Goals for 2011

As I look forward to yet another year of my journey, I've been thinking about what I want to do. In 2010, my only real challenges were to cook one new recipe per week and be meatless on Mondays. In 2010, I made over 60 different recipes for the first time and Mondays were completely vegetarian (as were Thursdays for a couple months). I also ran my first 5K (a last minute challenge), went over 2 months without using exercise videos, and completed all 7 stages of New Rules of Lifting for Women.

So now what? I want to get stronger in 2011. I'm going to keep my lifting simple. I want to get faster in 2011. I'm going to run at least one (unofficial) 5K per month, and the First Flight 5K in April. In November, I intend to run the Outer Banks 8K. I want to ride my bike more often, play tennis with my husband, and maybe hit the beach for some swimming.

In terms of nutrition, I want to cut back on the processed foods. I want to become a better cook, and try more recipes. I don't know that I'm going to keep a blog entry linking to everything I try. I tend to forget to do the links. There are hundreds of recipes I want to try, though.

Maybe my biggest goal for 2011 is to be more directly involved with support and motivation for others who are struggling with weight loss, health, and fitness. It's one thing to do my daily blogs and throw out random advice on message boards, but I need to spend more time actively encouraging people (online and in real life) - when they ask for it, of course.

And just to look at the trend for the last 4 years:

On January 1, 2007, I weighed 191 pounds.
On January 1, 2008, I weighed 150 pounds.
On January 1, 2009, I weighed 154.5 pounds.
On January 3, 2010, I weighed 134.5 pounds.

I really hope I'm down from last year's start weight tomorrow!

Starting Strength/Turbo Fire - Week 1 - Friday

standing barbell press 5x5x45 lbs
dumbbell bench press 3x6x35 lbs
assisted pull up 3x12 - I had problems with these. On the descent, my right forearm, by my elbow, would cramp up. That has never happened.

I followed up with Fire 30 and Stretch 10. I burned 251 calories during Fire. So for that and the weights, I'll take 4 activity points.

Food:
baked oatmeal [6]
apple [0] & cottage cheese [4]
cupcake batter [3] - I was making cupcakes from scratch and had to make sure the batter wasn't gaglicious.
banana [0]
homemade vegetarian pizza [14] - I sauteed some onions, green peppers & garlic [all 0] in olive oil [1]. Other toppings were cheese [2] and sauce [2]. I made a whole wheat & honey pizza crust. What I actually did was divide the entire dough recipe into 4 (I froze 3) portions. I made a "personal" pizza out of that fourth, for 8-9 points, depending on which nutritional information is used. To be safe, I counted it as [9].
cookie dough cupcake w/ frosting [5] w/ skim milk [1]
apple [0]
tomato [0] sandwich [3]

One coffee w/ milk [1] & several teas. I met my GHGs, used all of my daily and activity points, and have 45 weekly points remaining. I ate more carbs than I wanted to today :(

Starting Strength/Turbo Fire - Week 1 - Thursday

No workout today. I'm sore. I think I'm going to take the days after leg/HIIT days off.

Food:
baked sweet potato [4] w/ olive oil [1], tilapia [2] w/ cheese [2]
apple [0] & cottage cheese [5]
baked chicken thighs [5] w/ bulgur [5] & vegetables [0] - I mixed the bulgur with some sauteed garlic, onions & peppers, then added some paprika and diced tomatoes with green chiles. OMG. Good stuff!
tomato [0] sandwich [3]

Two coffees [2] and several teas. I met my GHGs and used all of my daily points, and have 49 weekly points remaining.

Starting Strength/Turbo Fire - Week 1 - Wednesday

I had an orange [0] after I blogged last night.

Today was lower body:

barbell squat 5x5x110 lbs
glute ham raise (on stability ball) 5x10
power clean 5x3x45 lbs

I don't think I've ever done a power clean before. I practiced beforehand with just the bar and about wore myself out. I still don't think I was getting it right. I did one rep at 35 pounds, but it was way too light so I bumped it up a bit. It still felt light but I wanted to get the form down. Hopefully I will be able to increase the weight quickly. I sure wish I had a second barbell so I could make this a circuit. They are fun, though!

Today's cardio was Turbo Fire HIIT 15. I've done it once before. Today I burned 145 calories. I'll take 3 activity points for the entire workout.

Food:
apple [0] & cottage cheese [5]
baked sweet potato [4] w/ olive oil [1] & tilapia [2] w/ cheese [2]
apple [0]
creamy shrimp, pasta & broccoli [11 pts]
yogurt [2] & dark chocolate [4]

One coffee [1] and several teas. I met my GHGs, and used all of my daily and activity points. 49 weekly points remaining.

Starting Strength/Turbo Fire - Week 1 - Tuesday

I am using the intermediate 4 day split, along with some Turbo Fire workouts for cardio. I've set a bit of an ambitious schedule, with HIIT on weight training days and longer workouts on non-weight days.

dumbbell bench press 5x5x37.5 lbs

barbell push press 1x5x65 lbs

assisted chin up 3x12 - I did 2 unassisted in each set.

It felt good to be working out again. This workout didn't take all that long because I made it a circuit. I probably shouldn't because these exercises all work the same area, but time is critical.

After weights, I did the Fire 30 & Stretch 10 workouts from Turbo Fire. This stuff is no freaking joke. I love Chalene Johnson and am a Turbo fan for life but this kicked my ass!! It's incredibly fast-paced and there are a lot of new moves to learn on the fly. For Fire 30, I burned 289 calories in that short 30 minutes. I didn't wear my HRM for the stretch. That's just gravy.

Activity points: 1 for weights, 3 for the cardio.

Food:
baked oatmeal [6] & apple [0]
baked sweet potato [4] w/ olive oil [1], tilapia [2] w/ cheese [2]
poached eggs [4] w/ cheese [2] & mixed vegetables [0] w/ sauce [1]
cottage cheese [5]
dark chocolate [4]

One coffee [1] and several teas. I met my GHGs, used all of my daily points and 3 of my activity points. I don't roll my activity points, so one is going unused. I still have 49 weekly points remaining.

Starting Strength/Turbo Fire - Week 1 - Monday

I am starting my new program off with a rest day!! I spent 13 hours in the truck, driving home from New York. I think I am going to just shift everything by one day, then go with the schedule  I wrote out before I left for vacation.

Food:
banana [0]
baked oatmeal [6]
three-bean salad [7]
apple [0]
cheese [2] omelet [3] w/ sauteed [1] onions [0] & vegetables [0] w/ sauce [1]
apple [0] & cottage cheese [5]

Two coffees [2]. I am two points shy of my daily target but I met my GHGs, and have 49 weekly points remaining.

Countdown to Christmas Challenge - Week 7 - Wednesday to Sunday

I tried to be really good. Fortunately, I've had to eat slowly and carefully since my gums are still healing and it's very awkward to eat with the bridge in. I prefer to take it out to eat. To be honest, I prefer to be without it unless I'm in public.

Wednesday was my travel day. At home, I ate baked oatmeal and cream of broccoli soup. On the 12-hour trip, I stuck mostly to more baked oatmeal, cottage cheese, and bananas. We had cookies that my son had made Monday, but they were too hard for me to eat. I did buy a three-bean salad from the store on the way. It was good, but had too much canola oil.

