NROL - Week 26 - Saturday

I really need to start meditating again. I'm feeling frazzled.

I went grocery shopping today. I spent too much, but I'm pleased with my stop at the health food store. I bought millet and brown rice flour so I can make my own wraps. Now I just have to find the recipe! My husband loves them. I also bought the ingredients to make the sour cream chocolate chip cookies from the low carb (also low fat) cookbook I bought a couple weeks ago. My friend made them and they were really good.

7:45 AM - coffee w/ half-and-half & Splenda

8:20 AM - apple & cottage cheese

12:20 PM - chicken breast w/ colby cheese; though I went grocery shopping, I was too hungry to deal with trying to make a real meal for lunch. I needed something quick.

2:45 PM - chocolate chip and sour cream cookie; I made this from Dawn Hall's Busy People's Low Carb Cookbook; these are pretty good, but you can really taste the whole wheat flour in them

3:50 PM - chicken breast & pumpkin granola bar

4:55 PM - chocolate chip and sour cream cookie

7:30 PM - turkey wrap w/ red leaf lettuce, cheese, turkey bacon, onion & tomato on whole wheat tortilla

8:05 PM - chocolate chip and sour cream cookies; okay, I've probably had too many for the day, but what the heck?

Calories - 1552
Carbs - 127 (12 fiber)
Protein - 144
Fat - 50
C/P/F Ratio - 331./37.6/29.3

NROL - Week 26 - Friday

I've gone through my exercise videos again to find a cardio to stick in on one of the ChaLean Extreme rest days. I would love, love, LOVE to do Cardio Party 3, but it's way too chaotic for me to follow right now. I'm leaning toward Fat Blaster, as I've mentioned before, for the first month. I reviewed Cardio Party Remix today and that's another shorter workout that might fit in well. I also want to go through my Tae Bo cardio dvds again. Ah, decisions. I'm anxious for Monday. All week, I've felt very weird not working out. I suppose I could have, but I also knew I'd go crazy if I didn't take a break. So it's best to start fresh.

7:45 AM - coffee w/ half-and-half & Splenda

10:35 AM - chicken breast & broccoli w/ Caesar vinaigrette dressing; I know it's a little late for my first meal of the day but I got ridiculously busy this morning

12:40 PM - pumpkin granola bar, yogurt

6:15 PM - London broil, California blend vegetables w/ onion, garlic & margarine

8:35 PM - almonds & banana

Calories - 1514
Carbs - 122 (27 fiber)
Protein - 119
Fat - 62
C/P/F Ratio - 32/31.2/36.8

NROL - Week 26 - Thursday

I'm reviewing the ChaLean Extreme videos again (the cardio/interval/abs segments) and I really can't contain my excitement! I think this is really what I need to get out of the slump. I liked NROL well enough, and even though the routines changed frequently, I still feel like I need something different. Chalean Extreme isn't like Turbo Sculpt so I don't have to worry about high volume crap. I hate high volume. HATE IT. Even some of the NROL stuff bothers me (3x15, anyone?) so I am really looking forward to the 1 set of 12. Still, part of me feels guilty for not completig the whole year of NROL I set out to. I know I said I'll pick up where I left off after my Chalean challenge, but I'm not going to commit to that. Turbulence Training is looking pretty darn good, and I feel like I'd be able to see my progress better in something that's not so spastic. The different NROL parameters make me crazy. I want clear progression with my weight lifting, and I'm second-guessing myself all the time when the reps and sets change so frequently. I'm sure it works great for some people, but I'm not feeling much love. And one thing I'm learning on my journey to health is that I have to do what I love. Or at least like.

7:45 AM - homemade pumpkin granola bar

8:45 AM - coffee w/ half-and-half & Splenda, cutting back on the liquid Splenda again, after yesterday's increase

10:45 AM - turkey bacon, toast w/ butter, scrambled eggs w/ green pepper, onion, garlic & salsa

1:45 PM - chicken sandwich w/ cheese

5:45 PM - macaroni & cheese, hot dog; not the best option but I forgot to marinate the London broil; I kept my portions very small

8:30 PM - homemade pumpkin granola bars,  had two - they need to be eaten up before they go bad; I don't know that I was really hungry though

Calories - 1777
Carbs - 163 (28 fiber)
Protein - 108
Fat - 85
C/P/F Ratio - 35.3/23.2/41.5

NROL - Week 26 - Wednesday

I feel really great today. I didn't meditate last night, even though I had time, but I feel energized and happy today.

For dinner, I made Linda Sue's White Castle Hamburger Pie. I didn't follow the recipe exactly, but if you don't know Linda, she has one of the best recipe sites for low carbers, people on Atkins in particular. I don't make a lot of Linda's recipes anymore because they are higher in fat, but once in a while, I bust one of the tried and trues out. This is one of them. I made it, fully intending to eat half the batch, calories be damned. I started with one-fourth of the batch, plus my carrots. I ate the carrots first and knew I would not be hungry for the second fourth I'd left in the casserole dish. As I was eating my pie, I was crying inside, because it was so good, but I knew I wouldn't eat more. I was full. I wanted more, damn it, but my body was definitely communicating that the one portion was enough. On the one hand, I hate that I couldn't eat more of something so delicious. On the other hand, I am proud of myself for listening to my body. I enjoyed a high-calorie dinner without guilt today!

7:40 AM - apple & cottage cheese

8:00 AM - coffee w/ half-and-half & Splenda; a bit of a backslide with the liquid Splenda :(

9:15 AM - homemade pumpkin granola bar

11:15 AM - turkey bacon, toast w/ butter, scrambled eggs w/ green pepper, onion, garlic & mozzarella cheese

4:20 PM - homemade pumpkin granola bar; I got sidetracked with a bunch of stuff, then just grabbed something while I got dinner ready

5:30 PM - hamburger pie, carrots

Calories - 1819
Carbs - 118 (18 fiber)
Protein - 113
Fat - 100
C/P/F Ratio - 25.9/24.7/49.4

NROL - Week 26 - Tuesday

I didn't sleep well last night, and I haven't been meditating before bed. I'm desperately trying to finish this book I've been reading. I made some good progress last night but it's just so long and I don't focus like I used to. Pfft.

