fiber!!!), 11 fat, and 19 protein grams. And the taste was actually decent. So now I know what to get when I need something portable and non-perishable.

apple
cottage cheese
coffee w/ cream

fortified french toast

Atkins bar

"fried eggs"
toast w/ butter

cauliflower
cottage cheese
hard boiled egg

Calories - 1469
Carbs - 137 (37 fiber)
Protein - 137
Fat - 59
C/P/F Ratio - 33.6/33.6/32.8

Challenge 2 Day 17

Two days in a row I've been up before 6 AM to work out. I plan to do the same tomorrow if my husband has to start work early, as he has been this week. This is a trend I'd like to continue. Heck, I would like to get up at 5 AM and work out. That's when my husband wakes up if he starts early. Maybe I will, on cardio days. I'm a bit shy about lifting weights in front of him.

No final numbers today - dinner is unmeasured.

apple
cottage cheese
coffee w/ cream

ground chicken
cauliflower
pumpkin muffin
popcorn

peanut butter sandwich
yogurt

cottage cheese

chicken & pasta salad (regular pasta & light mayo/sour cream dressing)

Pre-dinner stats:

Calories - 1257
Carbs - 112 (20 fiber)
Protein - 114
Fat - 52
C/P/F Ratio - 32.7/33.3/33.9

Challenge 2 Day 16

It's been a funky day, food-wise. I was testing out a cookie recipe and had a few nibbles to see if whole wheat sugar cookies are any good. They're not, so that's going to save me some unneeded carbs. Unfortunately, it means I will most likely be buying some regular flour or pre-made cookies.

apple
cottage cheese

pumpkin muffin w/ peanut butter
coffee w/ cream

barley
ground chicken

cauliflower
strawberry yogurt (I only ate half of it - I hate chunks of fruit in yogurt - but still counted all of it)

shrimp w/ cocktail sauce
brown rice

Calories - 1721
Carbs - 218 (23 fiber)
Protein - 120
Fat - 43
C/P/F Ratio - 50.1/27.5/22.4

Challenge 2 Day 15

I've really been slacking in the getting up early department. That needs to change. At least on Wednesdays I'm up early, because my son has speech therapy. I definitely need to work on the other days of the week.

With the holidays upon us, I've been debating whether or not I want to make goodies. I'm quite scared to, to be honest, because I don't trust myself to go overboard. Yesterday's slowly eaten candy bar may be a fluke. Though, I did make some wonderful pumpkin carrot muffins, and I only ate one! My son ate two. I think I am going to make a batch for my mom. If I can find more "healthy" recipes like this, I may do some more baking. I know it's not really BFL/BFFM friendly, but my rule lately has been just eat it if it's under maintenance levels, though I do try to stick close to my goal ratios for macronutrients. Quite honestly, I'm tired of worrying about it. I feel good, I'm losing weight, and I'm not usually pigging out. I don't feel like I'm dieting, and that's something positive. I don't feel deprived like I did when I was doing low carb or low fat. Maybe I'm doing that intuitive eating mumbo-jumbo I scoffed at earlier this year. Damn, reading it now, it makes so much sense.

A lesson was learned today, as well: the ends of a loaf of bread are terrible for french toast! They don't soak up the egg mixture. I used 3 slices of "butts" and one regular piece of bread and I still had mixture left over. At least I'm getting a little fiber this way.

apple
cottage cheese

fortified french toast
coffee w/ cream

carrots
homemade kielbasa
pumpkin carrot muffin

tilapia w/ tartar sauce
sweet potato

Calories - 1539
Carbs - 158 (32 fiber)
Protein - 138
Fat - 53
C/P/F Ratio - 38.1/33.2/28.7

Challenge 2 Day 14

After eating everything in sight yesterday, I was afraid to get on the scale today. But I was pleased to see I'm almost down to where I was when I left for vacation. I weighed in at 152.5 today, so only 1.5 pounds to go before I'm back to my old self.

I overate protein at lunch, so I allowed myself a 3 Musketeers Dark Chocolate Mint bar. I ate it very slowly. It was wonderful.

"fried" eggs
toast
cottage cheese
skim milk

tilapia
broccoli
3 Musketeers bar

rice cakes
cottage cheese

zesty baked eggs
cheddar cheese

Calories - 1561
Carbs - 128 (22 fiber)
Protein - 149
Fat - 67
C/P/F Ratio - 29.8/34.8/35.4

Challenge 2 Day 13

I did a normal BFL workout instead of HIIT on the elliptical. I might try the HIIT again next weekend, but I just couldn't face it this weekend.

apple
cottage cheese
coffee w/ cream

rice cakes
cottage cheese

coffee w/ cream
fortified french toast

carrots
chicken breast

chicken breast
sweet potato

banana
grilled cheese sandwich

Calories - 2005
Carbs - 204 (40)
Protein - 204
Fat - 58
C/P/F Ratio - 37.9/37.8/24.4

Challenge 2 Day 12

I was really hungry today. I finally bought more protein powder (vanilla, but I want to buy a chocolate, too) and I had every intention of making fortified french toast for lunch, but then I just didn't feel like cooking. So I just grabbed easy stuff. Tomorrow though, I am having it, with my coffee (which I didn't even get today).

apple
cottage cheese
hard boiled egg

cottage cheese
hard boiled eggs
dry toast

peanut butter sandwich

kielbasa ("homemade" from the meat market in PA)
carrots

chicken (in an Asian marinade I made that was WAY too spicy)
sweet potato

Calories - 1768
Carbs - 162 (37 fiber)
Protein - 154
Fat - 72
C/P/F Ratio - 33.8/32.3/33.9

Challenge 2 Day 11

I just had such a fantastic dinner - and I ate a lot of it. Homemade sausage, egg, and cheese biscuits made with hot bear sausage. Not enough yums to describe it!!!! So, the sausage and peanut butter make it a very high calorie day.

apple
cottage cheese
hard boiled egg
coffee w/ cream

scrambled egg w/ onion & green pepper
dry toast

rice cakes w/ peanut butter

carrots
cheddar cheese

sausage, egg, & cheese biscuits

Calories - 1906
Carbs - 128 (21 fiber)
Protein - 155
Fat - 92
C/P/F Ratio - 26.1/31.6/42.3

Challenge 2 Day 10

I think I'm getting weaker :( I really struggled with my UBWO today. I even ate beforehand. Or maybe I'm doing it right - I am working to muscle fatigue, or almost, especially with triceps and biceps.

banana
cottage cheese

carrots
venison
coffee w/ cream

California vegetable mix
venison
coffee w/ cream

McD's grilled bacon ranch chicken salad w/ ranch dressing

Calories - 1406
Carbs - 104 (18 fiber)
Protein - 142
Fat - 46
C/P/F Ratio - 29.7/40.8/29.6

Challenge 2 Day 9

I'm having a bit of a problem getting over some qualms I have about making some homemade whole wheat bread. The carbs are scaring me off, even though I know they aren't bad carbs. Heck, I eat bread several times a week, but for some reason, the thought of making my own (especially with so little fiber) is making me nervous. But I'm dying for homemade bread. Such a catch 22 :( Maybe I will use it as a "treat" during Christmas meals. Oooh, I could make a loaf and then turn it into some fancy french toast.

apple
cottage cheese
hard boiled egg

toast w/ cottage cheese
coffee w/ cream

roasted venison
carrots

shrimp & broccoli bake w/ butter, Parmesan cheese, bacon bits (I didn't measure, so I had to estimate)

Calories - 1904
Carbs - 124 (30 fiber)
Protein - 192
Fat - 79
C/P/F Ratio - 25.1/38.8/36.1

Challenge 2 Day 8

I know I shouldn't be getting on the scale every day, but I couldn't resist. Saturday night's binge effects are wearing off and the scale is going back down. So I can stay off until next Sunday's official weigh in now.

LBWO sucked. My calves were still sore from my HIIT. Single leg calf raises are really something.

apple
cottage cheese
hard boiled egg
coffee w/ cream

chicken & broccoli w/ Italian dressing
coffee w/ cream

yogurt

peanut butter on rice cakes

tuna wrap

Calories - 1393
Carbs - 106 (21 fiber)
Protein - 118
Fat - 53
C/P/F Ratio - 30.8/34.2/34.9

Challenge 2 Day 7

My legs are killing me from yesterday's HIIT session. Grrr! I have LBWO tomorrow and my calves want to go on vacation.

Against my better judgment, I did get on the scale today. The 4 pounds of water weight lost in the first half of the week were obliterated by last night's carb & fat fest. I suck, truly. Ok, I don't suck, but I really did know better. Why I ate pizza and cheese logs and whatever the hell else it was is beyond me.

With that in mind, I am making this promise to myself. I'm scheduled to make Christmas cookies with my son on December 23, as part of a big activity I have planned all month long with him. I will stay on plan until December 23, and at that time, I will sample my cookies (reasonable samples) and enjoy a moderately healthy Christmas dinner. Then straight back on plan!

apple
cottage cheese
hard boiled egg
coffee w/ cream

cottage cheese
rice cake

rice cake w/ homemade beef dip

leftover soup
small biscuit

chicken breast w/ broccoli & Italian dressing

tuna on rice cakes

Calories - 1606
Carbs - 140 (21 fiber)
Protein - 160
Fat - 44
C/P/F Ratio - 35/40.2/24.8

Challenge 2 Day 6

Ok, I do not like real HIIT on the elliptical!! The sprint intervals about killed me and I just could not wait for my 20 minutes to be over!!! I'm not sure if I'm going to do it again next Saturday, or do it on the treadmill, or stick with my regular BFL cardio. OMG, it was brutal.