On Thursday, I continued to eat my good foods, but I also tried a few Christmas treats. I couldn't eat nearly as much as I usually could, to I'm quite thankful for this week's dental work. I ate enough to make me think, "Okay, these were good but I'm really not feeling well." I counted the points for them and moved on.

Friday started off right - with eggs & olive oil and fruit. I had some vegetables then some goodies. Not enough to binge on but enough to definitely make me feel sick.

Saturday was all about not throwing up from the sugar I'd eaten Friday. I did overeat on Christmas dinner but no binges! Same thing on Sunday. I didn't bother with points but I kept the stuffing my face to a moderate level.

I am so ready to go home!

Countdown to Christmas Challenge - Week 7 - Tuesday

No workout again today. I doubt I will get any exercise this week, but I'm okay with that.

On the dental work front, things are going well. There's not much pain, still just some pressure under the denture but not as bad as yesterday.

Food:
cottage cheese [5]
baked oatmeal [6]
cream of broccoli soup [6]
banana [0] - Okay, so it was a frozen banana thrown into the food processor and therefore "ice cream" but I needed a fruit serving.
cheese [2] omelet [3] w/ sauteed [1] peppers & sweet hot sauce [1], bear sausage [3] - The bear sausage was incredible difficult for me to chew but it tasted to good. It took me quite a while to eat this meal.

Two coffees [2] and some tea. I am drinking a lot slower than normal. I don't know if I got all my fruit & vegetable servings in. It's possible. I managed to eat all of my daily points though, and I have 49 weekly points remaining.

Countdown to Christmas Challenge - Week 7 - Monday

No workout today. I got my wisdom teeth and 4 more extracted today. I might workout tomorrow, but mainly the stress just makes me want to sleep. We're leaving for New York Wednesday night so there's lots to do.

A little about the teeth. I'm not in any pain, but I'm not ready to try eating solid foods just yet. I attempted to nibble on a cookie but even the crumbs felt awkward. I have an immediate partial denture in my lower front and it's going to take a while to get used to it. And of course, by the time I do, it will be time for my "permanent" denture. I've got acrylic right now, and I'm hoping to upgrade to the flexible stuff once all the swelling goes down and my gums heal.

I'm mostly bummed that I didn't get my coffee today. It was a hit to my dairy servings!

Food:
hard boiled egg [2] & apple [0]
cottage cheese [5]
baked oatmeal [6]
cream of broccoli soup [7] w/ cheese [4]

Two teas and a little water. I got my GHGs, barely. Oh wait, no I didn't, as I only got one serving of protein from the cottage cheese. I think. I never know what's considered a serving of protein. Oh, and I had the egg, so maybe I did get my two servings. I don't care. I didn't use all my daily points, either, though I'm only 5 under. I don't care. I'm just tired and want to go to sleep. I still have 49 weekly points remaining.

Countdown to Christmas Challenge - Week 6 - Sunday

Up another half pound today. So I've done nothing but gain on the new Weight Watchers program LOL. It's not the program. It's me. Being in my healthy range, I fluctuate a lot, even when I eat perfectly. Which I haven't been, but I've been eating within the "rules" of the program. I get my dairy and oils and I choose whole grains when I eat them. I don't eat a ton of grains. I could stand to get more vegetables and less fruit though. Fruit is high in sugar and I'm carb sensitive anyway. Apples never bother me so it must be the bananas and now, grapes.

Food:
baked oatmeal [6]
raw vegetables [0]
salad [0] w/ mandarin oranges [0], chicken breast [4], salsa [0] & olive oil [1]
apple [0] & cheese [4]
chicken breast [4] sandwich [3] w/ cheese [2] - It's certainly no Chik-fil-A :(
grapes [0]
dark chocolate [2]
waffles [8] w/ light syrup [2]

Two coffees [2] and several teas. I met my GHGs, used all my dailies and the rest of my weeklies. Because after I get my teeth extracted tomorrow, I don't know when I'll have real food again.

Baked Oatmeal - Recipe

I tried baked oatmeal for the first time! It was awesome. Oatmeal is something I usually tolerate, but this stuff was really good.

2 c old fashioned or rolled oats
1/3 c brown sugar
1 tsp baking powder
2 tsp cinnamon
1 large egg
2 tbs canola oil
1 1/2 c skim milk
1/2 c unsweetened applesauce

1. Preheat the oven to 375 degrees.

2. In a medium bowl, mix the oats, brown sugar, baking powder and cinnamon. Set aside. In another bowl, mix the remaining ingredients. Pour the oat mixture into the liquid and stir.

3. Pour mixture into an 8x8 pan that has been sprayed with non-stick spray. Bake for 20-30 minutes.

4. Serve warm with chopped apples, nuts, raisins, etc.

Makes 6 servings.

I didn't run the numbers for it (though it's about 6 points+) but it gives one serving of healthy oil and a quarter dairy serving. I can see myself overeating this, that's how good it is.

Countdown to Christmas Challenge - Week 6 - Saturday

No workout today. I'm really sucking at the cardio.

Food:
oatmeal [4] w/ apple [0]
banana [0], cheese [6] & pepperoni [4] - I picked these up at a gas station. I really wanted some candy bars.
chicken sandwich [13] & fries [11] from Chik-fil-A - I was craving a chicken sandwich and I don't know when I'll be able to eat one again after my dental work on Monday. On the plus side, I did only eat half in the restaurant and the other half about an hour later.
venison tenderloin [3] w/ roasted carrots [2]
cottage cheese [2] & grapes [0]

Two coffees [4] and several teas. I blew threw my daily points and met my GHGs. I only have 9 weekly points remaining. Overall, a disappointing day.

Countdown to Christmas Challenge - Week 6 - Friday

barbell squat 5x5x110 lbs

one arm db rows 5x5x40 lbs

atomic push up 3x12 

This was my last weight lifting workout for this round! I'm "off" next week, then back with a new routine the week after that. 2 activity points for this. And atomic push ups still suck!

It was another of my weird long days where I work both jobs at the school and can only snack with whatever can go in my bag. I need to get some nuts, but I can so easily overeat those. Even if I measure out a portion, they don't satisfy me.

Food:

apple [0] & cottage cheese [5]
hard boiled egg [2]
fish nuggets [10]
salad [0] w/ fat free dressing [1] & canola oil [2]
string cheese & fresh fruit [4]
chocolate [5]
BLT w/ cheese [6] - I really wanted a giant peanut butter & nutella sandwich but that would have led to another, then cookies and candy and who knows what else. So I made a small BLT instead.

Two coffees [2] and several teas. I met my GHGs but used my daily points mostly on junk. I am disappointed that I didn't eat well. I have 29 weekly points remaining.

Countdown to Christmas Challenge - Week 6 - Thursday

No workout today. It's way too cold to get up in the mornings.

Food:
oatmeal [4] w/ protein powder [1] & banana [0]
tangerine chicken & rice [10]
apple [0] & cottage cheese [5]
yogurt [3]
chicken breast [4] w/ salad vegetables [0] & salsa [0] w/ olive oil [2]
dark chocolate [8]

Two coffees [2] and several teas. I met my GHGs, used all my daily points and have 35 weekly points remaining.