7:25 AM - apple & cottage cheese

8:30 AM - coffee w/ half-and-half & Splenda

10:00 AM - toast w/ butter, turkey bacon, scrambled eggs w/ onion, garlic, green pepper & salsa

1:15 PM - chicken & broccoli curry soup

2:35 PM - Quaker Mini Delights; I got a free sample in the mail and split the bag with my son

4:25 PM - pumpkin granola bar

8:00 PM - coffee w/ half-and-half & Splenda, grilled cheese sandwich

Calories - 1638
Carbs - 146 (35 fiber)
Protein - 128
Fat - 70
C/P/F Ratio - 33.8/29.8/36.5

NROL - Week 26 - Monday

It's break week, baby!!! No formal exercise as I gear up for my next routine. And in case it got lost in my last post, I'm starting ChaLean Extreme next Monday, and I'm very excited! There are two rest days built into it, but I'm only taking one of them. I'll throw in some cardio on the other rest day. It will most likely be one of the other Turbo Jam videos, either a Cardio Party or Fat Blaster. I'm not sure yet. I think I'll start with Fat Blaster for four weeks, then do something else. Or, I can just alternate all three Cardio Party videos and Fat Blaster. I won't get the moves down easily though, so it will probably be best for me to just do the same one for a month then switch.

I spent two hours cleaning the house today. I managed to do the whole house in just two days, so I'm happy for that. I hate a dusty house. I can't concentrate very well. Maybe I'll be able to meditate better without the cobwebs.

I skimmed the BFFM ebook again last night. I can't decide if I want to cut the carbs more or increase them. I think my ranges have been fine, but my choice of carbs can be better. I worry about another big binge if I get too obsessive about eating perfectly. I like being able to eat "bad" foods here and there, because six months ago, I never would have thought I'd be able to handle it. Sometimes, people (unintentionally, I'm sure) make me feel guilty for my choices. I don't know how to deal with that. I mean, I know I should just let it roll off my shoulders but it still bothers me. I have come a long way since I started dealing with the binge eating and I'm accepting of my circumstances. I'm perfectly content to do this slowly, as long as I do it, you know?

There was a discussion on one of my message board hangouts about losing weight, how we know what we're supposed to do, but there are all these obstacles that are harder to overcome for some people than others. One woman who had struggled commented that she had a skinny friend, and one day she showed up at her friend's house to find her friend working out. And it hit her that fit, thin people have to work at it, too, to stay that way. So she was able to recommit to getting healthy and losing weight. Her story has been on my mind all weekend and it really dawned on me that what I am doing (and have been doing for the last two years), is something I should be doing for the rest of my life. And if I'm going to eat this way and exercise this way for the rest of my life, I need to do it MY WAY. My way is working better than anything I've done in the past. My binges are less frequent, I am losing weight (slowly, but that's okay), and I'm pretty consistent about exercise. Six months ago, I was skeptical that I'd ever be normal. Now, I think I'm well on that road. I'm sure I'll still have doubts but today, I have no regrets about my choices.

7:15 AM - apple & cottage cheese

10:15 AM - chicken breast & sweet potato

10:45 AM - coffee w/ half-and-half & Splenda; still working on cutting back this last little bit

1:45 PM - carrots, pumpkin granola bar, mozzarella string cheese; I had to just grab something I could take with me in the car because I was running late

5:15 PM - carrots, green beans w/ Caesar vinaigrette dressing, roasted chicken

7:40 PM - pumpkin granola bar & mozzarella string cheese, these granola bars are growing on me, thankfully - I'd hate for them to go to waste

Calories - 1399
Carbs - 125 (23 fiber)
Protein - 117
Fat - 48
C/P/F Ratio - 35.7/33.4/30.9

NROL - Week 25 - Sunday

Down 1 pound this week, to 146.5. Yay.

I'm making progress on the artificial sweetener front. I mentioned yesterday (I think) that I've been cutting back. I was using 3 drops of liquid Splenda plus 1/2 teaspoon of granular Splenda. Today, I'm using 1 drop of liquid and 1/2 teaspoon granular. I don't love it - in fact, it's barely tolerable at this point, but the old way is too sweet. So that's good.

I have decided that I am absolutely going to do ChaLean Extreme after next week's break. I'm also busting out my BFFM book again to refresh my memory on the details. I'm doing okay just winging things, but I really think I need to read the book again. The no starch after 3 PM guts me. No likey!! Oh well. I'll read the book again and see what I want to do.

8:15 AM - apple & cottage cheese, coffee w/ half-and-half & Splenda

12:15 PM - baked eggs w/ onion & tomato sauce on millet & flax wrap, sausage; I just had a bite of my son's breakfast sausage, so I estimated the grams

3:15 PM - carrots & pumpkin granola bar

5:00 PM - peas & banana; I meant to have baked chicken wings with dinner but they were WAY too spicy and I couldn't even eat one bite, so I grabbed a banana while I figured out my next move

6:00 PM - Cocoa Krispies w/ skim milk; I couldn't decide what to have for dinner and it was pissing me off. I didn't want to cook and nothing really sounded good anyway; considering my mood, it's a big risk to eat chocolate cereal -  I still feel hungry, and chocolate + angry = trouble. And now I'm obsessing about my poor choice and that's just making things worse.

8:00 PM - protein powder fortified French toast w/ sugar free syrup; I was still hungry after my cereal; Not a stellar day but it could have been worse

Calories - 1703
Carbs - 218 (44 fiber)
Protein - 105
Fat - 52
C/P/F Ratio - 49.5/23.8/26.6

NROL - Week 25 - Saturday

No cardio today. I cleaned the bathroom and the kitchen instead. Between that and grocery shopping, I'm beat and plan to spend the rest of the day being lazy.

8:00 AM - coffee w/ half-and-half & Splenda; I'm slowly cutting back on the amount of Splenda I use!!

9:00 AM - toast, turkey bacon, scrambled eggs w/ onion, green pepper & mozzarella cheese; eggs just don't taste the same without the salsa; I was so hungry by the time I made breakfast, I was super cranky and shaky. I can't remember the last time I was that miserable without food!

