Just A Log

I had plans to write this whole post about responsibility, taking credit, and accepting blame.  Then I got home after 10pm to discover that there wasn't enough food prepared to get us through the next day.  The cooking is now done, and so am I!  So now I'm headed to bed with a mug of tea and a good book for a full night's sleep.

Food Log:

• Meal 1
• 3 egg whites
• 50g dry cream of rice (cooked in water)
• Meal 2
• 0% flavored Chobani Greek Yogurt
• 1 tbsp coconut oil
• Meal 3
• 3 oz chicken
• Green beans
• 1 tbsp coconut oil
• Meal 4
• 3 oz chicken
• Green beans
• 1 tbsp coconut oil
• Meal 5
• 0% flavored Chobani Greek Yogurt (8oz as a treat)
• 1 tbsp coconut oil

Exercise:

• Time:  75 minutes on stairmill
• Level:  Level 8
• Calories:  800

Weigh-In: 145.7 / 145.2

Positivity

I tend to think of myself as a positive and optimistic person, but recently I've been blown away and amazed by how strong some people are in the face of adversity.  In the past few weeks, I've spoken with a few people about the incredible (incredibly horrific) incidents that have hit them and their families.  I'm not going to go into details of these events, obviously, out of respect for their privacy.  I can say that I would easily categorize each of these experiences as traumatizing and overwhelming, even for the most resilient of people.  Yet, when I speak with each person, I'm hit by the strength and hope with which they speak.  There is the acknowledgment of hardship, of anger and sadness, but it doesn't dominate their outlooks.

The next time I grumble about a headache or a stressful day, I'm going to remind myself of the real (in some cases potentially life-threatening) situations that some people are working through every day.  With whatever challenges I may come across in my life, I can only hope that I learn from them and be half as strong as they are.  I really am inspired by these incredible people and am so fortunate to have them in my life.  I want to channel their optimism and bring myself to an even higher level of positivity.

Food Log:

• Meal 1
• 3 egg whites
• 50g dry cream of rice (cooked in water)
• Meal 2
• 0% flavored Chobani Greek Yogurt
• 1 tbsp coconut oil
• Meal 3
• 3 oz chicken
• Green beans
• 1 tbsp coconut oil
• Meal 4
• 3 oz chicken
• Green beans
• Grape tomatoes
• 1 tbsp coconut oil
• Meal 5
• 0% flavored Chobani Greek Yogurt
• 1 tbsp coconut oil

Exercise:

• Time:  65 minutes
• Level:  Level 1 for 1 minute; Level 2 for 63 minutes; Level 1 for 1 minute
• Distance:  5 miles
• Speed:  4.7mph
• Calories:  600

Weigh-In: 146.6 / 146.2

It Never Hurts To Ask

If something doesn't seem to be working for you, it never hurts to ask for another option.  I don't think anything is ever set in stone.  If you can identify your specific goal, chances there's more than one pathway to getting there.  For example, when a meal plan calls for protein, there are so many ways to get that protein into your diet.  If you don't like one type of protein, see if there's another one that you do like and see what the equivalent serving size would be.  Here are a few different "lean protein" options:

Egg whites are the standard for protein.  If I remember correctly, I think most other proteins are evaluated in relation to egg whites because they're considered to be the most straight-forward form of getting protein into your diet.  They're quick and easy to cook up and can be seasoned with just about anything.  I typically cook them up in a skillet with a sprinkling of Mrs. Dash.

My go-to is chicken breast because it's easy to prepare, easy to store, and easy to mix in with other foods.  I like to keep some chicken marinating in the fridge during the week.  That way, I'll pull out a few breasts and cook them up for that evening and the next day.  When I know I'll have a busier week, I'll cook up an entire pack of chicken (8 breasts) at the start of the week so I can have them on hand when needed.

Ground turkey, provided it's lean (sometimes it can be pretty high in fat, relatively speaking), can be a great alternative to chicken and can be used in recipes that would typically call for ground beef.  My husband loves "turkey tacos" for one of his proteins.  I tend to not get the ground chicken because it's not just chicken breast and, consequently, can be much higher in fat.  And I don't go for ground beef because of the higher fat content.  I haven't tried bison yet, but it has about half the fat of beef.

A couple of options which I don't go for are the ones that come from the sea.  I don't eat fish, but white fish (tilapia and mahi-mahi) are great lean protein options.  My trainer's wife also suggested salmon, tuna, orange roughy, and cod.  My husband likes his fish, so I'm learning to cook it for him.

Then there's the protein powders.  I like how portable they are.  When I won't be near a fridge or a microwave, it can be reassuring to know that I can pull out a tupperware of protein powder and my shaker to whip up a quick shake.  Right now, I don't have protein shakes in my diet just because I'm able to get my nutritional needs without them.  If I was having a higher protein diet, I'd probably have a shake or two in there just to help increase my intake.  One of the reasons why I like protein powder is because it can work like a dessert, especially when it's chocolate!

Being able to successfully follow a plan starts with finding a plan where you can be successful.  If I had a plan that said I had to fish and broccoli, I would run screaming in the opposite direction.  Well, maybe not screaming, but I would not sign-up for that plan.  Instead, I'd ask for options and alternatives.  I wouldn't expect to have a meal plan with pizza and ice cream, but I'd want to find a plan that I can stomach while helping me reach my goals.