Countdown to Christmas Challenge - Week 6 - Wednesday

[18 inch] step up 5x5x20 lbs

supinated grip bodyweight row 3x12

Romanian dead lift 5x5x90 lbs 

plank 3x60s

No major increases in weight to speak of with this workout. The planks can sure bite me. 2 activity points.

Food:

hard boiled eggs [4] 

baked curly fries [6] & banana [0]

chicken noodle soup [7]
grilled cheese [6]

cheese [4] & apple [0]

Two coffees [2] and several teas. I met my GHGs (thank you, cheese) and ate all of my daily points, but my activity points are going unused. I'm just not hungry and I could have done without the grilled cheese but I used it to get more dairy and one of my oils. I have 45 weekly points remaining.

Countdown to Christmas Challenge - Week 6 - Tuesday

I really need a structured program like P90X or ChaLean Extreme so I'm not blowing off cardio. I wonder if it's time to do Insanity. I would love to, but I'm making such good progress with my strength training and I do not want to give it up. I'll have to look at the schedule and see if I can squeeze in the upper body workout that comes with Insanity. I don't really care for it. I could do my own thing, too, I suppose. I'll have to play with it.

Food:
oatmeal [4] w/ protein powder [1] & banana [0]
apple [0] & cottage cheese [5]
salad [0] w/ light ranch dressing [3]
cheese [2] omelet [3] w/ sauteed [1] onion [0] & green pepper [0], toast [2] w/ butter [1], turkey bacon [5]
apple [0] & cheese [4]

Two coffees [2] & several teas. I met my GHGs, used all my daily points and have 45 weekly points remaining. I hate dipping into my weeklies so early in the week but I'm hungry, damn the hormones!

Countdown to Christmas Challenge - Week 6 - Monday

barbell static lunge 5x5x70 lbs

db shoulder press 5x5x30 lbs

pronated grip bodyweight row 3x12

mountain climber 3x30

I increased my shoulder press. It was freaking hard!!!!!!  2 activity points for this.

Food:

oatmeal [4] w/ protein powder [1] & banana [0]

tater tots [6] & coleslaw [4] - I really should know better than to eat at work, damn it. I even took an apple & cottage cheese but I couldn't stop snatching tots out of the warmer between classes.

salad [0] w/ black beans[4] & sweet & spicy sauce [3], baked butternut squash [0]
skim milk [2] & white chocolate [4]

Two coffees [2] and several teas. I met my GHGs, used all of my daily points and 1 activity points. I have 49 weekly points remaining.

Countdown to Christmas Challenge - Week 5 - Sunday

I weighed in at 129 today, up a pound from last week. I'm not doing anything wrong, other than ovulating. Stupid body.

Food:
banana [0] & hard boiled eggs [4]
salad [0] w/ chicken breast [2], light ranch dressing [1] & olive oil [2]
lasagna [17] w/ salad [0] & garlic bread [3]
cookies [6] w/ skim milk [1] - I made 6 cookies, 2 for each of us, as dessert. I didn't make a whole batch because I knew what would happen. I desperately wanted another after I finished, and boy, was I glad I thought ahead of time!
apple [0]

Two coffees [2] and several teas. I met my GHGs and used all of my daily points. 31 weekly points unused this week.

Countdown to Christmas Challenge - Week 5 - Saturday

barbell squat 5x5x110 lbs

one arm db rows 5x5x40 lbs

atomic push up 3x12

I increased my row weight. Rough! 2 activity points for this workout. I still think atomic push ups are evil.

Food:
chocolate milk [4] & banana [0] - I haven't felt the need for a post-workout recovery drink in a while!

pancakes [6] w/ syrup [2] & sausage [3] - I went to a breakfast fundraiser and I am estimating.
tilapia [2] & mixed vegetables [0] w/ olive oil [1]
grilled chicken breast [4] w/ sweet heat addiction [1], baked butternut squash [0] w/ olive oil [1]
apple [0] & cottage cheese [4]

Two coffees [2] and several teas. I met my GHGs, ate all of my daily points and 1 of my activity points. I have 39 weekly points remaining.

Countdown to Christmas Challenge - Week 5 - Friday

I had a banana after I blogged last night. They just call my name!

I did some Turbo Jam this afternoon, just the 20 Minute Workout. I burned 152 calories. I think I'm going to stick with the 100 calories burned = 1 Activity Point for a while. So, I earned 1 AP.

Food:
apple [0] & cottage cheese [5]
baked potato [4] w/ chili [4], cookie [3] - I ate this at work and I really should have known better. I had the points for it, but I still try not to eat work food.
banana [0]
cheese [2] omelet [3] w/ sauteed [2] onions & green pepper
apple [0] & cheese [4]
dark chocolate [8]

Two coffees [2] and two teas. I met my GHGs, used my daily points and activity point, and I have 39 weekly points remaining. It looks like I ate a ton.

Countdown to Christmas Challenge - Week 5 - Thursday

I had a banana after I posted last night.

[18 inch] step up 5x5x20 lbs

supinated grip bodyweight row 3x12

Romanian dead lift 5x5x90 lbs 

plank 3x60s

2 activity points for this. I feel like I am never going to progress with my RDL. It used to be my favorite :( It was really hard to do them today because my thighs are all bruised up from cookie dough boxes. The bar kept hitting the sore spots.

Food:

apple [0] & cottage cheese [5]
pepper slices [0] & ham [2]
banana [0]

cubed steak [4] w/ stuffing [7] & gravy [1], salad [0] w/ salsa [0], cheese [1] & olive oil [2]
dark chocolate [8] & skim milk [2]

Two coffees [2] and several teas. I met my GHGs and my daily & activity points, and have 46 weekly points remaining.

Countdown to Christmas Challenge - Week 5 - Wednesday

I did not work out today. I didn't even want to get out of bed. I'm so sick from the stress of the cookie dough fundraiser and working with snot-covered first graders last week. I want to sleep for a week.

Food:
banana [0]
apple [0] & ham slice [1]
banana [0], mixed vegetables [0], rice [1] & ground turkey [2] - All of these (including the stuff listed above) was eaten at work. I just had a very little bit of rice and turkey, maybe a tablespoon of each.
venison tenderloin [6] & salad w/ salsa & olive oil [2]
cottage cheese [5]
grapes, hot chocolate [5] - Okay, so it was a bunch of warmed milk with NESQUIK.

One coffee [1] and several teas. I met my GHGs but I'm still 6 points shy of my daily target. I've been eating enough fruit and vegetables that I'm just not hungry. I still have 49 weekly points remaining.

Countdown to Christmas Challenge - Week 5 - Tuesday

Busy, busy day today. As fundraising chair for the PTA, my big project lately has been overseeing the cookie dough sales. Today, the orders arrived. I spent the morning unloading a truck full of cookie dough, sorting, transporting, loading cards. Then I spent the entire afternoon moving boxes, stacking them on tables, stacking them on carts, putting them in people's cars. My shoulder is killing me. I am completely exhausted.