11:35 AM - yogurt; I needed something quick before heading out to the store

2:40 PM - coffee w/ half-and-half & Splenda; Oh and Irish cream

5:25 PM - turkey meatballs w/ gravy & herbed cauliflower; I tried two recipes out of Dawn Hall's Busy People's Low Carb Cookbook and they were both fantastic! I wanted more, but only had 1 plate

7:05 PM - pumpkin granola

Calories - 1310
Carbs - 96 (15 fiber)
Protein - 75
Fat - 68
C/P/F Ratio - 29.5/23.2/47.3

Homemade Granola Bars - Attempt #2

A tweak of this recipe:

Pumpkin Granola Bars II
Serving Size : 16

3/4 cup canned pumpkin
1/4 cup unsweetened applesauce
1/4 cup butter -- at room temperature
1/4 cup honey
2 tablespoons blackstrap molasses
2 cups rolled oats
1/2 cup sunflower seeds
1/2 cup pumpkin seeds, roasted
2 tablespoons shredded coconut flakes
1/4 cup wheat germ - Bob's Red Mill
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon

Blend the pumpkin, egg, butter, honey, and molasses in a mixing bowl or food processor.

Add the oats, sunflower seeds, coconut, wheat germ, and cinnamon, mix well.

Spread this mixture into a lightly greased 15 1/2-by-10 1/2-inch jelly-roll pan.

Bake in a 350*F oven for 40 minutes or until golden brown. While still warm, cut into 3-by-1 1/2-inch bars.

For very crisp bars, remove from pan to wire rack and cool completely.


Per Serving:
138 Calories
17g Carbohydrate; 3g Dietary Fiber
4g Protein
7g Fat




First, a note about the last attempt - they dried out after a few days and weren't as good. If I make them again, I'm going to cut them into 16 bars instead of 32, because I was always eating 2 at a time.

Now for these. I am using a smaller cookie sheet, and only cooked them for 30 minutes. They are on the drier side, and crumbly. They would probably make good granola, but not good bars. I may crumble one up and add it to yogurt or something. They pumpkin taste is rather strong. But not horrible.

NROL - Week 25 - Friday

I think I psyched myself out with this final workout today. I was dreading it so much and wanted to just ditch it altogether. It was much harder than it normally is, and I ended up taking longer rest periods. Honestly, it was probably the worst workout ever, and I definitely didn't put my all into it.

Hyper IB, 3x15 with 30 second rests.

squat 3x15x45

Romanian deadlift w/ shrug 3x15x65

[superset w/ full rest]:
Bulgarian split-squat 3x15x10 (per leg) - I am still doing these 5 at a time, so no progress at all with these dreaded things!!!!
step-up 3x15x10 (per leg)

reverse crunch 3x15xbw

6:40 AM - apple & cottage cheese

9:00 AM - coffee w/ half-and-half & Splenda

9:30 AM - turkey meatballs on roll w/ cheese

1:05 PM - chicken breast w/ spaghetti squash & Caesar vinaigrette dressing

4:30 PM - Fiber One bar; I was starving waiting for dinner; I don't know if my taste buds were changing or what, but this was almost too sweet for me; there were a few minutes when I desperately wanted another bar, then the "too sweet" part kicked in

5:25 PM - roast & brown rice; I decided to use a smaller plate for dinner and just put about 2/3 of what I'd normally eat on it; I'm quite satisfied

Calories - 1397
Carbs - 134 (21 fiber)
Protein - 118
Fat - 44
C/P/F Ratio - 38.1/33.5/28.4

NROL - Week 25 - Thursday

I am going to put formal exercise on hold until after next week's break in weight training. I'll do my last NROL workout for this routine, but I'm not going to do Turbo Jam. I really need to deep clean my house and I want to try to establish a Wii routine. I am also 97% sure that I will be doing ChaLean Extreme, beginning February 2, instead of continuing with NROL. I think I need a break from it, and after ChaLean, I'll pick up where I left off with NROL. I have just over a week to decide for sure, but after viewing 3/4 of the program yesterday (I'll do the rest today), I am really excited about it.

8:00 AM - coffee w/ half-and-half & Splenda

9:35 AM - cottage cheese on toast; yes, ON

11:35 AM - homemade breakfast bars

3:20 PM - broccoli w/ light Italian dressing, almonds

5:45 PM - coffee w/ half-and-half & Splenda, round steak, carrot, sauteed spaghetti squash & onion w/ Parmesan cheese

8:30 PM - Cheerios w/ skim milk

Calories - 1350
Carbs - 154 (33 fiber)
Protein - 92
Fat - 49
C/P/F Ratio - 43.1/26/30.9

NROL - Week 25 - Wednesday

I've reviewed the new offering from Beachbody. I love Turbo Jam and really wanted to check out ChaLEAN Extreme, but wasn't sure I'd be interested in actually doing the workouts. I do not like Turbo Sculpt at all. Fortunately, it's nothing like Turbo Sculpt. I was afraid it would be higher rep work, which I don't like. It's not! It's one set of 6, 8, or 12, depending on what the exercise it. Movements are more deliberate. Chalene even talks about making sure we use heavy weights - you're supposed to be fatigued by the end of the set. She reiterates that women won't get bulky by lifting heavy. Good stuff. I like that one of the people in the group is using resistance bands. This workout is going to be perfect for traveling. One thing I did find amusing is the dude in the group - he was using adjustable dumbbells and grunting and making faces like he was putting forth great effort. Close-ups of the dumbbells show he's hardly using any weight at all LOL. Oh, and Chalene's constant use of the word "booty" drove me nuts. I hate that word.

So once again, I'm torn on what to do. I definitely want to do ChaLEAN Extreme before doing P90X. But do I finish out the second half of NROL or take this opportunity to switch to something else? Next week is my scheduled break between NROL routines. I almost feel like I want to be closer to goal before doing something really new. The next NROL routine is different - it has 3 segments instead of 2 (2 upper body, 1 lower body), and no squats. It's 8 weeks long, which will bring me into Spring Break. Maybe I'll do it, then reassess. I hate being so indecisive.

Back on schedule today - Hyper IA, 4x10 with 60 second rests.