Tomorrow is my "free" day. I think I'm going to treat it like a normal day. Or, I'll have a bowl of Cheerios for breakfast. I love plain old Cheerios.

apple
cottage cheese
hard boiled egg

fortified french toast
coffee w/ cream

peanut butter sandwich
pork rinds

homemade venison, barley, and vegetable soup

And damn it, this is where things fell apart. Since I didn't actually publish this post before turning off the computer last night, I wasn't compelled to leave the menu alone, and I ended up in a binge. I started with one proper serving of Cheerios, then a huge bowl of Cheerios. It didn't stop there, oh no, it did not! I ate some of my husband's special sausage (trust me, it's not as dirty as it sounds!!!), then a pizza boat, then some cheese logs. After that, I was finally disgusted enough with myself to brush my teeth and go go bed, where I dreamed of cardio machines and scales and the Kimkins diet.

Challenge 2 Day 5

My UBWO was brutal today. I am definitely working harder than I did in Challenge 1.

apple
cottage cheese
hard boiled egg

chicken wrap w/ mustard & cheese
coffee w/ cream

walnuts

venison
sweet potato

Calories - 1537
Carbs - 82 (18 fiber)
Protein - 146
Fat - 70
C/P/F Ratio - 21.3/37.8/40.9

Challenge 2 Day 4

Okay, I realized that I'm doing back extensions as part of my UBWO and my Ab Boot Camp, so I'm going to substitute SparkPeople's Boxer for the extensions in my UBWO. I've also decided to do my one true HIIT session on the elliptical every Saturday, and my two regular BFL cardio sessions will be on the treadmill during the week.

apple
cottage cheese
coffee w/ cream

chicken breast
low carb/low fat tortilla

whole wheat spaghetti
chicken breast w/ Caesar dressing

homemade shrimp fried rice (I estimated the quantities when I added them to my nutrition tracker)

walnuts

Calories - 1886
Carbs - 155 (20 fiber)
Protein - 157
Fat - 72
C/P/F Ratio - 32.7/33.1/34.1

Challenge 2 Day 3

The Butt-Busting workout really kicked my butt!!!! I loved it. I can totally feel it.

cottage cheese
apple

homemade breakfast burrito
coffee w/ cream
peanut butter

chicken breast w/ skin
carrots

yogurt
coffee w/ cream

Calories - 1127
Carbs - 100 (15 fiber)
Protein - 96
Fat - 40
C/P/F Ratio - 35/33.5/31.5

Challenge 2 Day 2

Cardio kicked my butt today!!! I didn't think I was going to make it. I could definitely tell I'd taken some time off from exercising. I did the Ab Boot Camp, and it was hard. I only did one set today. I'll stick with one set for the rest of this week, and move up to two next week, three the week after that.

fortified french toast (made with 2 whole eggs, rather than egg substitute - I still haven't been grocery shopping)
coffee (black - I still haven't been grocery shopping!!!)

red beans
American cheese

red beans
onions, sour cream
ground bear (it was really good!!!!)

Calories - 1322
Carbs - 126 (67 fiber) [I really think the carb/fiber count on my beans is wrong - it doesn't add up mathematically]
Protein - 135
Fat - 60
C/P/F Ratio - 31.7/34/34.3

Vacation Summary & Challenge 2 Notes

I was a really good girl until the day before Thanksgiving, when I started helping bake the pies and breads. I really wasn't horrible at all in terms of eating, but I did enjoy myself. I did not drink, though I had planned to. I also did not exercise, though I'd planned on it. The weather was too crappy to go running and the house was too full of people to find anywhere to do calisthenics/resistance bands. So I read two Stephen King books, and I enjoyed myself immensely.

I've changed my mind about buying a heart rate monitor. Aside from my husband spending the money I had set aide for one, I realized that it's not going to change the way I work out. I'm going to keep doing exactly what I'm doing now. The only reason I wanted the monitor was to see my numbers. I don't need to see them. I'm trying to stop living my life according to statistics. It's going to be hard enough to not obsess over calories and carbs and fat and protein. I don't need another parameter.

I'm also not going to bother with specific goals this challenge. I just want to keep losing weight. I'm not officially entering at the BFL site. I'm just doing this for me now, because I enjoy it.

Challenge 2 Before Stats

For the record, I'm 5'1.75" and weighed in yesterday at 158.5 pounds, but was down to 156 today. All measurements are in inches.

Neck - 14.5
Bust - 41.5
Rib Circumference - 36.25
Waist - 38
Belly - 42.75
Hips - 39.75
Thighs - 23.75 (R&L)
Calves - 15 (R&L)
Biceps (flexed) - 12 (R) 12.25 (L)
Triceps - 14 (R&L)
Forearms - 10.5 (R&L)
Wrists - 6 (R) 6.25 (L)
Body Fat - 37% (probably inaccurate, using a Tanita scale)
Lean Body Mass - 101 pounds
BMI - 28.9

Challenge 2 Day 1

Let me just say, it is good to be home and in control. I ate pretty badly the second half of my vacation. I'm up 7.5 pounds from the day I left, but I suspect most of that is water from the gobs of fresh beef jerky from Hirsch's Meats in Pennsylvania. If you ever get to Shippenville, stop by Hirsch's!

I did my measurements and took pics. I'll post my stats tomorrow. I've been dealing with the usual post-vacation crap, so I'm short on time right now. I just wanted to post my menu and make a note about my UBWO - I had to change my lateral raises from 10 pounds to 7.5 pounds. Everything else was good. It was a hard workout, though. My arms were shaking like never before. I think that's good. I was really feeling it!!

I have to go grocery shopping tomorrow. I have none of my staples :(

cottage cheese (it was nasty, so I only ate a few bites)

"fried" eggs
toast w/ spray butter
coffee w/ 2% milk

tuna wrap w/ light mayo

homemade beef jerky

steamed shrimp w/ cauliflower

Calories - 1136
Carbs - 63 (20 fiber)
Protein - 118
Fat - 47
C/P/F Ratio - 22/41/37

Exercise for Challenge 2

I'm heading home from vacation this weekend. It has really sucked, and I will blog all about it when I get home and have some time Monday. The only positive thing I've done this week (meaning, just now!!!) is put together my next routine. I am changing things up just a bit. On cardio days, I'm adding Muscle Media's Ab Boot Camp. To make up for not doing abs on LBWO day, I'm adding SparkPeople's 6-Minute Butt Blasting Workout. Cardio is going to be 2 regular BFL sessions and 1 true HIIT session.

UBWO

Bench Press - 20, 25, 30, 35, 30
Modified Pushups

Lying Triceps Press w/ Dumbbells - 5, 7.5, 10, 12.5, 10
Bench Dips

Dumbbell Press - 7.5, 10, 12.5, 15, 12.5
Lateral Raise - 10

Incline Dumbbell Row - 12.5, 15, 17.5, 20, 17.5
Back Extension w/ Ball

Dumbbell Concentration Curl - 7.5, 10, 12.5, 15, 12.5
Barbell Curl - 15

LBWO

Leg Extension - 25, 27.5, 30, 32.5, 30
Squat

Lying Leg Curl - 17.5, 20, 22.5, 25, 22.5
Dumbbell Lunge - 10

Calf Raise w/ Dumbbell - 5, 10, 15, 20, 15
Single Leg Calf Raise

Bridge w/ Ball
Butt Blaster

Still no heart rate monitor. Long story, which I will get to.

Post Challenge Day 10

This will be my last post for a while, as we're hitting the road tomorrow. I've packed good food for the 12 hour drive, and I'm taking some of my staples with me so I won't be so tempted by the junk my mother-in-law keeps around.

apple
cottage cheese
hard boiled egg
coffee w/ cream

egg mates w/ onion & green pepper
toast w/ butter
venison
coffee w/ cream

sweet potato
chicken breast

Calories - 1132
Carbs - 112 (21 fiber)
Protein - 104
Fat - 38
C/P/F Ratio - 37.2/34.5/28.3

Post Challenge Day 9

I knew it! I was underestimating myself, and not working nearly hard enough during my first challenge. We finally got around to determining my max for bench presses last night, and it's 70-75 pounds, plus whatever the bar weighs. So much for my "working up" to 20 pounds during the challenge. So, when I get back from New York, I'll be starting with 3x6 30# and work up from there. I might mess around tomorrow or Wednesday to determine my max for a few other exercises.

apple
cottage cheese
hard boiled egg
coffee w/ cream

venison
toast w/ butter

venison
carrots

ground turkey w/ onion & green pepper

toast w/ butter

Calories - 1706
Carbs - 117 (30 fiber)
Protein - 181
Fat - 73
C/P/F Ratio - 25.3/39.1/35.6

Post Challenge Day 8

Crazy day, because I had to drive 90 minutes to take my son to the dentist, then 90 minutes back, another hour in the other direction, then finally home. I did get up and do my cardio this morning. I think I'll bump my starting pace when I get home.

apple
cottage cheese
hard boiled egg
coffee w/ cream

McDonald's bacon ranch salad w/ ranch dressing

toast w/ butter
cottage cheese

pinto beans
ground turkey

Calories - 1776
Carbs - 149 (36)
Protein - 156
Fat - 73
C/P/F Ratio - 31.9/33.3/34.8

Post Challenge Day 7

Good strength day - I increased a few of my weights, just to see if I could. So when I get back from vacation, I'll start off with those numbers.

apple
cottage cheese
hard boiled egg
coffee w/ cream

pinto beans
ground turkey
coffee w/ cream

candy
hard boiled egg whites

shrimp
pasta w /EVOO

Calories - 1754
Carbs - 153 (25 fiber)
Protein - 139
Fat - 66
C/P/F Ratio - 34.8/31.5/33.7

Post Challenge Day 6

I need to eat more fibrous vegetables.

apple
cottage cheese
hard boiled egg

ground beef
sweet potato
coffee w/ cream

hard boiled egg white
cottage cheese

chicken breast
brown rice
pinto beans

Calories - 1651
Carbs - 138 (20 fiber)
Protein - 152
Fat - 54
C/P/F Ratio - 33.5/36.9/29.6

Post Challenge Day 5

Lots of disconnected rambling today...