Food:
apple [0] & cottage cheese [5]
mixed vegetables [0], ice cream [2], grapes [0], pepper slices [0] - I was all set to have hard boiled eggs for lunch but when I sat down to eat and cracked them open, they were raw eggs. I was not happy.
string cheese [4] & banana [0]
black bean quesadillas [12] & salad w/ salsa & olive oil [2]
pumpkin cookie [3]

One coffee [1] and several teas. I used all my daily points. I think. I'm too tired to count. I have 49 weekly points remaining. I think. As I said, I'm too tired to count.

Countdown to Christmas Challenge - Week 5 - Monday

barbell static lunge 5x5x70 lbs 

db shoulder press 5x5x27.5 lbs

pronated grip bodyweight row 3x12

mountain climber 3x30

2 activity points for this. I really don't care much for mountain climbers. I was not in the mood to do this today. I slept a little longer than normal because I wasn't feeling well (dry air) and intended to work out after my son's allergy shots. Then I was asked to sub in the after school program for a while, and by the time we got home from shots after that, it was pretty late. Then I had tons of last minute stuff to do to get ready for tomorrow's suddenly rescheduled to earlier in the morning cookie dough delivery. I just wanted to bail. But I didn't.

Food:
apple [0] & cottage cheese [5]
baked sweet potato [5]
black bean quesadillas [10] & salad w/ salsa & olive oil [2], banana [0]
grapes [0]
light English muffin [3] w/ butter [1] & pumpkin cookies [3]

20 ounces of water, two coffees [2] and several teas. I ate all my daily and activity points and met my GHGs. I am very satisfied. I have 49 weekly points remaining.

Countdown to Christmas Challenge - Week 4 - Sunday

I weighed in at 128 today, down a pound and a half since last Sunday. Only half a pound over my pre-Christmas low from last year.

Food:
yogurt [3] & banana [0]
apple [0] & cottage cheese [5]
grapes [0] & red pepper slices [0]
Hungarian beef goulash [6] w/ pasta [6]
string cheese [4]
eggs [3] w/ sauteed [1] onions & green peppers, avocado [2]
dark chocolate [8] - This is my Dexter treat.

Three coffees [3] and several teas. I met my GHGs, used all my dailies, and finally dipped into my weeklies. I have 36 weekly points going unused this week. I really, really like the new Weight Watchers Points Plus plan!

Countdown to Christmas Challenge - Week 4 - Saturday

No workout today.

Food:
apple [0] & cottage cheese [5]
gingerbread house icing [6] - Damn sugar! I estimated, then caught myself and threw the rest of the leftovers away.
raw vegetables [0]
half a banana [0] - My son stole half right out of my hand.
homemade chicken noodle soup [14] - This was for the entire batch, which I ate in 2 parts, about an hour apart.
oatmeal cookie [2] - I had to try out the recipe I found for using up my spare packets of instant oatmeal. I made smaller cookies than the recipe calls for. They are pretty good.

Two coffees [2] and several teas. I met my GHGs and used all of my daily points. I still have all 49 weekly points left. I'm scared to use them. Really. I know I need to eat more though.

Countdown to Christmas Challenge - Week 4 - Friday

barbell squat 5x5x110 lbs

one arm db rows 5x5x35 lbs

atomic push up 3x12 

Two activity points for the workout.

Food:

oatmeal [4] w/ protein powder [1] & banana [0]

hard boiled eggs [4] & raw vegetables [0]

yogurt [3] w/ string cheese [4] & banana [0]
tilapia [4] w/ salad mix [0], olive oil [3] & avocado [2]
apple [0] & cottage cheese [3]

Two coffees [2] and several teas. I met my GHGs, used all my daily points and one of my activity points. I have 49 weekly points remaining. Still.

Countdown to Christmas Challenge - Week 4 - Thursday

It was a long, long day. I had a 7 AM PTA meeting, then straight to work. Then another meeting. Then my other subbing job. THEN a school function that we were supposed to attend, but Sebastian changed his mind at the last minute. I had to plan my meals very carefully so I'd have stuff to eat between "things" and I think I did fairly well.

Food:
banana [0]
apple [0] & cottage cheese [5]
turkey breast [4], raw vegetables [0] w/ homemade honey mustard sauce [3]
hard boiled eggs [4] & string cheese [4]
avocado [3]

Two coffees [2] & several teas. I met my GHGs but I'm short 4 points for the day. And I still have 49 weekly points remaining. I have to figure something out because I need to eat more. I don't really feel hungry, but I know I am not eating enough. I definitely need more protein but I hate re-heated food (especially meat) and I can't cook fresh food at lunch (or eat what we serve in the cafeteria).

Countdown to Christmas Challenge - Week 4 - Wednesday

[18 inch] step up 5x5x20 lbs

supinated grip bodyweight row 3x12

Romanian dead lift 5x5x85 lbs 

plank 3x60s

2 activity points for this workout.

Food:

oatmeal [4] w/ protein powder [1] & banana [0]

apple [0] & cottage cheese [5]
vegetable soup [1]
yogurt [3] w/ granola [3]

turkey breast [3] w/ salad vegetables [0], avocado [2] & salsa w/ olive oil [1]
string cheese [4], banana [0] & dark chocolate [2]

Two coffees [2] and several teas. I used all my daily and activity points, and have 49 weekly points remaining. I'm struggling to get my 29 daily points every. I don't know why. I'm worried that I will feel pressured to use all my weekly points over the weekend just because I have them to use. Next weekend when I actually need them for a fundraiser, I won't have them. LOL

Countdown to Christmas Challenge - Week 4 - Tuesday

I did Turbo Jam Fat Blaster after work today, and burned 236 calories. Under the old system, that's 2 activity points. Under the new system, it's 3 activity points. I'm going to try not to use more than 2 today. And I think I will continue with the "use them on the day I earn them or I lose them" approach. That seems to be working well.

Food:
oatmeal [4] w/ protein powder [1] & banana [0]
apple [0] & cottage cheese [5], carrot sticks [0] & broccoli [0]
vegetarian chili [10] w/ cheese [2]
air-popped popcorn [4] w/ olive oil [1]
dark chocolate [2] w/ apple [0] - Sebastian had to leave a treat for Helmet, his Elf on the Shelf.

20 ounces of water, two coffees [2] and several teas. I ate all my daily points and met my GHGs. I ate 2 of my 3 activity points, and have 49 weekly points remaining. And I inadvertently went meatless again today.

Countdown to Christmas Challenge - Week 4 - Monday

barbell static lunge 5x5x65 lbs

db shoulder press 5x5x27.5 lbs

pronated grip bodyweight row 3x12

mountain climber 3x30

I'm still only taking 2 activity points for strength training.

Today is my first day with the new Weight Watchers plan. My daily target is 29 points, and I have 49 weekly points to draw from, as well as any activity points earned.

Food:
oatmeal [4] w/ protein powder [1] & banana [0]
apple [0] & cottage cheese [5]
salad [0] w/ salsa [0], olive oil [1] & mandarin oranges [0]
apple [0]
vegetarian chili [5] w/ avocado [3]
(more) vegetarian chili [5] w/ cheese [4]

50 ounces of water, three coffees [3] and several teas. I met my GHGs and used all my daily and activity points. I feel like I ate a lot today but I had to meet my minimum. I probably could have left the activity points unused, or had some chocolate instead of cheese, but I thought the cheese would finish me off for the night, and it has. Oh, and I have 49 weekly points remaining.