[superset w/ full rest]:
db incline press 4x10x20
Yates row 4x10x55

[superset w/ full rest]:
db shoulder press 4x10x15
inverted row - 4x10xbw - I'm getting better at these and can do 10 in a row

[superset w/ full rest]:
bb close grip bench press 4x10x50
high pull 4x10x50 - I was running out of steam with these and am glad they aren't on the next routine

Swiss ball crunch 3x15x30


7:05 AM - apple & cottage cheese

10:00 AM - coffee w/ half-and-half & Splenda, chicken & broccoli w/ light balsamic vinaigrette

1:30 PM - turkey bacon, scrambled eggs w/ onion, green pepper, mozzarella & salsa

5:30 PM - chicken soup (roasted dark meat, tomato sauce, chicken broth, pasta, salsa & sour cream)

Calories - 1578
Carbs - 105 (15 fiber)
Protein - 156
Fat - 57
C/P/F Ratio - 27.1/40.1/32.9

NROL - Week 25 - Tuesday

My calves are about 95% so I went ahead with my workout. Hyper IB, 5x5 with 90 second rests.

squat 5x5x70

Romanian deadlift w/ shrug 5x5x90

[superset w/ full rest]:
Bulgarian split-squat 5x5x20 (per leg)
step-up 5x5x20 (per leg)

reverse crunch 3x15xbw

7:15 AM - apple & cottage cheese

9:05 AM - homemade breakfast bars, coffee w/ half-and-half & Splenda

I went to a friend's house for an Inauguration Party. She served some fantastic ham & cheese in phyllo dough roll ups and tilapia w/ avocado & orange salsa. She also sent home some whole wheat chocolate chip cookies and homemade granola bars - I ate several of those. Then many more when I got home. Ugh. I'm mad at myself.

1:45 PM - coffee w/ half-and-half & Splenda

4:10 PM - carrots

5:00 PM - ground beef w/ onion & green pepper, flour & half-and-half gravy

8:30 PM - air popped popcorn

I know I ate way too much today, even though all the food was healthy. I've been exhausted all afternoon and bloated. I need to work on not overeating even the healthy stuff.

NROL - Week 25 - Monday

I did not work out today. My calves were really sore yesterday from Saturday's HIIT and I hobbled around the house all day. Last night, I put Capzasin HP on my legs. BAD IDEA!!!!! My legs hurt like hell all night. The hand I used to rub the stuff into my leg burned, and I didn't wash it all off well enough so I got Capzasin in my mouth and my eye. When I got up this morning, I was really tingly and since it would be my last 5x5 leg workout, I wanted to put maximum effort into it, and I wouldn't be able to today. So I was going to shower then play around with the Wii. As soon as my legs got wet, the fire was back, almost as bad as last night. I got out of the shower and tried some aloe on my legs. Never again!!! It was an hour before I could tolerate pants. And my calf muscles still ache.

8:40 AM - cantaloupe & cottage cheese, coffee w/ half-and-half & Splenda

11:45 AM - grilled cheese sandwich

1:55 PM - homemade granola bars; I really need to cut these bigger, since I eat them 2 at a time; a day later, they are still pretty good

3:35 PM - carrots

7:00 PM - chicken wings, mixed vegetables w/ mozzarella cheese

Calories - 1174
Carbs - 121 (21 fiber)
Protein - 89
Fat - 41
C/P/F Ratio - 39.9/29.3/30.8

NROL - Week 24 - Sunday

147.5 today, down half a pound. On the one hand I'm glad for any loss. On the other, I'm disappointed that it's not more. I know eating wasn't the best this week, but it felt better than having to be perfect. If I have to choose between being perfect 100% of the time and being fat, I don't think I'm ever going to be thin. And now I'm thinking, "Oh, I can't eat like I did last week because it's not very conducive to weight loss." And that's silly, because I did lose. Not much, but it was better than gaining. Then I spaz because I know as I get smaller, my body will need fewer calories. Right now, I'm eating at maintenance level calories for my smaller body, and really, it doesn't feel like a whole hell of a lot of food. I don't want to change they way I am eating now. I'm having things I really enjoy without the guilt and the binge that usually goes along with it. I don't know. I'm not going to do anything drastic right now. I think that would make things worse. So, I'll carry on.

7:30 AM - coffee w/ half-and-half & Splenda

8:40 AM - "fried" eggs w/ taco sauce &  toast w/ margarine

12:30 PM - homemade granola bars; I posted the recipe in my blog

1:25 PM - chicken breast w/ cheese & taco sauce on millet, flax & spinach wrap

2:50 PM - homemade granola bar; I wanted to see how these tasted after being refrigerated for a while; they are still okay - airy and chewy, not very sweet

4:45 PM - coffee w/ half-and-half & Splenda

6:25 PM - roasted chicken w/ onion, green pepper, salsa & taco sauce

Calories - 1366
Carbs - 112 (31 fiber)
Protein - 110
Fat - 53
C/P/F Ratio - 32.8/32.1/35.1

Homemade Granola Bars - Attempt #1

My friend and I are trying our hand at homemade granola bars. She
suggested we each make a batch for our party Tuesday, and I am all over
that! I will admit it was a challenge to find something without nuts
& honey but I managed. I made these this morning, and Sebastian
loves them! I think they are okay, especially for a first attempt. A
tad on the dry side - I'll try decreasing the cook time for the next
batch. But here it is, for those interested. It's a tweak of this recipe.

On-The-Go Breakfast Bars
Servings : 32   

3     cups  rolled oats
2     scoops  chocolate whey protein powder
2     teaspoons  baking powder
2     teaspoons  cinnamon
      pinch  salt
1/2   cup  applesauce
1     teaspoon  vanilla extract
2     large  eggs
1/2   cup  skim milk
1     cup  Cocoa Krispies
3     ounces  chocolate chips (I actually used a chocolate bar smashed up)
1     tablespoon  agave nectar

Mix together the dry ingredients (except cereal/chocolate). Combine the
wet in a different bowl, then add to dry. Mix it all up with the
cereal/chocolate, and press into an oiled baking sheet. Bake for 20
minutes at 350 degrees, then let cool and cut into bars.