I sent in my BFL Challenge paperwork. So there - I officially entered the challenge. And I just realized I haven't posted my essay and questions yet. I will, before I leave for vacation.

For some reason, I've had it in my head that I have to complete all my workouts for next week, even though I'm going to be on the road Thursday night and Friday. So I had to move 2 days worth of exercise to the beginning of the week. I ended up doing a full body workout today, to make up for missing next Friday's LBWO, and I'll do cardio Sunday to make up for missing next Saturday's session. Jeez. I could have skipped, especially since I've been so good about keeping on schedule for 14 weeks (counting next week!). I can justify taking one week off (which I'll do the week of Thanksgiving) but I couldn't justify the two extra days. I'm a dork. I'm striving for maintenance while I'm gone. I might take walks, depending on the weather. They have an exercise bike, and I'm giving my mother-in-law my Gazelle Edge. I am well versed in calisthenics. There's no excuse for me not to exercise. But shoot, I deserve a break.

I used to smoke. A lot. Until I was bout 5 months pregnant. I think the only reason I am able to exercise now is because I quit (cold turkey, may I add!!). The only thing keeping me from starting smoking again is the exercise. If I weren't so fitness obsessed, I would smoke, unfortunately.

apple
cottage cheese
hard boiled egg

hard boiled egg whites

baked eggs w/ onion & green pepper
toast w/ butter
coffee w/ cream

coffee w/ cream

ground beef
broccoli
coffee w/ cream

nonfat yogurt

Calories - 1479
Carbs -114 (21 fiber)
Protein - 125
Fat - 68
C/P/F Ratio - 29.1/31.9/39

Current Strength Training Routine

Here's what I'm currently doing, between challenges. I'm not 100% sure I'll go back to strict BFL format when Challenge 2 starts. I really like doing heavier weights/fewer reps. Cardio is the same, though I was going to do true HIIT, but I'm not ready for that yet.

Upper Body Workout

skull crushers 3x8 @ 12.5 lbs
triceps dips 2x8

dumbbell shrugs 3x8 @ 12.5 lbs
front raise 3x8 @ 7.5 lbs

barbell bench press 3x8 @ 20 lbs
modified pushups 2x8

lying dumbbell rows 3x8 @ 15 lbs
barbell rows 2x8 @ 20 lbs

barbell curls 3x8 @ 15 lbs
hammer curls 2x8 @ 7.5 lbs

Lower Body Workout

bridge ups 3x12
jackknife w/ ball 2x12

standing calf raise 3x8 @ 20 lbs
reverse calf raise 2x12

lying leg curl 3x8 @ 22.5 lbs
dead lift 2x8 @ 20 lbs

leg extensions 3x8 @ 30 lbs
squats 2x12

wrist curls 3x8 @ 3 lbs
reverse wrist curls 2x8 @ 3 lbs
(I know these aren't lower body but I like having an even number of exercises per day)

Post Challenge Day 4

My legs hurt!! It must have been the squats. I did real, honest body squats yesterday, not the weenie ones I'd been doing with my stability ball. Or, it might have been the leg extensions. Regardless, I feel it.

I also changed up my menu a bit today. I had my normal breakfast for lunch, and my lunch for breakfast. I'm a rebel.

My calories have been rather high this week. I doubt I'll lose anything. I may not even weigh in on Sunday, and do it instead the morning I leave for vacation.

fortified french toast
coffee w/ cream

apples (warmed w/ cinnamon and Splenda)
cottage cheese
hard boiled egg

soup (chicken breast, broth, lentils, brown rice)

Calories - 1658
Carbs - 155 (34 fiber)
Protein - 191
Fat - 38
C/P/F Ratio - 36/44.4/19.6

Post Challenge Day 3

Its so much harder to get my water in during the winter. It's too cold to want it now. I'm getting my 80 ounces, but barely. I might cut back to 64. When I'm not drinking water, I'm drinking coffee.

apple
cottage cheese
hard boiled egg
coffee w/ cream

scrambled eggs w/ onion, green pepper, cheese, sour cream

lentils
hard boiled egg
cucumber

stuffed peppers (ground beef, rice, beans, lentils, onion)

Calories - 1507
Carbs - 127 (22 fiber)
Protein - 117
Fat - 60
C/P/F Ratio - 33.5/30.9/35.6

Post Challenge Day 2

Not much to say now, other than providing my menu. It's business as usual while I stress over how I'll eat during my travels. For once, I would like to be on plan the whole time, or at least all days except Thanksgiving. Tell me I can do this!!! Protein is always a problem when I travel.

apple
cottage cheese
hard boiled egg
coffee w/ cream

fortified french toast

chicken breast
carrots
coffee w/ cream
hard boiled egg

venison
pinto beans

Calories - 1552
Carbs - 138 (35 fiber)
Protein - 178
Fat - 37
C/P/F Ratio - 34.5/44.6/20.9

After Stats

I really think I messed up my initial measurements, and probably some along the way. Next time, I'll have my husband do the measuring, twice each time we do it.

Neck - 14.5 -------------- 14
Bust - 43.25 -------------- 42.5
Rib Circ - 36.5 -------------- 36
Waist - 39.25 -------------- 37.5
Belly - 43.75 -------------- 41.25
Hips - 43 -------------- 39.25
Thighs - (R) 24 -------------- 23.75 (L) 23.75 -------------- 23.5
Calves - (R) 14.75 -------------- 14.5 (L) 14.75 -------------- 14.5
(Flexed) Biceps - (R) 12.5 -------------- 12 (L) 12.75 -------------- 12.5
Batwings - (R) 14 -------------- 13.5 (L) 14 -------------- 14
Forearms - (R) 11 -------------- 10.5 (L) 11 -------------- 10.25
Wrists - (R) 6.25 -------------- 6 (L) 6.25 -------------- 6.25
Weight - 165.5 lbs -------------- 154.5 lbs
Body Fat - 39% -------------- 36%
Lean Body Mass - 101 lbs -------------- 98.9 (Yikes! A loss of LBM )
BMI - 30.2 -------------- 28.1

Post Challenge Day 1

Still eating BFL/BFFM style and experimenting with various exercise routines. I am fairly certain I'll be doing a second BFL challenge when I get back from New York at the end of the month. I've been back and forth about it a lot, but I didn't like not doing it today.

I promise to have my stats up tomorrow, along with my essay and answers to the BFL questions.

apple
cottage cheese
hard boiled egg
coffee w/ cream

fortified french toast

chicken breast
carrots
coffee w/ cream

sweet potato
venison roast

Calories - 1309
Carbs - 147 (28 fiber)
Protein - 133
Fat - 29
C/P/F Ratio - 42.5/38.5/19

Week 12

It's Free Day. We all know what that means - binge. I finally found my way to my son's Halloween bucket.

I don't really have much to say about the conclusion of my BFL challenge. I need to redo my measurements in the morning because I was in a hurry today and I think (hope) I measured wrong. I did take my pictures and fill out all my paperwork. If I follow through (which I think I will), I will mail out my entry packet tomorrow. I haven't decided whether I'm going to post my pictures. They certainly aren't pretty. Fully clothed with a bag over my head, I don't look too bad. Unfortunately, one must be half naked for the contest pics. I suppose wearing shorts rather than a bikini was a blessing for viewers' eyes, should I ever post the pictures.

I lost 11 pounds, officially, during the 12 week challenge. Tomorrow, I'm going back to BFFM and different exercise routine. But watch this space for my final stats, my contest essay, and many other things. I'll be blogging regularly as I continue 12 week blocks of sweaty fun.

Now, I'm going to make spaghetti.

Challenge 1 Day 83

Today was pretty good. I have had plenty of opportunities over the last few days to eat candy, and I have resisted. As much as I want it, I'm afraid I won't stop if I start. I may allow myself one reasonable serving tomorrow, on my free day, depending on how well I eat the rest of the day. I'm already planning on spaghetti, and that's kind of on the iffy side of acceptable. Well, it's acceptable, but I have no portion control when it comes to spaghetti. I have switched to whole wheat, and I also like the Barilla Plus pasta.

I'm really upset that I wasted 3 cups of beans on a black bean brownie recipe. It tasted horrible. Good thing beans are cheap.

My husband shot a buck today, so we will have lots of venison in the future. Add that to the 100 pounds of bluetail shrimp he caught last month and we shouldn't have to buy meat for a while. Of course, I will need my chicken.

Cardio was interesting this morning. I almost wiped out because I was trying to get the cord for my headphones out of the way, and my foot slipped to the side, then my toe go caught in the belt. Of course, I was on RPE 9 when it happened, so I almost went flying.

apple
cottage cheese
hard boiled egg

scrambled eggs w/ onion, green pepper, garlic
toast w/ butter

tuna w/ mayo
carrots

chicken breast
broccoli

toast w/ butter
230 g cottage cheese

Calories - 1558
Carbs - 148 (37 fiber)
Protein - 156
Fat - 54
C/P/F Ratio - 34.7/36.7/28.6

Challenge 1 Day 82

I am very pleased to say that I made it through last night's investigation without eating anything bad, even though other team members brought candy and chips. I ate my vegetables, unsalted cashews, and sliced venison without giving the junk a second thought.