Countdown to Christmas Challenge - Week 3 - Sunday

I weighed in at 129.5 today, down 4.5 since I started counting points again three weeks ago. Yay me. Technically, this means I drop down to 21 daily points, but since Weight Watchers has unveiled an entirely new plan with new calculations, I'm switching to that, effective tomorrow. So today is more of the same.

Keep in mind that I am not a member of WW. I do it entirely on my own, using what I learn through the various message boards. I've been putting together a reference guide and will add to it as I go along. For the most part, the change is a great one - it sort of pushes one to eat healthier foods. Instead of just focusing on fat and fiber, the new calculations consider protein, total carbs, fiber, and fat, and we're sort of "rewarded" for eating lean proteins (YAY!). Fruit is mostly 0 points now, as are most vegetables (not corn, peas, or potatoes). The points values for most foods have changed because of the new calculations. We get more daily points, as well as more weekly points. [Well, "getting more" isn't entirely true. Points are being readjusted to reflect the current research on how our bodies use macronutrients.]My daily points target is 29, and I have 49 weekly points, as well as activity points (now calculated as 1 AP = 80 calories burned) to use however. I'm excited.

Food:
omelet [4] w/ onion [0] & green peppers [0], Sandwich Thin [1] w/ cheese [1]
apple [1] & cottage cheese [4]
spaghetti [3] w/ meatballs [3] & sauce [1], garlic bread [4]
Sandwich Thin [1] w/ butter [1]
dark chocolate [5]

Three coffees [3] and several teas. I used up all my daily points and met my GHGs. I went ahead and used up my weekly points, too. I'm looking forward to tomorrow!

Countdown to Christmas Challenge - Week 3 - Saturday

barbell squat 5x5x110 lbs

one arm db rows 5x5x35 lbs

atomic push up 3x12 

I was a bit nervous increasing my squat, but I took a wider than normal stance. Wider for me, even, because my stance is pretty wide. I also tried to go slower today. I'm not a speed demon when I lift, but I do try to slow it down at times to challenge the muscles a bit differently. 2 activity points for today.

Food:
omelet [3] w/ tomato [0] on light English muffin [1]

turkey breast [4] w/ lettuce, tomato, mandarin oranges [1] & Sweet Heat Addiction [1] (a hot sauce from Chipotle People
apple [1] & yogurt [2], pretzels [2]
dark chocolate [1]
turkey breast [3] &mashed cauliflower [1]
mixed vegetables [0] w/ cheese [1] & olive oil [1]

Two coffees [2] and several teas. I met my daily points and GHGs, and used both activity points. I have 10 weekly points remaining.

Countdown to Christmas Challenge - Week 3 - Friday

No formal exercise today. I rode my bike up and down my block for a while. My son is still learning to ride his bike so we can't go far yet. I did about 2 miles but didn't wear my heart rate monitor and I'm not taking any activity points for it.

Food:
oatmeal [2] w/ coolies & cream protein powder [1] & banana [2]
scrambled eggs [3] w/ sauteed [1] onions & tomato on Sandwich Thin [1]
apple [1] & cottage cheese [3]
turkey breast [5] w/ mashed cauliflower [1]
cinnamon mocha coffee [3] & peanut butter ball [2]

Two coffees [2] and several teas. I used all my daily points and met my GHGs. I have 10 weekly points remaining. I'm so glad I didn't let myself lose control Tuesday night.

Countdown to Christmas Challenge - Week 3 - Thursday

[18 inch] step up 5x5x20 lbs

supinated grip bodyweight row 3x12

Romanian dead lift 5x5x85 lbs 

plank 3x60 - up from 45 last week.

I increased everything from last week's numbers. My RDL still isn't where I'd like it to be, but I'm focusing on form. I took 2 activity points for the workout.

Food:

raw vegetables [0]
roasted turkey breast [2], mashed cauliflower [1] & stuffing [5]
Asian vegetables [3] w/ sauteed onions [2]
hot cocoa [3]
cheese [4]

Two coffees [2] and several teas. I ate all of my dailies and met my GHGs. Both activity points went unused, and I have 15 weekly points remaining.

I decided I wasn't going to stuff myself like I usually do on Thanksgiving. Last night, I'd already decided that I was not going to have a roll or biscuit, and that I'd have mashed cauliflower instead of mashed potatoes (which I still made for my husband and son). The plan was to eat a decent brunch, then an early dinner, but the turkey cooked much faster than we were expecting and I never did get my brunch. I just snacked on vegetables while I was rushing around getting the side dishes ready. I ate my stuffing and cauliflower and only part of the turkey I put on my plate. That made me feel pretty much in control.

Countdown to Christmas Challenge - Week 3 - Wednesday

I have to take away 20 of my weekly points. I ate a big bagel with cream cheese last night and a couple peanut butter balls. I'm so mad at myself. I'm so screwed for Thanksgiving. I immediately felt like crap, too, all bloated and gross. Why the hell do I do this????

I took a road trip to Raleigh with my son today. We left very early in the morning and went to a museum, then the mall. I am very proud of myself for not eating crap. I'm glad I held myself accountable for last night's post-blogging food. Otherwise, I would have gone into "screw it" mode and just eaten tons of crap today.

Food:
apple [1]
banana [2]
vegetable soup [3] - I bought this at the museum cafe because my son wanted lunch and it had been hours since I'd eaten my banana. I'm erring on the side of caution and taking 3 points for it. It was just a small cup of soup.
string cheese [4]
raw vegetables [0] w/ homemade honey mustard dressing [3]
yogurt [1]
sauteed onions [1], avocado [4] & tomato [0] on Sandwich Thin [1]

Two coffees [2] and several teas. I used all of my daily points and hit my GHGs. 15 weekly points remaining.

Countdown to Christmas Challenge - Week 3 - Tuesday

barbell static lunge 5x5x65 lbs 

db shoulder press 5x5x25 lbs

pronated grip bodyweight row 3x12

mountain climber 3x30

I'm really not a fan of these rows. They are hard! LOL 2 activity points for the workout.

Food:

apple [1] & cottage cheese [4]
peas [1], salad w/  dressing [2]
yogurt [1], peppers [0] w/ homemade honey mustard dressing [1]
steak [5] w/ roasted carrots [0] & olive oil [1]
Sandwich Thin [1] /w tomato [0] & avocado [3]

Two coffees [2] and several teas. I used all of my daily points and hit my GHGs. Both activity points went unused, and I have 35 weekly points remaining.

Tomorrow will be interesting. I will be on the road all day. We're going to Raleigh to see the Grossology exhibit at the NC Museum of Natural Sciences. I plan on eating a good breakfast and taking 0 point vegetables with me, as well as apples & bananas and some low fat string cheese. I'm hoping to make good choices once we're in the city.

Countdown to Christmas Challenge - Week 3 - Monday

My goal this week is to stay on plan. I have a trip to Raleigh on Wednesday and of course, Thanksgiving.