Per Serving:
59 Calories
10g Carbohydrate; 1g Fiber
2g Protein
2g Fat

NROL - Week 24 - Saturday

No Turbo Jam today. Instead, I dusted off the elliptical and did 30 minutes - 25 of that was a regular HIIT with a 3 minute warmup, 1min/3min work/recovery cycle (4x), followed by a Tabata interval. It sucked. My legs are still rubbery 12 hours later!! My husband said it looked like the machine was going to launch into the air. I can imagine - it sure felt like I was going to take off.

8:50 AM - cantaloupe & cottage cheese, coffee w/ half-and-half & Splenda

12:25 PM - banana; just my son's leftovers

12:50 PM - turkey bacon, scrambled eggs w/ onion, green pepper & salsa, coffee w/ half-and-half & Splenda; I actually had 2 tbs Baileys Irish Cream whisky in my coffee; it was my first time trying it and I'm not a drinker, so I just had a little

3:05 PM - chicken breast & broccoli w/ light Italian dressing

4:00 PM - just a bite of my husband's pork rib; I didn't log it in my tracker

Calories - 1154
Carbs - 88 (11 fiber)
Protein - 105
Fat - 40
C/P/F Ratio - 31/37.2/31.8

NROL - Week 24 - Friday

I attempted meditation last night but kept getting interrupted, so I finally gave up. That's frustrating.

Hyper IA, 3x15 with 30 second rests. Not bad today but I'll be glad for a change soon.

[superset w/ full rest]:
db incline press 3x15x15
Yates row 3x15x50

[superset w/ full rest]:
db shoulder press 3x15x10
inverted row - 3x15xbw

[superset w/ full rest]:
bb close grip bench press 3x15x45
high pull 3x15x45

Swiss ball crunch 3x15x30


6:30 AM - apple & cottage cheese

8:40 AM - Cocoa Krispies w/ skim milk, coffee w/ half-and-half & Splenda

11:45 AM - sushi (California rolls, shrimp tempura, Philly roll, spicy tuna roll); this was my first time and I split each of these with a friend; next time, I'm selfish and eat them all myself

3:10 PM - coffee w/ half-and-half & Splenda, Fiber One oats & caramel bar; Walgreen had these on sale, so I picked up a box of each flavor they had; I'm trying to find what flavor combinations I like because I'm going to start making my own bars soon

3:40 PM - chocolate chunk cookie; my husband brought some homemade cookies home and I ate one. See that? ONE!

5:45 PM - chicken soup (homemade stock, roasted dark meat, mixed vegetables, half-and-half), millet/flax/spinach lavash; I bought these wraps at the health food store and they are fantastic!!! Full of fiber, no fat - even my husband loves them

7:30 PM - 2 more chocolate chunk cookies

No numbers today but I am really, really proud of myself. With all the unknowns in my day, I was really good about telling myself it was no excuse to binge. And I stayed accountable - even though I couldn't log my calories, I still wrote everything down. I think I'm getting this!!!!

NROL - Week 24 - Thursday

Short workout today - Turbo Jam 20 Minute Workout. I had to get my son ready for a dentist appointment over an hour from home. It felt strange doing the 20MW again, and I'd forgotten a lot of the moves. Oh well. At least I did something - I was tempted to skip it altogether. I did skip meditation last night, though.

My legs are a little sore, again. It seems like every time I progress, I get DOMS. I think I really need to stretch better. That would require rearranging my entire schedule, though, and doing my workouts after I take the kid to school. I can't fit it all in beforehand.

7:35 AM - apple & cottage cheese

8:30 AM - apple & mozzarella string cheese; hand car snacks!!

11:00 AM - bacon ranch salad w/ grilled chicken from McDonald's

2:45 PM - carrots & mozzarella string cheese, coffee w/ half-and-half & Splenda

6:15 PM - brown rice & chicken (dark meat)

Calories - 1478
Carbs - 121 (15 fiber)
Protein - 122
Fat - 56
C/P/F Ratio - 32.6/33.1/34.3

NROL - Week 24 - Wednesday

I managed to get in my meditation last night. The session was about sleep and, strangely, I didn't. Probably because of that stupid nap yesterday.

Hyper IB today, 4x10 with 60 second rests. I hate this routine on any day that's not 5x5.

squat 4x10x55

Romanian deadlift w/ shrug 4x10x75

[superset w/ full rest]:
Bulgarian split-squat 4x10x10 (per leg) -  I actually tried to do 15 pound dumbbells but it was way too hard and I never would have completed the sets
step-up 4x10x10 (per leg)

reverse crunch 3x15xbw

6:35 AM - apple & cottage cheese

9:05 AM - tilapia & brown rice, coffee w/ half-and-half & Splenda

9:50 AM - banana

12:50 PM - carrots, mozzarella string cheese, coffee w/ half-and-half & Splenda

4:30 PM - mozzarella string cheese

6:05 PM - chicken (dark meat) & broccoli w/ light balsamic vinaigrette dressing

8:30 PM - popcorn & mozzarella string cheese

Calories - 1451
Carbs - 150 (23 fiber)
Protein - 125
Fat - 41
C/P/F Ratio - 40.07/34/25.3

NROL - Week 24 - Tuesday

What a weird day! I woke up late, postponed my workout until after I took the kid to school, took a shower, meditated, then slept for 3 hours. I missed the whole day, and I would have slept longer if my husband hadn't come home. Good thing he did, or my son wouldn't have been picked up from school on time. Jeez. It's cold and raining and dark - one of those days you just want to snuggle under a blanket. So I did.

7:45 AM - apple & cottage cheese

2:25 PM - brown rice & tilapia, mozzarella string cheese, coffee w/ half-and-half & Splenda

4:05 PM - Cocoa Krispies w/ skim milk; I'm going to be honest and say how thrilled I am to be able to eat this without feeling guilty or going overboard!!