My last LBWO almost didn't happen. I was exhausted this morning, but 3 year olds don't really understand "Give Mommy 15 more minutes." I wanted to skip and just be a slug on the couch, stealing a nap where I could, but I didn't. I couldn't come all this way just to blow off my last strength training session.

apple
cottage cheese
hard boiled egg

scrambled eggs w/ green pepper & onion
coffee w/ cream

carrots
hard boiled egg

McDonald's Bacon Ranch (grilled) Chicken salad
Newman's Own Ranch dressing
coffee w/ cream

black beans

Calories - 1424
Carbs - 123 (27 fiber)
Protein - 112
Fat - 57
C/P/F Ratio - 33.9/30.9/35.3

Challenge 1 Day 81

It's going to be a weird day. I won't have numbers to post because I have an overnight investigation (I'm in a paranormal group) and I won't have access to my scale or any adequate cooling, so I'll just be doing the best I can. The plan is to take some carrot sticks and nuts to snack on. I'm going to need energy because I will have endless flights of stairs to climb several times tonight. Nuts would be good, but I don't really want that much salt this close to my final weigh in. Cheese sticks may work. I'm not sure yet. I can't go to the store until I head out and I don't really have anything in the house that would work. I could cook up a batch of beans and take those, but seriously, the last thing I need is to be caught farting on the audio and video recorders.

apple
cottage cheese
hard boiled egg

chicken
black beans
coffee w/ cream

chicken breast
carrots

Food I'm taking with me on the investigation:

sliced venison
carrots & cucumbers
unsalted cashews

Challenge 1 Day 80

I did my last BFL UBWO this morning!! I am definitely not going to do an extra 2 weeks of BFL workouts. I'm going to play with various exercises to see what I like and what weights I can actually do. Then, when I get back from New York, I'll start a regular routine - fewer reps, heavier weights and HIIT.

apple
cottage cheese
hard boiled egg
coffee w/ cream

chicken breast
black beans

carrots
hard boiled egg

chicken breast
spaghetti squash
creamy Caesar dressing

Calories - 1221
Carbs - 109 (25 fiber)
Protein - 125
Fat - 34
C/P/F Ratio - 35.1/40.4/24.5

Challenge 1 Day 79

I can't believe how much I enjoyed cardio this morning! Go figure.

My wedding rings are loose. I couldn't even wear them a month ago, heck two or three weeks ago. I think cutting out the lunch meat was a good idea, and I've been watching my salt intake a bit better. It's paying off.

apple
cottage cheese
hard boiled egg
coffee w/ cream

scrambled eggs w/ onion & green pepper
toast w/ butter
coffee w/ cream

mashed cauliflower w/ cream cheese
ground chicken

chicken breast
black beans

Calories - 1689
Carbs - 124 (30 fiber)
Protein - 148
Fat - 74
C/P/F Ratio - 28.1/33.7/38.2

Challenge 1 Day 78

Finally, Week 12 is here. I have to say, I never thought I'd see this through. This week, I really need to work on my essay so I can officially enter the Body For Life Challenge. I have so much to do this week, though. I hope I don't say "screw it" and not enter. I've worked hard.

apple
cottage cheese
coffee w/ cream

chicken breast
sweet potato
coffee w/ cream

mashed cauliflower w/ cream cheese
ground chicken

toast w/ butter

Calories - 1516
Carbs - 124 (23 fiber)
Protein - 126
Fat - 64
C/P/F Ratio - 31.4/32/36.6

Week 11

Since I'm not treating today as a Free Day due to last night's dinner, I'll be posting my menu and numbers for the day. I guess I'll also post my weight - up 2.5 from last week. I wasn't going to weigh in but I figured it's better not to pretend. Hopefully, it's just water. I'll be happy to end this challenge at 154.

apple
cottage cheese
coffee w/ cream

sweet potato
chicken breast
coffee w/ cream

carrots
hard boiled egg

fortified french toast

Calories - 1111
Carbs - 124 (26 fiber)
Protein - 102
Fat - 29
C/P/F Ratio - 42.5/34.9/22.6

Challenge 1 Day 76

I am really digging the treadmill! It amazes me how for I've come in 5 weeks, from hating and not even being able to finish a session, to actually looking to the higher levels of exertion.

No numbers because I caved and had Chinese food. My husband has been bugging for it, and I was going to be on my best behavior for the rest of the challenge, then have the Chinese, but I couldn't stand it any longer. I had a bit of candy afterward. At least it wasn't an all day binge. But no more free anything until I leave for NY.

apple
cottage cheese
coffee w/ cream

chicken wrap w/ cheese

tuna sandwich

Chinese takeout and some candy

Challenge 1 Day 75

Crappy day. Unmotivated, unstructured. I worked out, as usual. Got up early. I'm so ready for this challenge to die!!!

apple
cottage cheese
coffee

protein flax pancakes

cheddar cheese

chicken salad w/ lite Italian dressing

carrots

Calories - 1312
Carbs - 102 (19 fiber)
Protein - 121
Fat - 47
C/P/F Ratio - 31/36.8/32.2

Challenge 1 Day 74

More of the same. I've been having a hard time waking up lately. My son was up most of the night with a stuffy nose and cough, so I stayed in bed as long as possible this morning. Got up, did cardio. I was going to put it off but changed my mind. Yay me. Now I need a decent night of sleep.

apple
cottage cheese
coffee w/ cream

baked eggs w/ garlic, onion & green pepper

Myoplex snack bar

apple
cottage cheese
coffee w/ cream

tuna wrap w/ lite Italian dressing

Calories - 1360
Carbs - 122 (19 fiber)
Protein - 125
Fat - 42
C/P/F Ratio - 35.8/36.6/27.7

Challenge 1 Day 73

Having a lousy day. I'm not really hungry, but eating junk.

venison jerky

apple
eggs

apple
venison jerky
coffee w/ cream

cucumber
AdvantEdge bar
venison jerky

shrimp
carrots

Calories - 1207
Carbs - 84 (16 fiber)
Protein - 150
Fat - 32
C/P/F Ratio - 27.3/49.1/23.6

Challenge 1 Day 72

Between the bacon and the frankenfood, I'm retaining enough water to take care of the drought in Georgia.

apple
cottage cheese

carrots
chicken breast

toast w/ butter
coffee
venison jerky

"fried" eggs

venison jerky
nonfat yogurt

Calories - 1510
Carbs - 133 (30 fiber)
Protein - 154
Fat - 57
C/P/F Ratio - 32/37.1/30.8

Challenge 1 Day 71

Got off to a late start. It's been busy in the house and I couldn't measure my dinner. My schedule was all messed up today from the errands and whatnot. I hate that word...

apple
cottage cheese
hard boiled egg

cucumber

protein flax pancakes
coffee w/ cream

cheddar cheese
AdvantEDGE chocolate peanut butter bar

shrimp w/ cream cheese & bacon

Calories - 1932
Carbs - 112 (18 fiber)
Protein - 159
Fat - 97
C/P/F Ratio - 22.9/32.6/44.5

Protein Flax Pancakes

I had to adapt the Golden Pancakes recipe from the Eating For Life cookbook to give me more protein and fiber. Here's what I came up with. It makes a pretty thick batter, and not very sweet. I'll probably add some sugar free Davinci syrup next time to thin and sweeten it a bit. But overall, not bad.

1/2 c (40 g) oats
1/2 c (115 g) cottage cheese
3/8 cup egg substitute
1/4 tsp cinnamon
1/2 scoop (14 g) vanilla protein powder
2 tbs (13 g) golden flax meal

Add all ingredients to blender and blend until smooth. Spoon about 1/4 c batter onto hot griddle, lightly coated with non-stick spray. Makes 4-5 pancakes (1 serving).

400 calories
40 g carbs (8 fiber)
41 g protein
10 g fat

Updated Strength Training Routine

Upper Body Workout

lying dumbbell row - 10, 12.5, 15, 17.5, 15
bent over barbell row - 20

barbell bench press – 17.5, 20, 22.5, 25, 22.5
dumbbell fly - 10

dumbbell shrug- 7.5, 10, 12.5, 15, 12.5
front raise - 7.5

barbell curl - 12.5, 15, 17.5, 20, 17.5
hammer curl – 7.5

lying triceps extension - 7.5, 10, 12.5, 15, 12.5
triceps kickback – 7.5

Lower Body Workout

leg extension – 22.5, 25, 27.5, 30, 27.5
swiss ball squat

lying leg curl – 15, 17.5, 20, 22.5, 20
straight leg dead lift - 20

standing calf raise - 0, 10, 15, 20, 15
reverse calf raise

crunch on ball - 5, 7.5, 10, 12.5, 10
reverse crunch

Week 10

Lost that half a pound I was up last week. Yay, I guess.

I had every intention of not being so free on my free day. Then I got to the Psychic Fair where my paranormal group was presenting (for the first time ever!). They had brownies and chips and cookies and a fantastic hummus dip. So, it's been a carb fest. I swear, next Sunday I will be on my very, very super best eating behavior! Even if I stay at 154 until the end of the challenge, I can live with that.

Challenge 1 Day 69

Today was horrible. I didn't get much sleep last night because my stupid husband didn't come home from the poker game until almost 4 AM. I was up from midnight on, worried sick because I couldn't get ahold of him. Turns out, the game ended at 11:30 and he was gabbing with one of the guys for 4 hours. So I was incredibly pissed off and only got a couple hours of sleep. The last thing I wanted to do this morning was cardio. I was going to put it off until evening, quite possibly until tomorrow. Fortunately, I changed my mind and got it out of the way. I had my best distance, too!

Then, I had my niece and nephew here (they spent the night) and these aren't the easiest kids to be around, so they only made my headache and grumpiness worse. In the early afternoon, I was giving the kids some M&Ms (dark chocolate, my favorite) and I had 4 or 5. I'm not going to put them in my tracker because I'm lazy, but I did cave and have a few. I also bought one of those new Reese's Whipped whatevers. I'm saving that for tomorrow.

apple
cottage cheese

ground chicken
black eyed peas
coffee w/ cream

ground chicken
black eyed peas

steamed broccoli
chicken breast

Calories - 1405
Carbs - 126 (28 fiber)
Protein - 131
Fat - 46
C/P/F Ratio - 35.1/36.3/28.6

Challenge 1 Day 68

Woohoo! The end is near. I can feel it! 13 more workouts and I can stop being so compulsive about tracking everything. I'll still use SparkPeople for my basic tracking, but no more redundant spreadsheet!!! I don't know why I started that stupid thing to begin with.