I did not do any exercise today. I've been nauseated all day, like I ate too much candy. I didn't, but that's what it feels like. Food was the last thing I wanted to deal with, too.

Food:
oatmeal [3] w/ banana [2]
coleslaw [4]
apple [1] & cottage cheese [4]
black beans [5] & salsa [0]

Two coffees [2] and several teas [1]. I had to force myself to meet all my daily points and GHGs. I did it, and have 35 weekly points remaining. I'm just going to bed early.

Countdown to Christmas Challenge - Week 2 - Sunday

I'm down 3 pounds in 2 weeks. I really wasn't expecting to see any loss, but I'm beyond happy! It's very motivating to see the number go down.

For the first time in 2 months, I did Turbo Jam. I did Cardio Party 2 and burned 443 calories (4 activity points). It felt good but I could tell I was out of practice.

Food:
chocolate milk [3], yogurt [1] w/ homemade granola [4] & apple [1]
fried eggs [5] w/ tomato [0] on Sandwich Thin [1] - I passed on regular bacon even though it looked really good and I had enough points.
raw vegetables [0]
string cheese [2] & pretzels [4]
spicy chicken spring roll [8]
dark chocolates [5] - I bought some different Ghiradelli/Lindt chocolate bars and sampled a bit of each. It was either that or binge on candy bar chocolate.

Two coffees [2] and several teas. I used all my daily and activity points and met my GHGs. I have 9 or 10 weekly points unused this week. I might have mis-counted somewhere. I know I still had some.

Countdown to Christmas Challenge - Week 2 - Saturday

barbell squat 5x5x105 lbs

one arm db rows 5x5x30 lbs

atomic push up 3x12

Those atomic push ups are exhausting!! I tried to do them today with my arms more in a tricep-kitting position. I almost didn't make it through each set of 12 without stopping. I thought for sure I'd have to pause, but I pushed through. I'm taking 2 activity points for the workout. I moved my squat back up to my pre-5K workouts. I might go higher next time.

Food:
pretzels [2]
fried eggs [5] w/ tomato [0] on Sandwich Thin [1]
pretzels [2]
chocolate milk [3]
chicken thighs [6] w/ whole wheat pasta [1] & Asian vegetables [1]
apple [1]

Two coffees [2]. It wasn't the greatest food day but I did use all my daily & activity points and met my GHGs. I have 19 weekly points remaining.

Countdown to Christmas Challenge - Week 2 - Friday

No cardio today. I suck.

I forgot to mention this yesterday but it's still relevant today. A co-worker brought in Krispy Kreme donuts and I didn't have one. There were leftovers today and I still didn't have one. I also passed on ice cream at work. Go me.

Food:
Sandwich Thin [1] w/ tomato [0], banana [2]
apple [1], mixed vegetables [0], baked potato [3]
Jr Frosty [3], side salad w/ ranch dressing [1] and jr hamburger patty [3]
sugar free fat free pudding [1]
cookies [2] - I felt guilty for a split second but stopped after I only ate one serving! I was worried I'd go back and buy more but I drove away from the store proudly.
salad w/ black beans [2] & olive oil [3], skim milk [2]

Two cofees [2] and several teas. I used all my daily points, met my GHGs, and have 19 weekly points remaining.

Countdown to Christmas Challenge - Week 2 - Thursday

[18 inch] step up 5x5x15 lbs

supinated grip bodyweight row 3x12

Romanian dead lift 5x5x65 lbs 

plank 3x45s

I'm so frustrated with my RDLs!!! I cannot get my freaking form down. I used to rock these. Argh! 2 activity points.

Food:

Sandwich Thin [1] w/ tomato [0] & banana [2]
turkey breast [1] w/ baby carrots & fat free dressing [1]
venison [2] & black beans [2] w/ olive oil [1]

scrambled eggs [4] w/ cheese [2] & salsa [0], turkey bacon [2], toast [4] w/ butter [2]
popcorn [2] w/ olive oil [1], hot sauce & Parmesan cheese [1]

20 ounces of water, two coffees [2] and several teas. I used all of my daily & activity points and hit my GHGs. I have 23 weekly points remaining.

Countdown to Christmas Challenge - Week 2 - Wednesday

No cardio this morning. I had a super early meeting. I swear, for as much as I wanted to be able to Turbo, I don't have a lot of desire to actually do it.

Food:
Sandwich Thin [1] w/ tomato
apple [1] & yogurt [1]
mixed vegetables [0], salad [0] & baby carrots [0] w/ fat free dressing [1]
pretzel M&Ms [3]
black beans [2] & venison [2] in olive oil [3]
banana [2]
grilled cheese & tomato sandwich [6]

One cup of coffee [1] and several teas [1]. Blah blah, blah, 29 weekly points remaining.

Countdown to Christmas Challenge - Week 2 - Tuesday

barbell static lunge 5x5x65 lbs 

db shoulder press 5x5x25 lbs

pronated grip bodyweight row 3x12

mountain climber 3x30

My legs were still a bit sore so I didn't get good depth with the lunges. I'm taking 2 activity points. I also spent 4 hours cleaning my house, but no activity points for that!

Food:
Sandwich Thin [1] w/ avocado [2] & tomato [0]
apple [1] & cottage cheese [4]
meatballs [4] & popcorn chicken [3]
salad w/ black beans [5], cheese [1] & salsa [0]
oatmeal [2] & peanut butter [1] w/ banana [2]

Two coffees [2] and several teas. I ate all my daily points, both activity points, hit my GHGs and have 31 weekly points remaining.

It's been a crazy few months but my school obligations are pretty much behind me. I finished cleaning my house today. I can finally relax. The only thing I'm worried about is the temptation to do holiday baking. That made me gain 12 pounds last year, and I still haven't gotten all of that off!!!

Countdown to Christmas Challenge - Week 2 - Monday

No workout today. I'm still sore and it was hard enough just going to work! I'm trying to get my house ready for the holidays so even though I'm not "busy" I am still busy!

Food:
apple [1] & cottage cheese [4]
granola [3] & baked potato [4]
slow cooker black beans & cilantro [7] & salad w/ cheese [1]

Two coffees [2] and several teas. I got all my GHGs and ate all my daily points, 35 weekly points remaining.

Countdown to Christmas Challenge - Week 1 - Sunday

No workout today. I'm a bit sore from yesterday. I did manage to clean my house a bit, just so I wasn't sitting around.

Food:
apple [1] & cottage cheese [4]
vegetable salad [0] w/ cheese [4] & homemade honey mustard dressing [3]
avocado basil pasta [8] w/ roasted pork loin [5]
Sandwich Thin [1] w/ avocado [2] & tomato, almonds [5]

Two coffees [2 pts for milk]. I got in my GHGs and used all my daily & weekly points.

Countdown to Christmas Challenge - Week 1 - Saturday [MY FIRST 5K!!!]