6:55 PM - turkey bacon, scrambled eggs w/ onion, green pepper & taco sauce

9:15 PM - homemade peanut butter fudge

Calories - 1548
Carbs - 135 (9 fiber)
Protein - 115
Fat - 62
C/P/F Ratio - 34.6/29.6/35.8

NROL - Week 24 - Monday

No meditation last night - I was just too lazy. I'd spent the evening watching shows on obesity on Discovery Health Channel. I had so many thoughts running through my head during those 3 hours, many of them rather insensitive. First, I thought, I'm glad I'm not (and never was) morbidly obese, even at my highest weight. I was technically obese, but even close to morbidly so. And I am thankful for that. My second thoughts, especially watching the show about the 800 and 600 pound teens, were "what kind of parent lets their child get that way?" The mother of the 800 pound 19-year old, I could begin to understand as the show went on - her first son had died at 19 months, then years later she had her second son, she just gave him everything. She didn't know how to step back. So there's a lot of psychological stuff there. As I'm sure there is with the 600 pound 16-year old, but I couldn't figure it out from the show. Thirdly, the shows really put my own problems in perspective. My binge eating is ridiculously minor compared to some people, and I'm learning to handle it, so I am so, so thankful for that. I felt sorry for the people on these shows. This morning, I heard discussion on the radio of a finding that a higher percentage of Americans are obese than are just overweight. The percentage of overweight and obese Americans was about 64%, I think. I'd have to track down the actual article. That leaves just 36% of Americans who are in the healthy range, or underweight. I wonder how many are underweight, to get a true picture of healthy weight Americans. At first, I used the word "normal" range/weight but it seems that normal isn't necessarily healthy anymore. (Of course, obesity/overweight is determined by BMI, which is really not the best indicator, especially if one has a lot of muscle mass, so I think the true percentage may be a tad lower.)

Strangely, this is inspiring to me. I refuse to be one of those 64% (or whatever that number is - as I said, I don't have the article in front of me, but it's in the 60s). Even yesterday morning, I felt some strange sort of empowerment, a certainty that this is going to be my year. I can feel and see the changes in my body, even if the scale isn't always reflecting those changes. I'm getting stronger, I think, and I even joked with my husband yesterday, showing off my biceps. He played along like a good husband should, and it was motivating.

Today was HyperIA, 5x5 with 90 seconds rests.

[superset w/ full rest]:
db incline press 5x5x25
Yates row 5x5x65

[superset w/ full rest]:
db shoulder press 5x5x20
inverted row - 5x5xbw

[superset w/ full rest]:
bb close grip bench press 5x5x55
high pull 5x5x55

Swiss ball crunch 3x15x30

6:25 AM - apple & cottage cheese

8:55 AM - coffee w/ half-and-half & Splenda, Cocoa Krispies w/ skim milk; I really wanted to try to eat something I normally wouldn't, just to see if I could handle the chocolate, and I actually had 2 servings; I did get hungry soon after but tried to hold off before eating something else

10:20 AM - chicken breast w/ cheese on potato roll; it's going to be a carby day for sure; it's all I'm craving, and technically, it should be a higher carb day anyway (if I stick to carb cycling, which I rarely do)

1:40 PM - tilapia & carrots

6:00 PM - homemade soup (beef, mixed vegetables, brown rice, pasta); I didn't measure any of this out

7:00 PM - crackers w/ peanut butter & banana; I didn't measure this either, and it was spur of the moment

No numbers today due to laziness.

NROL - Week 23 - Sunday

148 today, down 1.5 from last week. I'll take it.

No exercise today. I have been struggling through a book for the last 3 weeks and I really wanted to get through the last 200 pages this weekend. Sadly, I only read about 30.

I did meditation last night but didn't get more than 5 minutes into it LOL

8:30 AM - turkey bacon, toast w/ margarine, scrambled eggs w/ onion, green pepper & salsa, coffee w/ half-and-half & Splenda

11:25 AM - broccoli, chicken breast w/ turkey bacon & cheese on roll

1:20 PM - carrots

4:30 PM - London broil, sauteed green beans & onions, coffee w/ half-and-half & Splenda

7:30 PM - peanut butter fudge; I probably should have looked for a better option, but that stuff has to be eaten before it goes bad - I made it Christmas Eve

Calories - 1701
Carbs - 116 (31 fiber)
Protein - 140
Fat - 79
C/P/F Ratio - 26.9/32.3/40.8

NROL - Week 23 - Saturday

I decided not to do cardio today. Instead, I spent an hour on the Wii Fit, doing every single yoga exercise (I suck) and some of the balance exercises (I suck more). It was okay, but I feel guilty for skipping Turbo Jam. Maybe I'll do it tomorrow instead of taking the day off.

No meditation last night. I'm in a crabby mood today, too. I should start investigating a correlation.

I'm hungry again today. I hate these days.

9:50 AM - apple & cottage cheese

10:35 AM - chicken breast w/ mayo sandwich

3:55 PM - mozzarella string cheese; just something to hold me over until dinner because grocery shopping and errands took a lot longer than I expected

4:30 PM - pork stir fry

8:10 PM - ricotta cheese pancakes (w/ oats & protein powder), sugar free pancake syrup

Calories - 1735
Carbs - 124 (22 fiber)
Protein - 156
Fat - 70
C/P/F Ratio - 28.3/35.6/36.1

NROL - Week 23 - Friday

I didn't get my meditation in last night. I was so tired and fell asleep almost immediately. I sure as heck didn't want to get out of bed this morning, either. I almost delayed my workout until after I took my son to school, but that would have messed up my whole day. I did putz around, delaying it as much as I could, until I finally talked myself into doing it. I hated every second of it.

Hyper IB, 3x15 with 30 second rests. Have I mentioned lately how much I loathe this setup??? Especially the BSS/step-up superset. I didn't think I was going to make it today. I will admit, I took a few extra seconds to rest, and the split squat were broken into set of 5 per side. Ugh. I just hate these and won't miss it.

squat 3x15x45

Romanian deadlift w/ shrug 3x15x65

[superset w/ full rest]:
Bulgarian split-squat 3x15x10 (per leg)
step-up 3x15x10 (per leg)

reverse crunch 3x15xbw

6:35 AM - apple & cottage cheese

8:30 AM - pumpkin flax granola bar; I must learn to make these!!