I finally tried the Golden Pancakes from the Eating For Life cookbook and they were pretty darn good. A little runny though, since I used egg substitute instead of regular egg whites. Next time, I'll either cut the amount of egg sub by 1/8 cup, or I'll add 1/8 cup of protein powder or ground flax. And I will probably leave out the granular Splenda in favor of some sugar free DaVinci syrup.

And I've got to say, I am loving beans. There is no way I could ever give them up. They taste great, are incredibly nutritious, and have fiber. I think I will keep some cooked up at all times.

apple
cottage cheese

EFL pancakes
coffee w/ cream

tuna wrap w/ creamy Caesar dressing & croutons

chicken & black eyed peas stuffed peppers

nonfat vanilla yogurt
hard boiled eggs

Calories - 1505
Carbs - 138 (20 fiber)
Protein - 126
Fat - 49
C/P/F Ratio - 36.8/33.6/29.6

Challenge 1 Day 67

I started working on my BFL Challenge essay and transformation questions. I hate this part. There's nothing I can say that won't sound cheesier than an Atkins side dish. Maybe I won't submit my paperwork. I don't feel like I've made any great strides. I still weigh more than I did in June, when my travels made me gain back about 15 pounds. Damn my crappy willpower!!

apple
cottage cheese

cucumber
hard boiled eggs
black eyed peas
coffee w/ cream

cottage cheese

roast marinated in light Italian dressing
black eyed peas w/ sliced onion & garlic

nonfat key lime yogurt

Calories - 1394
Carbs - 139 (20 fiber)
Protein - 131
Fat - 38
C/P/F Ratio - 39.3/36.9/23.8

Challenge 1 Day 66

I am so ready for this challenge to be over!!! I have to figure out what I'm going to do during the week and a half between the end of this challenge and when I leave for New York. I can't do my time off from working out during that week and a half because I'm saving my break for New York. I know I don't want to do BFL workouts. Maybe I'll play with the resistance bands and practice my HIIT.

apple
cottage cheese
coffee w/ cream

scrambled eggs w/ green pepper & onion

hard boiled eggs
carrots
coffee w/ cream

shrimp
brown rice

cashews

Calories - 1544
Carbs - 123 (14 fiber)
Protein - 129
Fat - 61
C/P/F Ratio - 31.5/33.1/35.3

Challenge 1 Day 65

There was a lesson learned this morning.

Normally, I don't eat before cardio, because it's a rather short workout and I usually do it first thing. Today, I decided to watch a TV show before jumping on the treadmill. That 45 minutes made a huge difference in my energy level. So no more putting cardio off. And if I do, I will eat first.

apple
cottage cheese
coffee w/ cream

scrambled eggs w/ onion & green pepper

shrimp
carrots

acorn squash
lean burger

Calories - 1370
Carbs - 84 (16 fiber)
Protein - 120
Fat - 61
C/P/F Ratio - 24.6/35.1/40.3

Challenge 1 Day 64

I was flying blind yesterday because I didn't want to turn my computer on and track everything. Plus, I was running around like a lunatic, trying to get shopping done and some housework. So, it wasn't my best day, and I knowingly ate some regular white bread. I bought some Wonder Bread Classic for my son last week, because I didn't feel like going all the way to the regular grocery store to buy the double fiber stuff we usually eat. This Wonder Bread is horrible. It tastes like crap and it is so fragile. It falls apart when toasted. I don't like it, and I'll be glad when it's gone.

On to my pathetic menu...

hard boiled eggs

Myoplex chocolate chocolate chip bar

hard boiled egg

apple
cottage cheese

carrots

shrimp w/ cocktail sauce
broccoli

grilled cheese sandwich

Calories - 1935
Carbs - 136 (19 fiber)
Protein - 158
Fat - 89
C/P/F Ratio - 27.6/32/40.4

Week 9

Up half a pound.

We went Christmas shopping in Virginia and didn't eat a home made meal once during the day. We went to a breakfast buffet, a seafood joint, and Taco Bell. It was definitely a free day. I didn't stuff myself, but I ate. Breakfast was the worst. I had some eggs and sausage, which was fine, but the pancakes and french toast with syrup made me want to vomit. That's a good thing - it means I don't like that stuff anymore.

Challenge 1 Day 62

As much as I hate to admit it, that treadmill is really growing on me. I was actually looking forward to it today! What the heck is wrong with me??

In another WTF moment, I've decided to get a heart rate monitor. Or, at least ask for one for Christmas. I measure my pulse immediately after a cardio session, but I'd really like to start keeping track during my cardio, especially since I really need to make my short sessions count. So, I'm researching the best HRM for me. It will probably be a Polar, but I'm not sure which model yet. I don't need anything too fancy, so I'm looking at the F4.

apple
cottage cheese
coffee w/ cream

chicken & pasta w/ Caesar

cottage cheese

tilapia topped w/ mayo/mustard sauce
carrots

hard boiled eggs
coffee w/ cream

Calories - 1402
Carbs - 127 (18 fiber)
Protein - 129
Fat - 48
C/P/F Ratio - 34.9/35.4/29.7

Challenge 1 Day 61

I was a bit scared to do my UBWO today because of my back, especially the bent over barbell row, but all went very well. I have to say, though, this challenge won't be over soon enough!! I'm to the point where I want to start skipping exercises, or just do them half-heartedly. I'm not, but I think about it every rep!! So I'm glad there's a change coming up. I've been spending lots of time reviewing various fitness sites and message boards, trying to figure out just the right routine for me to start my next segment. I'm getting close, I think.

Food was carby today. I have 2 bags of dark chocolate M&Ms and a bag of candy corn in the house, and I've not even been tempted. The multigrain Wheat Thins, on the other hand, smell really freaking good!

apple
cottage cheese
coffee w/ cream

pasta & chicken w/ creamy Caesar dressing

carrots
cottage cheese
hard boiled egg

Cajun catfish
sweet potato
coffee w/ cream

Calories - 1506
Carbs - 143 (19 fiber)
Protein - 129
Fat - 50
C/P/F Ratio - 37.4/33.5/29.1

Challenge 1 Day 60

In the interest of full disclosure, I ate another cup of rice after I blogged last night. Sometimes, I plan out what I'll eat and stick to it, so I can get my post up early and turn off the computer. Last night, I didn't stick with it. It would have been an all out binge if there'd been any junk food in the house. I messed up my back somehow and yesterday it got suddenly worse. It's always been a bit sore, but last night as I was making dinner, the pain spread and intensified. It hurt to walk and sometimes breathe. I think I may be doing my deadlifts wrong.

So, I'm still in a lot of pain today, especially when I move wrong or quickly. I did not do my cardio when I woke up and that is really bothering me. At what point is an injury too bad to work through? When do you just suck it up and do it? I know I'll make up for it if I miss today (either tomorrow after UBWO or Sunday on my free day) but it still ticks me off that I didn't do it as usual. I know - consistency, not perfection. I'll get over it, once I get that 20 minutes in.

I love the Draft/Save Now feature of Blogger! It's been 6 hours since I wrote my first two paragraphs and I am very happy to report that I am feeling a million times better and I did my cardio!!! Eating has sucked a bit because I've been hungry but didn't want to move around too much.

apple
cottage cheese
coffee w/ cream

apple
cottage cheese

hard boiled egg
carrots

coffee w/ cream
nonfat vanilla yogurt

ground turkey
green pepper, onion, garlic

tuna sandwich

Calories - 1562
Carbs - 142 (22 fiber)
Protein - 146
Fat - 53
C/P/F Ratio - 34.9/35.9/29.2

Challenge 1 Day 59

Whoohooo, only 24 more days to go!!!! I can't believe I've stuck with this.

toast w/ butter

apple
cottage cheese
coffee w/ cream

tuna & cucumber salad
hard boiled egg

brown rice
bottom round stew meat

Calories - 1403
Carbs - 120 (17 fiber)
Protein - 115
Fat - 53
C/P/F Ratio - 33.8/32.5/33.7

Challenge 1 Day 58

Great cardio this morning! I was able to bump up my starting pace a bit, so yay for me! Food was good, too. I think I'm going to start experimenting with oatmeal a bit, for pancakes. I miss pancakes.

apple
cottage cheese
coffee w/ cream

baked eggs w/ onion & green pepper

whole wheat pasta
chicken breast
Caesar dressing

carrots
cottage cheese

pork ribs
broccoli

Calories - 1538
Carbs - 121 (17 fiber)
Protein - 162
Fat - 49
C/P/F Ratio - 30.8/41.1/28.1

Challenge 1 Day 57

Good day. I really felt the burn during my UBWO. Biceps curls make me want to cry. I used to think my triceps were my weakest muscle but I was wrong. Only 5 more UBWOs to go!!!!!

Food was good, too. I think I ate pretty well. I'm loving my whole wheat pasta and chicken Caesar lunches!!

apple
cottage cheese

hard boiled eggs

coffee w/ cream
whole wheat pasta
chicken breast
Caesar dressing

coffee w/ cream
cottage cheese

cube steak
carrots

Calories - 1497
Carbs - 113 (15 fiber)
Protein - 156
Fat - 50
Ratio - 29.7/41/29.3

Week 8 was good to me!