Today was the big day. My Go Far kids had been "training" for this for 8ish weeks. Most of them signed up to do the 1-mile Fun Run, then about half of those never showed up. Quite a few ran the 5K. I'm super proud of them!!! As for me, I was dreading it completely. After I hurt my hip last month, I hadn't planned on running it, but then I was talked into it the week before the registration deadline. I never did get a chance to train after hurting my hip, so I expected this to suck completely. It didn't . My hip hurt immediately but I kept going. I was able to run most of the time. I ran about 7 minutes, walked 450-60 seconds, then ran again. Until the last half mile or so when the intervals of running were shorter and the walks were longer. But I was running when I rounded the corner and back onto the track to the finish line. My official tag time was 33:03 (gun time 33:11), pace 10:40, and finish place was 204 out of 435. I burned 386 calories - I'm taking 4 activity points for that, 1 point for the Fun Run, and 1 point for the walk to and from the event (it was about 3/4 of a mile away). I am taking every damn AP I can today.

I really wanted to raid the bake sale and the concession stands after the race, but I kept myself in check. I did get a few pieces of bagel bread they had at the finish line, as well as a quarter of a bag of some sort of cereal with powdered sugar (they called it White Trash, and it was goooooood). On, and a part of a banana at the track, in addition to the one I ate before the race. I just guestimated my points for that stuff. I was probably on the conservative side with my number.

Food:
banana [2]
random bites of stuff at the track [8]
yogurt [1]
venison roast [4] w/ mashed potatoes [3]
string cheese [4] & pretzel M&Ms [3] - I am really proud of myself here. We were on the road and I really wanted to pig out on junk food. I wanted chocolate covered nuts but could only find big containers and I knew I would not be able to control myself if I bought it. So I bought some cheese and a bag of the M&Ms and I was good to go!
Sandwich Thin [1] w/ tomato & olive oil [1]

70 ounces of water and 1 coffee [1 pt for milk]. I used all of my daily points, all of my activity points, and I hit my GHGs. I have 13 weekly points remaining. I think. My head and body hurt too much to do any detailed math. And yes, right now, adding and subtracting is too much for me.

Countdown to Christmas Challenge - Week 1 - Friday

barbell squat 5x5x80 lbs

one arm db rows 5x5x30 lbs

atomic push up 3x12 - killed 2 birds here, doing an ab workout at the same time

I'm only taking 1 activity point for this. I took it easy with the squats because my 5K is tomorrow.

Food:

apple [1] & cottage cheese [4]
egg roll & rice [10]
granola bar [2]
chocolate covered cherries [3] - My husband bought some and I had to try them, but at 3 points per 2 pieces, it really hurt!!!
chicken breast [5] w/ salad vegetables & fat free dressing mixed with olive oil [3]
yogurt [1]

Two coffees [2 pts for milk] and several teas. I used all my daily points, my activity point, hit my GHGs, and have 14 weekly points remaining. I hope my math is right. 

Countdown to Christmas Challenge - Week 1 - Thursday

No school/work today. You'd think I would have taken the opportunity to finally do some Turbo Jam. Nope. Instead, I took my son to the rec park and froze my ass off while he played. I'm, uh, resting up for my 5K on Saturday.

Food:
oatmeal [2] w/ chocolate protein powder [1] & banana [2]
tuna salad [4]
apple [1] & cottage cheese [4]
homemade chicken nuggets [6] w/ mixed vegetables [1] & honey mustard sauce [1]
carrot sticks [0] & green pepper slices [0]
rice cake [1] w/ cottage cheese [2]

Three coffees [3 pts for milk] and several teas. I used all my daily points and have 21 weekly points remaining. I got in all my GHGs, as well.

I think I'm going to stick with counting daily points for a while. As much as I loved the Simply Filling Technique, this isn't so bad, and I know I'm not over eating.

Countdown to Christmas Challenge - Week 1 - Wednesday

[18 inch] step up 1x5xbw, 4x5x10 lbs - I was going to use a barbell but my balance is good on this high of a step

supinated grip bodyweight row 3x12

Romanian dead lift 2x5x120 lbs, 3x5x80 lbs - UGH!

plank 3x45 s

2 activity points earned for this. I struggled with it, mentally. I was tired from working 9+ hours today. My head was not in this game. I could NOT get my RDL form down. I love RDLs but it's been so long since I've done them, I couldn't remember how. The weight I chose first just killed my shoulders and I couldn't get into a position that felt right. Even at the lower weight, it felt weird. I'll have to really back off and practice with just the bar. My shoulders are a bit sore though, so I'm hoping that's a big factor, and not my wimpiness.

Food:

apple [1] & cottage cheese [4]
skim milk [2], chicken nuggets [10]

salad [0] w/ chicken breast [2] & homemade honey mustard dressing [3]
grilled cheese [5] - I tried out a new bread recipe and needed to sample it! 

One coffee [1 pt for milk] and several teas. I used all my daily points, and both of my activity points, and have 27 weekly points remaining.

Countdown to Christmas Challenge - Week 1 - Tuesday

No workout today - I was up ridiculously late and up ridiculously early working on our fundraiser for school.

Food:
apple [1] & cottage cheese [4]
broccoli [0]
butternut squash apple bake [6] & skim milk [2]
spaghetti [8]
Sandwich Thin [1] w/ sugar free jelly [1]

Three coffees [3 pts for milk] and 16 ounces of water. I'm missing one oil serving. I used up all my daily points and I have 31 weekly points remaining. It was a crappy food day.

Countdown to Christmas Challenge - Week 1 - Monday

After I blogged last night, I used my 10 remaining weekly points on cheese & almonds.

A new challenge starts today! I can do exercise videos this week. Today though, was a new weight routine. I did have pull ups and chin ups in here again, but I wanted to use the suspension trainer I built earlier this year. So, I changed things to bodyweight rows.

barbell static lunge 5x5x65 lbs 

db shoulder press 5x5x25 lbs

pronated grip bodyweight row 3x12

mountain climber 3x30

2 activity points for this. It's an okay workout. I forgot how challenging the suspension trainer is.

Food:

oatmeal [3] & banana [2]

peas and potatoes [6] - I ate this at work. It's an estimate. I might have eaten less than that, but certainly not more.

scrambled eggs [5] w/ onion, green pepper &amp, Sandwich Thin [1] w/ tomato [1]
apple [1] & yogurt [1]
cheese [2]

Two coffees [2 pts for milk] and several teas. I used all my daily points, and both of my activity points, and I have 35 weekly points remaining.

No Videos Challenge - Week 6 - Sunday

After I blogged last night, I had an apple [1] and cottage cheese [4]. I was hungry and really, really wanted food. I wanted something like bread or waffles but didn't think it would satisfy me. Mentally, it would have been great but I would have been hungry shortly after eating it, so I went with fruit & protein. I almost think I'd rather binge.

Today was the last day of my self-imposed exercise video restriction. I might Turbo on Tuesday. I have to arrange my lifting so that I'm not doing it Saturday, which is my 5K. I really should be training as much as I can for that, but I'm just going to wing it. I'm not expecting a stellar time, but I know I won't be last. I can probably jog a good bit of it, especially if I just do intervals.