10:15 AM - coffee w/ half-and-half & Splenda

11:00 AM - chicken breast, cheese, sour cream & taco sauce on tortilla, cantaloupe; I was ridiculously hungry after eating the chicken wrap, and even after the cantaloupe and I'm shocked I held it together

3:15 PM - tuna fish sandwich w/ celery

5:45 PM - round steak w/ onion & green pepper; I was still hungry after finishing

7:00 PM - homemade low carb peanut butter fudge; I really wanted to eat every piece that was left, but I only ate 2; I'm still hungry though

Calories - 1734
Carbs - 140 (28 fiber)
Protein - 154
Fat - 66
C/P/F Ratio - 31.8/34.8/33.5

NROL - Week 23 - Thursday

Turbo Jam Cardio Party Mix 2 today, and I rocked it! I pushed myself and really got into it. It felt good. I told myself when I started the session that it was going to be a good workout, and that I was going to work hard.

I managed to make it all the way through meditation last night. I really need to concentrate on the session because my mind tends to wander to things completely unrelated to the meditation. That's a bit frustrating because I want to focus. So I need to work on that.

7:30 AM - cantaloupe & cottage cheese

9:00 AM - Cheerios w/ skim milk; I know Cheerios is a trigger food but I had to have it

9:20 AM - coffee w/ half-and-half & Splenda

12:00 PM - turkey bacon, scrambled eggs w/ green pepper, onion, cream cheese & salsa; I'm still hungry, and I have been all day

4:15 PM - cheese; I'm just starving!!!!

6:50 PM - cauliflower (w/ sour cream, mustard, half-and-half, cream cheese dressing), deep fried chicken thighs; I couldn't find a good way to track these on my nutrition page, so I guessed - yes, I know the numbers are outrageous, but I am not worried about it

Calories - 1967
Carbs - 114 (12)
Protein - 144
Fat - 101
C/P/F Ratio - 23.6/29.7/46.7

NROL - Week 23 - Wednesday

I fell asleep near the end of my meditation session last night. I think I need to start doing it in the middle of the day, rather than bed time.

Today was HyperIA, 4x10 with 60 seconds rests.

[superset w/ full rest]:
db incline press 4x10x20
Yates row 4x10x50

[superset w/ full rest]:
db shoulder press 4x10x15
inverted row - 4x10xbw

[superset w/ full rest]:
bb close grip bench press 4x10x45
high pull 4x10x45

Swiss ball crunch 3x15x30


6:35 AM - apple & cottage cheese

9:00 AM - turkey bacon, broccoli, scrambled eggs w/ onion, green pepper & salsa, toast w/ margarine, coffee w/ half-and-half & Splenda

12:00 PM - tuna w/ celery, cheese & mayo on tortilla; I ate this way too quickly and I'm just really hungry today

6:20 PM - chicken w/ sweet potato, coffee w/ half-and-half & Splenda

I was still hungry after dinner but couldn't think of a single thing I actually wanted to eat, so I ate nothing. I don't know if that's good or bad.

Calories - 1429
Carbs - 111 (23 fiber)
Protein - 128
Fat - 54
C/P/F Ratio - 30.7/35.6/33.7

NROL - Week 23 - Tuesday

I was dragging and uncoordinated for cardio this morning. Same as always - Turbo Jam Cardio Party Mix 2. I wonder if it's time to change things up. I really like this routine though. Maybe  few more weeks, then I'll find a new one. Fat Blaster sounds good.

I didn't get any meditation in last night. I was way too tired. I was going to squeeze some in before picking my son up from school but I got sucked into a show that I've been meaning to watch for a while.

8:55 AM - turkey bacon, scrambled eggs w/ onion, green pepper & salsa, toast w/ margarine, coffee w/ half-and-half & Splenda

11:40 AM - tilapia w/ cheese & ketchup on bun

3:25 PM - coffee w/ half-and-half & Splenda, carrots, mozzarella cheese

6:40 PM - chicken breast & broccoli w/ balsamic vinaigrette dressing

8:30 PM - grilled cheese sandwich

Calories - 1434
Carbs - 125 (32 fiber)
Protein - 127
Fat - 55
C/P/F Ratio - 33.3/33.8/32.9

NROL - Week 23 - Monday

Hyper IB, 5x5 with 90 second rests today. Over the weekend, I learned that squats and deads should NOT be supersetted. That made life much easier. I knew I could go heavier on my deadlift but without time to add/remove plates, I was stuck at my squat limit.

squat 5x5x65

Romanian deadlift w/ shrug 5x5x85

[superset w/ full rest]:
Bulgarian split-squat 5x5x15 (per leg)
step-up 5x5x15 (per leg)

reverse crunch 3x15xbw

6:35 AM - apple & cottage cheese

9:40 AM - coffee w/ half-and-half & Splenda; round steak w/ onion, green pepper & sour cream on potato roll

1:05 PM - turkey chili (turkey breast, red beans, onion & tomato sauce)

4:40 PM - carrots

6:00 PM - chicken breast & broccoli w/ balsamic vinaigrette dressing; I was still kind of hungry after eating dinner but decided my calories were high enough for the day

Calories - 1571
Carbs - 139 (32 fiber)
Protein - 171
Fat - 37
C/P/F Ratio - 35.3/43.4/21.3

Sign up for the Pound For Pound Challenge

http://www.pfpchallenge.com/

For every pound you lose during the Pound For Pound Challenge, we will donate 10¢ to Feeding America™ - enough to provide one pound of groceries to a local food bank. $500,000 maximum donation. $100,000 guaranteed minimum donation.

Do not participate if you’re pregnant or if weight loss is not appropriate for you. Always contact your doctor before starting any weight loss program. Even if some weight loss is appropriate for you, please do not engage in excessive weight loss. The maximum number of pounds that can be pledged and ultimately counted toward the Pound For Pound Challenge donation is capped at two pounds per week from your chosen start date (no earlier than December 15) through the date you report your weight loss. Again, make sure your doctor agrees with your weight loss plan.

Pledges accepted through April 27, 2009. Come back to report your final weight loss between April 1 - May 5, 2009.

This is with The Biggest Loser.

NROL - Week 22 - Sunday

149.5 today. I lost all that water weight. That's good. I don't feel so guilty about last week's eating. I'm re-focused and determined.