I lost everything I gained a couple weeks ago, plus 1.5 more! I did measure, and I'm down in most areas. Since Week 4, I've lost:

Weight - 4 pounds
Neck - 0.5 inches
Chest - 1 inch
Rib Circumference - 1 inch (but since I was up 1 inch last time...)
Waist - 1.5 inches
Belly - 1.75 inces
Hips - 2 inches
Thighs - 0 inches (R), gained 0.5 inches (L)
Calves - 0 inches (R), 0.5 inches (L)
Biceps (flexed) - 0.25 inches(R), 0.25 inches (L)
Triceps (gotta measure those batwings!!) - 0 inches (R), 0.25 inches (L)
Forearm - 0 inches (R), 0.25 inches (L)
Wrists - 0.25 inches (R), gained 0.25 inches (L)



I reread Tom Venuto's Burn the Fat, Feed the Muscle and I have decided that I'm definitely not doing another BFL challenge. I'm going back to BFFM because it's more flexible, but since the programs are very similar, I'll still be eating things from Eating For Life. I'm also going to take a different strength training approach (fewer reps, heavier weights) and do true high intensity interval training. I'm really looking forward to it, and I'll still do things in 12-week blocks. Nothing will change here, as far as blogging.

Challenge 1 Day 55

I didn't sleep very well last night, so I was really tired when I got up for cardio this morning. I made an honest effort, but it didn't feel as intense as it usually does. I can't wait until this challenge is over so I can stop doing the intervals and switch to true HIIT. Since I also woke up later than usual, eating got off to a late start.

apple
cottage cheese
coffee w/ cream

chicken & pasta w/ Caesar dressing

cottage cheese

london broil
mashed butternut squash

Calories - 1619
Carbs - 147 (12 fiber)
Protein - 152
Fat - 51
Ratio - 35.5/36.8/27.8

Challenge 1 Day 54

I am so ready for this challenge to be over!!! I am sick of logging my food in the spreadsheet and SparkPeople. Once this is over, I'm not using the spreadsheet any more. It's ridiculously redundant. I'll make up a new one just for weight and measurements, that's more detailed than Spark offers.

Food was good, I think. I don't usually have fruit right before bed, but the only other choice was candy.

cottage cheese
apple

cottage cheese
apple
coffee w/ cream

baked eggs w/ onion & green pepper, parmesan cheese
coffee w/ cream

pork rinds

carrots
tuna w/ mayo & mustard

chicken
mashed cauliflower w/ cream cheese

apple
cottage cheese

Calories - 1667
Carbs - 127 (18 fiber)
Protein - 168
Fat - 53
Ratio - 30.7/40.5/28.8

Challenge 1 Day 53

I changed the incline of the treadmill so I'm now walking/jogging flat instead of at an incline. Much better. I don't feel like my heart is going to burst out of my head and my head is going to pop off by the time I finish my last set of intervals. I'll try to increase the incline before the end of the challenge.

Food was so-so today. I didn't eat much, because I got a late start with breakfast, and my afternoon meal was interrupted. I did have the most fantastic chicken & pasta lunch though!!

apple
cottage cheese
coffee w/ light cream

whole wheat pasta
baked chicken breast
light creamy Caesar dressing

carrots
cottage cheese

tilapia w/ homemade tartar sauce
spaghetti squash w/ sliced onions

That's it. I have a massive headache so I'm going to bed.

Calories - 1287
Carbs - 124 (18 fiber)
Protein - 139
Fat - 33
Ratio - 36.8c/41.2p/22f

Challenge 1 Day 52

Good day, overall. It's getting late so I'm just going to post today's menu. I switched to light cream in my coffee.

apple
cottage cheese
coffee w/ cream

egg mates w/ green pepper, onion, garlic, cheese

ground turkey
carrots

chicken sandwich (wheat & fiber bread)
coffee w/ cream

cottage cheese

Calories - 1530
Carbs - 106 (14 fiber)
Protein - 172
Fat - 50
Ratio - 27.1c/44p/28.9f

Challenge 1 Day 51

There's a reason cardio on the treadmill was kicking my ass. I had the incline as steep as it would to. The incline has to be changed manually, by pulling out pins in the legs and raising or lowering the base. I have been walking uphill for a week. No wonder it sucked. Now, I have to decide whether I should put it flat or leave it alone, since I can do the 20 minutes BFL-style.

Food was really good today. I'm moving back into lower carb, and I hope to get down to about 100 grams of carbs per day. There is no way I will ever be super strict about carbs. I still have nothing against plans such as Atkins, but I'm too impatient to follow the carb ladder and don't want to give up rice and beans. Especially beans, now that I've rediscovered them. So I'm basically going to try portion control and common sense, with some lower fat products (low fat cream cheese, mayo, and cream mainly). I've also decided that I want to enjoy desserts now and then, and I don't really care which plan the recipe comes from. If it's low carb, great. If it's low fat, great. As long as it tastes good and I don't eat the whole damn thing, I'm fine. I'm not in a hurry to lose the weight.

apple
cottage cheese
coffee w/ cream

tuna salad

ground turkey
steamed cauliflower & broccoli

15 bean soup w/ beef
coffee w/ cream

colby cheese

Calories - 1745
Carbs - 120 (38 fiber)
Protein - 155
Fat - 71
Ratio - 27.6c/35.7p/36.7f

15 Bean Soup is to die for!!!!

I bought a one-pound bag of dry beans for 15 Bean Soup. Per half cup:

120 calories
1 g fat
20 g carbs (9 fiber!!!!!!!!!)
8 g protein

It comes with a packet of seasoning.

I soaked the beans overnight, then drained and rinsed. Simmer for about 90 minutes. I then added them to the slow cooker, which had some cut up chunks of lean beef in about 8 ounces of tomato sauce. Stir in the seasoning packet and cook on low until the meat is very tender.

This is the best comfort food ever!!! I wish the weather were a bit colder because this really would have hit the spot! I can't wait to make it again.

Mashed Winter Squash

I use butternut, acorn, and buttercup squashes to make these recipes. It's quick and easy and usually pretty tasty.

First, I cook up the squash, same way for any variety:

Cut in half with large knife. Scoop out seeds. Place in microwave-safe baking dish, with cover if possible. If you don't have a cover, use plastic wrap to cover the squash. Microwave for 6-10 minutes, depending on the size of the squash. You want the "meat" to be fork tender. I usually let it cool a bit, then scoop as much of the insides as possible into a large bowl. Then I add any (or all) of the following, depending on what I have in stock:

1/4 cup cream
1/4 cup sour cream
1 large egg
1/4 cup mayonnaise

Mix it all really well, with beaters or potato masher.

You can also add spices, such as garlic powder, onion powder, seasoned salt, adobo, sazon, whatever you like. If I don't use any of the seasonings, I'll top it with brown sugar. If I use seasonings, I top it with grated parmesan cheese.

After everything is mixed, I pour it into a casserole dish and bake at 350F for 25-30 minutes.

Challenge 1 Day 50

I was wrong. Mark it down, folks. It's a rarity that I admit error. Yesterday I said I was out of bagels and English muffins when, in fact, there was 1 English muffin left. So I ate that this morning to get rid of it. Now, I am out of bagels and English muffins. If I need a bread, I'll make a flax wrap/muffin or use the double fiber wheat bread we keep around.

apple
cottage cheese
coffee w/ cream

eggs ("fried" in non-stick spray)
English muffin

salad w/ ground turkey

carrots
cottage cheese

mashed butternut squash
round steak
coffee w/ cream

Calories - 1671
Carbs - 111 (17 fiber)
Protein - 144
Fat - 76
Ratio - 26.1c/33.8p/40.1f

Goodbye, Week 7

No loss this week, and I'm fairly certain part of the problem is the sliced turkey. There is a lot of sodium in that crap, so no more. From now on, I will stick to fresh meat, and my husband is even going to make a run to Virginia to buy 100 pounds of chicken from the butcher. No more paying beach prices.

I'm really not happy with the lack of progress lately, but it really is my fault for over-indulging on things I shouldn't have. And things I can have, in some cases. I know I keep saying I'm going to refocus and do things differently, but as usual my planning sucks. Fortunately, I'm out of lunch meat, English muffins and bagels (even though these bread were whole wheat/multigrain). I do have eggs, egg substitute, apples, fresh and frozen vegetables, cheese, beans, and brown rice. Oh, and cottage cheese and chicken/turkey and lean beef. I should stick to that. My grocery store had winter squash on sale, so I have six squashes - spaghetti (YUM!!!), acorn, and butternut.

Regarding exercise, I'm a bit frustrated. I love my strength training, but I really wonder if I'm doing it properly. I'm confident that my form is good, but I sometimes feel I'm not pushing myself hard enough, even though I feel like my limbs are going to separate from my body by the time I finish. I always wonder if I could do just one more rep. Since I have been adding weight to my strength training exercises every few weeks, I an disturbed that I may not actually be getting stronger, but just not working up to my potential to begin with. But like everything else in this challenge, it's practice for the next one.

Public Service Announcement: If you don't have a digital food scale, get one!! I got one a few weeks ago and it's so much better than the crappy analog scale I was using. Much more accurate and it helps me track better.

Challenge 1 Day 48

I'm glad this week is over. I'm slowly getting the hang of the treadmill. I still hate it with every fat cell in my body, but hey, do what you have to, right?

High calorie today. Dinner was so good, I ate it twice! I seriously doubt I'll show any loss on the scale in the morning. In fact, I think I'll be up even more. Damn sodium.

apple
cottage cheese
coffee w/ cream

tilapia topped w/ cream cheese & parmesan
steamed vegetables

grilled cheese & turkey sandwich

ground chicken
pinto beans
green pepper, onion, garlic
(I had this twice, and I definitely intend to make it again in the very near future)

coffee w/ cream

Calories - 1913
Carbs - 139 (32 fiber)
Protein - 184
Fat - 76
Ratio - 38.2/37.4/34.4

Challenge 1 Day 47

I was bad and hopped on the scale this morning. Half a pound lost since Sunday. *sigh* I'm not stressing too much. I feel smaller and I can almost see where I'm losing in my belly area. UBWO was good. I really hate biceps curls. Ugh. I save them for last because they are the hardest. I wish I could just bench press all day.