Food:
oatmeal [3] & banana [2] w/ sugar [1] & cinnamon
cream of broccoli soup [2] w/ shrimp [4]
yogurt [1] & apple [1]
venison [3] w/ stuffing [4] & butternut squash apple bake [2]
fudge pop [1] - It is much too cold to be eating this stuff!
quesadilla [5]

Two coffees [2 pts for milk] and some tea. I used all my daily points and have 10 weekly points unused this week. Overall, I'm happy with how this week went. It's not as tedious as I remember it to be, but re-learning the points values took a few days to get used to. And when the program changes at the end of the month, I'll have to re-think it again. I don't anticipate the change to be too bad for me. I like what I am hearing so far.

Oh, and I weighed in at 134 this morning. I officially want to lose 14 pounds.

No Videos Challenge - Week 6 - Saturday

I had another sugar free fudge pop [1] after blogging last night. Okay, then I had another [1] but that was it, I swear!

squat 5x5x105 lbs

db bench press 5x5x37.5 lbs

assisted pull up 3x12 

3-minute plank test 

2 activity points. I'm glad this one is done!

Food:
apple [1] & cottage cheese [4]
eggs [4] cooked in canola oil [2] w/ onion, green pepper & tomato [0], avocado [3] & Flat Out bread [1]
carrot sticks [0]
pork ribs [5] w/ slow cooker brussels sprouts [2]
grilled cheese [3]
carrot sticks [0] - I was hungry but I didn't know what I wanted to eat. I had points but was afraid one thing would lead to another and another.

Two coffees [2 pts for milk] and lots of tea. I used all my daily and activity points, and I have 24 weekly points remaining.

No Videos Challenge - Week 6 - Friday

No workout today. I was feeling lazy.

Food:
banana [1]
apple [1] & cottage cheese [4]
salad w/ dressing [1]
shrimp quesadilla w/ tomato & avocado [8] , corn w/ EVOO [3]
sugar free fudge pop [1]
Sandwich Thin [1] w/ butter [2]

Two coffees [2 pts for milk] and lots of tea. I got all my diary, oil & fruit/vegetable servings in. I used all my daily points and have 29 weekly points remaining.

No Videos Challenge - Week 6 - Thursday

I managed to do my workout before work today! I haven't been sleeping well this week, but for the first time, I wasn't exhausted at 5 AM, so I got up and got this out of the way. I knew my afternoon would be busy with Go Far, and I have to work on our cookie dough orders for our fundraiser. The last day to turn the order forms in is fast approaching and I need to input everything to the vendor site. I did order some for myself, but next year I will just donate to the PTA instead of them only getting half of what I spend on crap I don't need.

squat 5x5x100 lbs

push up 3x12

conventional dead lift 5x5x115 lbs

hanging leg raise 3x12

2 activity points for this. I'm glad those CDLs are over. I hate them with a passion.

Food:

apple [1] & cottage cheese [4]
Asian tangerine chicken [6] w/ rice [4] & broccoli [0]
sugar free fudge pop [1]

venison stew [6]
apple [1] & cottage cheese [2]
grapes [1]

40 ounces of water and two coffees [2 pts for milk]. I used all my daily points and my activity points with ease, thanks to lunch at work. The Asian tangerine chicken is a new recipe this year and it's fantastic!!!!

31 weekly points remaining. I'm missing my oils for the day. I was definitely hungrier today - I don't know if it's because I ate lunch at work or what. Lunch was worth it though.

No Videos Challenge - Week 6 - Wednesday

No real exercise today - I took a 30 minute walk in the rain after work. I'll take 1 activity point for it. I didn't wear my heart rate monitor though.

Food:
apple [1] & cottage cheese [4]
baked potato [3]
baked chicken parmesan [7] w/ corn [1] - I used canola oil in the recipe instead of butter, so I'd get my oil servings in.
carrots [0] w/ dressing [1], grapes [0]
Fiber One cereal [3] w/ milk [1]

Lots of tea and two coffees [2 pts for milk]. I managed to hit my minimum points for the day, and use my activity point. I wasn't really that hungry, but I had to get my dailies in. I was going to have a sugar free fudge pop, but went with cereal instead.

No Videos Challenge - Week 6 - Tuesday

squat 5x5x100 lbs

db push press 5x5x30 lbs

chin up 3x12 - 1 unassisted in each set

prone jackknife 3x12

I took 2 activity points for this. It was the last workout for this particular routine. I'm glad it's over. I'm not a fan of the push press.

Food:

apple [1] & cottage cheese [4]
banana [2]

venison tenderloin [4] w/ homemade honey mustard sauce [2 pts for EVOO] & Asian vegetables [1]
grilled cheese sandwich [5] w/ carrot sticks [0]

40 ounces of water, lots of tea and two coffees [3 pts for milk]. Diet hot chocolate [2 pts].

I think today went better than yesterday. I didn't have to scramble to get my points in. I used all my daily points and both activity points. 35 weekly points remaining.

No Videos Challenge - Week 6 - Monday

No workout today, because I exercised 7 days straight, with a double yesterday. This is my last week of no exercise videos and I can't wait for it to be over!!! I am going to Turbo my butt off a week from today. Or, tomorrow, rather. I have to schedule next week to accommodate the Go Far stuff we've been training for. I'm only listed as a volunteer and not an official racer but I may run the 5K anyway. I'm definitely doing the 1-mile Fun Run with Sebastian.

Back on daily points now. I get 22 per day. I'm still going to pull from my activity points before weeklies.

Food:
WW yogurt [1] & apple [1]
carrot sticks [0]
cream of broccoli soup w/ EVOO [6]
cheese [2]
oatmeal [3] & banana [2]
almonds [4]

Lots of tea and 2 coffees [3 pts for milk].

It was hard, switching back to daily points. I still think Filling Foods, which is great, but I had a hard time figuring out what I wanted to use my points on today. By dinner, I'd only used half my points and met all my GHGs. So I broke out the cheese & almonds and ate late in the evening. It still wasn't enough, but I didn't want to eat if I wasn't hungry. And I wasn't. Or at least, I didn't think I was. So I was either not hungry, too busy to notice that I actually was hungry, or just trying to convince myself that I wasn't hungry.

No Videos Challenge - Week 5 - Weekend

On Saturday, I went for a bike ride with my son. It was leisurely, because that's the only bike pace he knows. I didn't wear my heart rate monitor and I didn't take any activity points for it.

On Sunday, I did a double lifting workout - it was no worse than P90X Legs & Back. I hated being off schedule, so I decided to do both of the ones I was behind on. I wanted to sync back up because I absolutely cannot stand this "no exercise video" thing. I'm going to do one more week of it, to bring me to the end of this particular lifting routine, then I'm going to add my Turbo back in. I'm going crazy without Turbo. I'm not motivated to run or do other things. I need my Turbo. I am having dreams of Turbo Jam.

squat 5x5x100 lbs

push up 3x12

conventional dead lift 5x5x115 lbs

hanging leg raise 3x12

squat 5x5x100 lbs

db bench press 5x5x37.5 lbs

assisted pull up 3x12 

3-minute plank test 

Another change, starting tomorrow, I'm going back to counting daily points. I love the Simply Filling Technique but I'm just having so much trouble with food in general. I've gotten careless and can't get it under control. I ate horribly over the weekend - I even bought Halloween candy knowing we probably wouldn't get any trick or treaters. I'm so ashamed and disgusted with myself.