I remembered to meditate last night (third day in a row!!) but I fell asleep halfway through the mp3 file. I'm using the files on themedicationpodcast.com - there are only 10, but keep falling asleep during #2, so I'm not making much progress. I actually have a lot of meditation music on my Zune, including some of John Edward's psychic meditation stuff. And hahaha, I wrote "medication" the first time. I think I need that, too.

On a medically related note, my stuffed nose is completely gone. And the cough my son has had for 2 months is too, which surprised me. But hey, I'll take it.

I'm going to resume that long walk to my friend's house in California. I forgot all about using WATP! I plan to start again tomorrow, probably. Hopefully I'll be able to map it out - that should be fun. And again, I need to start using the Wii Fit.

9:00 AM - coffee w/ half-and-half & Splenda

10:30 AM - turkey bacon, scrambled eggs w/ onion, green pepper & salsa

11:05 AM - peanut butter fudge

1:30 PM - turkey chili (turkey breast, red beans, onion & tomato sauce)

5:50 PM - baked tilapia, cheesy tangy cauliflower (cauliflower baked w/ a mixture of mayonnaise, spicy brown mustard & shredded cheese)

Calories - 1626
Carbs - 75 (17 fiber)
Protein - 143
Fat - 79
C/P/F Ratio - 19/36.1/44.8

NROL - Week 22 - Saturday

Turbo Jam Cardio Party Mix 2 - I almost skipped, then considered doing the 20 Minute Workout but figured I'd be grumpy with myself if I didn't do it right.

9:25 AM - apple & cottage cheese

10:00 AM - coffee w/ half-and-half & Splenda

1:00 - turkey chili (turkey breast, red beans, onion & tomato sauce)

6:00 PM - coffee w/ half-and-half & Splenda, more turkey chili; this stuff is really good!

8:35 PM - waffles w/ butter & sugar free syrup

Calories - 1394
Carbs - 129 (25 fiber)
Protein - 136
Fat - 34
C/P/F Ratio - 37.7/39.9/22.4

NROL - Week 22 - Friday

I was watching FitTV this morning, particularly the Cathe Friedrich stuff and wow, that woman's body is incredible. I've always liked watching her, but the moves are a bit slow for me. I prefer a faster temp. And she does do higher volume/lower weight sets and I prefer the opposite. The show I watched was a lower body, pyramid style workout. She used a barbell for the first half, doing various squats, lunges, deads, and step ups, with a 12, 10, 8, 10, 12 rep scheme. I wouldn't mind doing something like that, but I'd need a new barbell, with spring clips. The two bars I have use collars, and it's a royal pain in the butt to quickly change the amount of weight on them. So, I think I might look into getting a set (with a shorter barbell, for sure) just for doing Cathe stuff. She's on FitTV all the time, so I might record some of her shows on to DVD.

I'm not sure how thrilled I am with NROL at this point, especially with the Hypertrophy routines. They seem so chaotic, with the different rep schemes, and I don't feel like I'm making progress. I have 3 more weeks with this routine before moving on to Hyper II, which is just as weird, if not moreso. There are 4 different rep schemes there. I don't like it. So I'm torn - do I see NROL through like I've planned (I have about 6-8 months left) or abandon it to do something else? I know that no matter what I pick, it will be beneficial. I guess NROL isn't that much of a pain but I really don't like the high volume stuff, even though it has its place. I don't know. I'm sure I'll stick with it but sometimes I second guess myself.

I'm trying to add new tools to my health bag of tricks. Meditation is one I've been meaning to try but have only managed half-hearted attempts so far. I'm not very consistent, but I did to 20 minutes last night.

Today was HyperIA, 3x15 with 30 seconds rests. I'm glad my next workout isn't until Monday. My legs are still sore from Wednesday! Who knew such a small increase could give me DOMS?

[superset w/ full rest]:
db incline press 3x15x15
Yates row 3x15x45

[superset w/ full rest]:
db shoulder press 3x15x10
inverted row - 3x15xbw - I can't do a full set of 15, so I do them in mini-sets of 5

[superset w/ full rest]:
bb close grip bench press 3x15x35
high pull 3x15x35

Swiss ball crunch 3x15x30

9:00 AM - apple & cottage cheese

12:15 PM - lean stew meat w/ mixed vegetables, onions & sour cream

5:05 PM - fried eggs & round steak w/ onions & gravy

8:00 PM - grilled cheese sandwich w/ mayo & mustard

Calories - 1736
Carbs - 133 (22 fiber)
Protein - 147
Fat - 67
C/P/F Ratio - 30.9/34.1/35

NROL - Week 22 - Thursday

Turbo Jam Cardio Party Mix 2 today. I'm still having some breathing issues but it's gotten much better in the last 2 days. I don't know that I put as much effort into the exercise as I should have but I think that will get better into next week. My legs are a bit sore from yesterday's workout, when I actually increased the weights!

I'm not hungry today. I haven't been hungry in a week, but I was eating with my emotions. I can't recall a single thing I've eaten in the last week that I truly felt I needed or enjoyed.

I forgot to add this to my stats entry, but I did get pictures taken today. I'm not posting them, but they are on record.

10:10 AM - coffee w/ half-and-half & Splenda, scrambled eggs w/ green pepper, onion & salsa

2:45 PM - celery w/ salsa & cream cheese dip, coffee w/ half-and-half & Splenda

6:05 PM - homemade turkey & vegetable soup w/ salsa & sour cream; I didn't measure this because I used turkey stock I made last week; I had 2 bowls

No numbers because of the soup. It feels good to be back though.

New Year's Stats

Today was measurement day. I'm not going to compare it to the last set of numbers from September 8, because I'm too lazy. Plus, I am never comfortable with the accuracy.


Neck         14
Bust         40
Rib Circ     37  
Waist        37 
Belly        41.25 
Hips         39.75  
Thighs
     R         23.75 
     L         23.75
Calves
     R         14.25 
     L          14.5
Biceps (flexed)
     R        12 
     L         12.25
Triceps
     R          13.25
     L          13.5
Forearms
     R          10.5
     L          10.25
Wrists
     R          5.75
     L          5.75
Weight       154.5
Body Fat    37%
LBM           97.3
BMI           28.2