I'm starting to think about the holidays and baked goods. Something I loved as a kid was making Christmas cookies. I want to do that this year with my son, but I'm afraid I'd eat all the damn cookies. I am looking at a mix of lower carb and lower fat options. I found a fantastic lower fat mini cheesecake recipe that I can probably adapt for the holidays. I could just do "the real thing" but I know I'd gain back every ounce I've lost this year, and I just can't have that.

Food was okay today. I wasn't really that hungry.

apple
cottage cheese
coffee w/ cream

scrambled egg whites w/ onion, green pepper, garlic, turkey slices
light multigrain English muffin

raw carrots, broccoli, cauliflower
turkey slices

tilapia
mashed cauliflower

Calories - 1220
Carbs - 105 (22 fiber)
Protein - 118
Fat - 37
Ratio - 34.2c/38.6p/27.3f

Challenge 1 Day 46

Cardio was much better today. I started off at a slower pace and was able to do the BFL intervals! I held back a little big because I have a big, clunky mp3 player and can't move very fast with it. I won't be getting my small one back from my step-daughter until the end of November.

Food was good. I need more veggies.

cottage cheese
apple
coffee w/ cream

scrambled eggs w/ green pepper, onion, garlic

yogurt w/ protein powder
coffee w/ cream

spaghetti squash w/ onion
ground chicken

English muffin w/ butter
turkey slices

Calories - 1301
Carbs - 115 (16 fiber)
Protein - 117
Fat - 44
Ratio - 34.8c/35.3p/29.9f

Challenge 1 Day 45

Today has been rough. I was in no mood to work out when I woke up, mainly because yesterday was my 8th wedding anniversary and I had no desire to celebrate. So guilt was getting to me this morning, and I went back to bed. When I finally got up, I made the mistake of turning the computer on. In my defense, I needed some phone numbers from a PDF file, and it never occurred to me to *gasp* use the phone book!! By the time I finished working out (complete with checking my email between sets) and got my day started, it was nearly noon. I hate that. Fortunately, I do have to be up early for an appointment tomorrow, so no slacking.

Food has been decent today. I was low on fat, so I enjoyed some extra coffee with cream. I'll eat low fat just so I can do that. I love my coffee with cream.

apple
cottage cheese
coffee w/ cream

chicken breast
raw carrots, cauliflower, broccoli
coffee w/ cream

cube steak
baked onion rings

bagel w/ low fat cream cheese

turkey slices on bagel

Calories - 1372
Carbs - 110 (17 fiber)
Protein - 123
Fat - 53
Ratio - 31.3c/35p/33.7f

Challenge 1 Day 44

Just when I thought I couldn't hate cardio any more, I try the treadmill. It totally kicked my butt, and I couldn't even do proper BFL intervals. I think need to start at a slower speed because there was no way I could sustain the faster speeds for a minute at a time. Maybe I need to take the Couch to 5K approach. Actually, I may do that between BFL challenges.

Food was great today! I ended up needing some massive calories at the end of the day to even get to 1300, but I wasn't hungry most of the day.

apple
cottage cheese
coffee w/ cream

veggie omelet

turkey slices
raw veggies

grilled chicken
mixed veggies

tuna sandwich
pepper jack cheese

Calories - 1346
Carbs - 113 (25 fiber)
Protein - 136
Fat - 45
Ratio - 32.3c/38.9p/28.8f

Challenge 1 Day 43

Today was much better. I reluctantly got out of bed, ate my pre-work out meal (which is the same as my post workout meal in terms of item and quantity, so I'll only be listing them once), and did my warm up on the treadmill. Now, I've never used a treadmill before, so this was an interesting experience. I can only imagine what tomorrow's cardio will be like. We've all seen the videos of people's feet moving too slow for the treadmill, so they get knocked down and shot like a cannon across the room. That's me.

I think I'm going to have to suck it up and shell out some big bucks for a decent protein powder. I'm having a terrible time getting enough protein. Carbs and fat are no problem at all. I have my vegetables and oils when needed. Protein is harder though, because sometimes getting enough protein puts me over my fat limit. I buy the leanest stuff I can find, but it's still sometimes pretty fatty. And let's face it - extra lean beef feels like ground cardboard. I have to really spice it up to enjoy it. Protein from meat is easy enough to get, but sometimes I get tired of meat. But what about beans, you say. Beans are a great source of protein, but they are also fairly high in carbs, so it would put me over my carb limit. I suppose I could always combine the beans and meat and try to balance my meals that way. Crikey! So simple, and it never even occurred to me. For some reason, Alice Cooper's "Hey, Stoopid" just popped into my head. Note to self: soak some pinto beans.

Food was good today, I think. I ate when I was hungry, and I didn't have any cravings.

apple
cottage cheese
coffee w/ cream

cucumber & carrots
chicken breast
English muffing w/ butter

carrots
sliced turkey

meatloaf
green beans

cottage cheese
English muffin

Calories - 1656
Carbs - 140 (36 fiber)
Protein - 153
Fat - 61
Ratio - 32.4c/35.4p/32.1f

Ironically, I'm high on protein today. Go figure.

Week 6 is history (THANK GOODNESS!!!!!!!)

It's been a horrible week. I couldn't control my eating, my workouts were half-hearted at best, and I've been incredibly unmotivated. At the halfway point, I'm down 7.5 pounds, since I was up 2.5 pounds at this morning's weigh in. And I think my math was wrong last week, saying I was down 8 pounds in 5 weeks. I was actually down 10 pounds in 5 weeks, but that's down the drain. So, officially: 7.5 pounds lost in 6 weeks. Still, not bad, but shame on my for knowing better and dismissing that knowledge in favor of 3 seconds of chocolaty heaven.

Today, I ate crap - candy, bagels and cream cheese by the boatload, and cereal. Sure, I feel guilty, but I don't freaking care. I'll care tomorrow, because tomorrow I'm starting the second half of this challenge. I have a new cardio machine so I don't have to dread the elliptical any more. I gave the treadmill a test run today, and it's going to kick my butt, I just know it. Good. I need a butt kicking.

I've also decided to alter my nutrition plan a bit. The number of carbs I've been eating cause cravings. So, I'm going to do an even split among carbs, protein, and fat. I have fewer cravings on lower carb, so I'm going to slowly work myself back. The new ranges:

1560-1860 calories
130-155 carbs
130-155 protein
57-68 fat

Per meal (at 5 meals per day):

312-372 calories
26-31 carbs
26-31 protein
11-13 fat

I feel like my math is wrong somewhere, but I'm too tired to go back and recalculate. I should probably just forget about numbers altogether and just use common sense. But I feel out of control if I can't quantify everything. Not that I'm in any kind of control now, as this week's binges show.

A big "thank you" must go out to someone who posted on my SparkPeople blog. She posted a number of suggestions for dealing with the cravings. She was absolutely right in that I need to have things prepared for situations like those, including "legal" snacks and physical distractions.

As mad as I am at myself, I'm also motivated to do better on this leg of the journey. There are only 6 weeks left in the challenge, and I've already made it through 6 weeks. I'll start sticking to my free meal on Sundays, I'll work out with every ounce of oomph I have, and I will see results. I have a new exercise routine (including different exercises and higher weights), a new playlist, and a new desire to transform. And a request from my husband to buy some thongs.

Updated Playlist

Cardio (moving from elliptical to treadmill)

Cruel Summer - Bananarama
Winner Takes It All - Sammy Hagar
You're The Best - Joe Esposito
Danger Zone - Kenny Loggins
Next To You - Buckcherry
Rhythm From A Red Car - Hardline

Strength Training

A Little Less Conversation - Elvis Presley
Same Ol' Situation - Motley Crue
Someone Like You - Bang Tango
Twisted Transistor - Korn
Lost In The Shadows - Lou Gramm
She Bangs - Ricky Martin
Break Me Shake Me - Savage Garden
Let The Music Play - Shannon
Lay Your Hands On Me - Bon Jovi
She Bop - Cyndi Lauper
It's Raining Men - Gerri Halliwell
Good Vibrations - Marky Mark & the Funky Bunch
I Can Dream About You - Dan Hartman

Updated Strength Training

Upper Body Workout

lying dumbbell row - 7.5, 10, 12.5, 15, 12.5
bent over barbell row - 20

barbell bench press – 15, 17.5, 20, 22.5, 20
dumbbell fly - 10

dumbbell raise - 5, 7.5, 10, 12.5, 10
front raise - 5

barbell curl - 12.5, 15, 17.5, 20, 17.5
hammer curl – 7.5

lying triceps extension - 5, 7.5, 10, 12.5, 10
triceps kickback – 7.5

Lower Body Workout

leg extension – 20, 22.5, 25, 27.5, 25
swiss ball squat

lying leg curl – 15, 17.5, 20, 22.5, 20
straight leg dead lift - 20

standing calf raise - 0, 10, 15, 20, 15
reverse calf raise

crunch on ball - 5, 7.5, 10, 12.5, 10
reverse crunch

Challenge 1 Day 41

I completely suck. I was doing very well until I remembered that my son had candy in the freezer. I could not get it out of my head. So I ate it. Then I ate some bagels with cream cheese. Now, I'm going to buy some candy and eat myself sick so I won't want junk food again until this challenge is over.

Challenge 1 Day 40

Another day of not tracking. When I'm not on the computer, it's harder because I hate sitting there for long periods of time plugging in all my info. Plus, I was too lazy to separate my dinner from my husband's, so I have no idea how much I actually ate. I did stay pretty legal. Except for the orange - that was probably a bit to carby for so late in the evening.

Sadly, I also slept in a bit. I was awake when my husband left for work, but I just didn't want to get up and work out. So I didn't. I got up about 90 minutes later than normal, cleaned my house up a bit, then worked out. I was very blah. I think I'm getting better at my squats though!!

I also set up the treadmill. I'll start using that next week. The Gazelle Edge had to go into storage because there just wasn't room for everything in my living room. I would like to get rid of it, but my son loves to play with it, so I will keep it for him. I just need to make room for everything.

watermelon
cottage cheese

coffee w/ cream
raw veggies (carrots, cauliflower, broccoli, cucumber)
turkey slices

a couple bites of mac & cheese (oops!)

veggie & turkey omelet

cottage cheese
orange
coffee w/ skim milk

Challenge 1 Day 39

I blew it. I ate well all day, but I was starving, and by the time dinner and dessert were over, I was ready to scream. We ordered a pizza, and I ate two slices. Certainly not a binge, but I'm still disappointed in myself. I knew I shouldn't eat the pizza, and I didn't care. I didn't bother calculating my numbers for the day.

watermelon
cottage cheese

ground turkey burger w/ mustard
American cheese
whole wheat mini bagel
coffee w/ cream

ground turkey burger w/ mustard
American cheese
whole wheat mini bagel

vegetable & beef soup
coffee w/ cream

banana sundae

pizza

Challenge 1 Day 38

A few weeks ago, my husband bought a huge watermelon. I don't know how long they stay good once you cut into them, but we've been eating it for over a week and are only halfway through. I'm eating it instead of apples with my cottage cheese, but I'm just so darn sick of watermelon! Plus, I want to try an apple cinnamon recipe I saw on a body building site (basically, apple slices warmed in a pan with cinnamon sprinkled over them).

My UBWO is in need of an overhaul. Thankfully, today was the last day for this particular set. I'm going to keep bench presses and curls, but I really hate shoulder presses and triceps extensions. I need to find some new exercises by Monday. I'm so ready to start my second cycle in this challenge.

Food was ok today, a bit high on the fat. I really don't expect to lose any weight this week. If I see a loss on Sunday, I'll be shocked. My Irish Creme syrup from Netrition came today, so I've had a lot of coffee.

watermelon
cottage cheese

watermelon
cottage cheese

bacon ranch salad from McDonald's

watermelon
cottage cheese
coffee w/ cream

turkey burgers
carrots
coffee w/ cream

Calories - 1609
Carbs - 95 (13 fiber)
Protein - 140
Fat - 76
Ratio - 23.3c/34.5p/42.1f

Challenge 1 Day 37

I am officially sick and tired of the elliptical. I picked up the treadmill today, so only 2 more days of hellish elliptical sessions and I can switch to jogging/running. I am really looking forward to that!! I need a change before I end up resenting cardio altogether.

Food was decent today. I'm not really following any percentages anymore, but I'm trying to watch my portions and stick to (mostly) natural foods. I did make the sundae from the Eating For Life book and holy crap, that is good stuff!!!! It was a lot like ice cream, but with more banana. It would make an excellent shake, too.

I can't believe I'm almost halfway through with this challenge. It's been so good for me. I'm not dropping mad pounds but I feel good and I keep reminding myself that that counts for a lot of this process.

watermelon
cottage cheese

coffee w/ cream
turkey omelet on English muffin

green beans
extra lean ground beef
mashed acorn squash

nonfat yogurt

homemade beef and vegetable soup

sundae

Calories - 1686
Carbs - 151 (23 fiber)
Protein - 144
Fat - 61
Ratio - 34.9c/33.3p/31.8f

Challenge 1 Day 36

I woke up cranky. I'm having sleep issues and I don't know how to fix them. I didn't want to work out this morning. In fact, I did everything I could for almost an hour as a way not to do it. Then, I ran out of things to do so I did my LBWO. My heart wasn't in it.

I placed an order with Netrition for some sugar free DaVinci syrups. I ordered 3 chocolate, 3 vanilla, and 6 Irish Cream. I love Irish Cream. I'll use the chocolate and vanilla in baked goods and desserts, and the Irish Cream in my teas and coffees. I can't wait until it gets here.

Food was ok today. I've been drinking a lot of coffee with cream. I may have to switch to light cream. I was trying non-dairy creamer or milk, but I miss the creaminess. So I got whipping cream, but not heavy whipping cream. I'll try the light whipping cream next time. I've also decided to use real cream instead of Cool Whip or Reddi-Whip in recipes.

watermelon
cottage cheese

coffee w/ cream
watermelon
cottage cheese

sliced turkey w/ mustard
light English muffin
coffee w/ cream

South Beach chicken wrap

green beans
extra lean ground beef
coffee w/ cream

Calories - 1405
Carbs - 95 (28 fiber)
Protein - 109
Fat - 71
Ratio - 26.2c/29.2p/43.9f

Week 5

Week 5 was good to me. I lost 2.5 pounds, so I'm down a total of 8 pounds for this challenge, 35.5 for the year. I was a good girl and stayed off the scale all week. In fact, I barely thought about the scale. Around Saturday, I noticed that I look smaller and my clothes fit looser. In fact, I threw away all my fat girl underwear and started wearing my chubby chick underwear!! I also tried on some size 12 pants and they fit on the hips. They also button in the front, and while it's not completely comfortable, they are wearable!! Not that I have anywhere to go in nice khaki pants...

Free day was ok. I had real pancakes for breakfast and some decent foods the rest of the day. We walked on the beach for a while and bought the kids ice cream. I did not have any, go me!! I made a great spaghetti dinner then blew it on dessert. I didn't binge, but I had quite a few chocolate and peanut butter cookies. I insisted that my husband take them with him to work today, so all is back to normal.

One thing I am noticing - I have more confidence. While I'm certainly not slim and fit yet, I feel fantastic and almost sexy. I'll take almost for now!

Challenge 1 Day 34

Another good day in the books. I didn't get up at my normal time (I slept in about 90 minutes) but I didn't let it ruin my day like the last time I slept in. I got up, did my cardio, got on with my day. I spent a relaxing day burning minimal calories on the couch, watching some Tivo'd shows and going through my cook books. I found a no-bake chocolate oatmeal cookie recipe that I wanted to try. Since I didn't want to eat them today, I brushed my teeth before heading into the kitchen, to keep me from sampling the goods. I didn't have enough oat meal, though, so I can't make them until I go to the store.

watermelon
cottage cheese

turkey salad w/ three cheese ranch
watermelon
coffee

turkey slices on mini bagel
coffee

chicken, onion, green pepper kebabs
mashed acorn squash

Calories - 1189
Carbs - 97 (15 fiber)
Protein - 102
Fat - 50
Ratio - 31.2c/32.7p/36f

Challenge 1 Day 33

I actually made a couple recipes from the Eating For Life book today - Fortified French Toast and Sloppy Joes. The french toast wasn't horrible and I'll probably make it again. The sloppy joes were fantastic, but I ate two servings. It was a pretty calorie high day.

I feel like a total wimp. My biceps aren't progressing - I can barely get through my sets of barbell curls, but I'm coming up on the end of 6 weeks, with only one more UBWO, and I can't decide if I should go ahead and increase the weight to change up my routine or stick with the current amounts until it gets easier. Maybe I'll surprise myself and be able to get through a heavier set. And while I'm complaining about exercise, I wish I had a squat rack. I'm running out of room in my living room for all my equipment. I wonder if I can talk my husband into building another room. Probably not, since we don't own the house.

apple
cottage cheese

fortified french toast
watermelon
coffee

cheddar cheese
watermelon
pork rinds

turkey sloppy joes
salad w/ caesar dressing

Calories - 1861
Carbs - 148 (28 fiber)
Protein - 175
Fat - 76
Ratio - 30c/35.5p/34.5f

Challenge 1 Day 32

It was a great day, in terms of food and activity. I did my cardio and it was really motivating. Then I made a good breakfast of whole wheat crepes and yogurt from the Eating for Life book. I undercooked the crepes a bit, but I need practice is all. I then spent 12 hours cleaning my house from top to bottom. I am ready to pass out!! My arms ache, my back hurts, and my feet are mad at me. But my house is clean and for the next three days, I can putz around and enjoy it.

Because I was so freaking active, I was ravenous!!! I ate whenever I got hungry. I think it worked out well.

whole wheat crepes w/ nonfat vanilla yogurt
coffee


green beans
tuna fish sandwich

cottage cheese
apple

carrots
cottage cheese

ground chicken
broccoli

broccoli
ground chicken
watermelon

Calories - 1675
Carbs - 155 (39 fiber)
Protein - 172
Fat - 54
Ratio - 34.6c/38.4p/26.9f

Challenge 1 Day 31

Another good day. I did go a bit long between mid-afternoon snack and dinner, but I was cleaning my house. I'm getting lots of exercise this week as I deep clean in preparation for winter.

I increased my dead lift and leg extension weights. I'm also ready for a new playlist, but I'll hold off on that until after next week.

cottage cheese
apple
coffee

turkey slices
whole wheat mini bagel
American cheese
coffee

cottage cheese
mashed cauliflower w/ low fat cream cheese

veggie scramble

cheddar cheese
sugar free chocolate pudding

Calories - 1255
Carbs - 107 (11 fiber - STILL need to work on this)
Protein - 125
Fat - 39
Ratio - 33.3c/39.1p/27.6f

Challenge 1 Day 30

My heart rate during cardio is slipping. Not much, but it's down a bit on my Level 10. I guess I'll be kicking it up a notch. It felt really good today, but I'm really looking forward to a change after next week.

I've been really hungry today. I ate some frankenfoods - Fiber One and Curves snack bars - to try them out. They were ok, but I really think I'd like to make my own. I also made my own protein shake. It was ok. I like them better with heavy cream instead of skim milk. I also had a good hunk of cheese. Boy, that tasted great!!!

cottage cheese
apple
coffee

egg & turkey scramble
sweet potato

Turkey on English muffin
Fiber One & Curves bars
protein shake

cheddar cheese

broccoli & beef

Calories - 1765
Carbs - 156 (35 fiber)
Protein - 187
Fat - 51
Ratio - 34c/40.8p/25.1f