MONDAY 

Food Log:

• Meal 1
• 3 egg whites
• 50g dry cream of rice (cooked in water)
• Meal 2
• 0% flavored Chobani Greek Yogurt
• 1 tbsp coconut oil
• Meal 3
• 3 oz ground turkey
• Green beans
• 1 tbsp coconut oil
• Meal 4
• 3 oz chicken
• Peppers and onions
• 1 tbsp coconut oil
• Meal 5
• 0% flavored Chobani Greek Yogurt
• 1 tbsp coconut oil

Exercise: 

• Time:  80 minutes on the elliptical
• Level:  Level 1 the entire time
• Average Speed:  4mph
• Distance:  5+ miles
• Calories:  700

Weigh-In: 146.8 / 146.0

 

TUESDAY

Food Log:

• Meal 1
• 3 egg whites
• 50g dry cream of rice (cooked in water)
• Meal 2
• 0% flavored Chobani Greek Yogurt
• 1 tbsp coconut oil
• Meal 3
• 3 oz chicken
• Peppers and onions
• 1 tbsp coconut oil
• Meal 4
• 3 oz chicken
• Green beans
• 1 tbsp coconut oil
• Meal 5
• 0% flavored Chobani Greek Yogurt (8oz instead of the usual 6oz as an extra treat)
• 1 tbsp coconut oil

Exercise:  None - At work until after 8pm, so didn't push for it.

Weigh-In: 146.4 / 145.8

2011 - Week 25 In Review

We're all alive here and surviving a clean-eating household!  I felt really good and strong and don't feel burned out at the end of it all.

Exercise:  I actually got 5 cardio sessions this week!  My schedule was flexible enough that I could have pushed for a 6th, but I'm glad I didn't.  My body deserves a recovery window in there so that I can stay energized, motivated, and healthy.  With my 5th cardio session, I had planned to take it "light" because I was expecting to do some extra cardio after our session with the trainer today.  Then there was a change in plans because my husband was meeting up with someone and we needed to get home.  With my 6 days of working out, I topped 4000 calories for the week!  Woo-hoo!  I finished my audiobook while on the stairmill, so I'll be checking out iTunes to download a new one to get me going again.  This week, I'll aim for 4 cardio sessions again and maybe squeeze in a 5th.  Then I'll check with my husband about the extra 30 minutes after Sunday's training session.  

Food: I started my updated meal plan on Monday and it's been going well.  I definitely enjoy the larger serving of cream of rice with breakfast.  Yes, it IS that yummy to me!  I haven't been missing the rice with lunch or dinner.  I've upped the veggies a bit, but not significantly.  I did learn that coconut oil can be eaten straight and that it doesn't taste awful.  Actually, it doesn't taste like much of anything.  So, when I don't have ready access to a microwave, I know I can still get my serving of fats in there.

With this change, I haven't felt hungry and I haven't been craving anything.  I will say, however, that I do love the smell of rice and could just inhale the scent of it when preparing my husband's meals.  The fridge is mostly cleaned out of "unclean" foods - I took a fair amount of stuff into work this week.  There's still food in the pantry that's generally off the menu but, since it won't go bad anytime soon, I'm not rushing to get rid of it.  I also figure it's okay to have these on-hand for any cheat meals I might prepare for my husband.  With both of us eating clean, meal preparation was a bit more straight-forward.  It did take a bit more time in the mornings - he doesn't eat eggs, so I'm often re-heating turkey or chicken for him.

This week is straight-forward during the week but has some interesting plans for the weekend.  We'll likely be getting together with friends for a meal on Saturday, so that will be one cheat.  Then my cousins are in town and we'll have dinner out on Sunday for another cheat.  I didn't have a cheat this week in part because I knew there would be two cheats next week.  I'll still try to limit these cheats and aim to make healthier choices, but I'm not compromising the socializing with friends and family.  Depending on the specific plans for Saturday, I may try to make arrangements for non-food activities or see about packing my own foods, but I won't stress about it. 

Overall: This was a fit and clean week for me and it felt really good.  I may have been a bit more gassy than usual with the shift away from rice, but I'll adjust to it (and stock-up on some Tums just in case).  I don't think there's been a big shift in our household, but there's definitely more of an emphasis on clean eating and being aware of the choices that are made.  This may sound strange, but I just felt like I was more "in gear" this week.  My mind, body, and stomach were all clicking and working together.

Food Log:

• Meal 1
• 3 egg whites
• 50g dry cream of rice (cooked in water)
• Meal 2
• 0% flavored Chobani Greek Yogurt
• 1 tbsp coconut oil
• Meal 3
• 3 oz ground turkey
• Green beans
• 1 tbsp coconut oil
• Meal 4
• 3 oz chicken
• Peppers and onions
• 1 tbsp coconut oil
• Meal 5
• 0% flavored Chobani Greek Yogurt (8oz instead of the usual 6oz as an extra treat)
• 1 tbsp coconut oil

Exercise: 

• Time:  1 hour lifting with trainer
• Calories:  ~350

Weigh-In: 145.6 / 145.1

Deciding To Keep It Clean

I'm really proud of my husband for keeping it clean today.  I would have planned for a cheat meal today, since we were at the ballpark tonight, but he had already used up his cheat meals for the week.  I was content to keep it clean, since I'm not wild about the food available at the stadium (aside from funnel cake, which I'll be having on July 5th when we're back there with my cousins).  I don't think he's ever sat through a full baseball game without having a beer, but he did it this evening.  I'll admit that I was totally expecting him to have his beer, but he made the decision to keep it clean.

 

The big experience to take from this is that planning is key.  This evening he stated that he would try to better plan his cheats in the future because he really would have enjoyed that beer tonight.   There are often unexpected events that arise which can throw a wrench in the best-laid plans, but if you can manage the events you know are coming up and perhaps err on the side of caution, I think most situations can be worked through.  And even if there ends up being a deviation from plan, you just make the decision to get back on plan at the next possible opportunity.

I know I said that I wouldn't be posting about his efforts to eat clean, and I'm not going to get into the details of who's eating what, etc.  I'm also not going to analyze his choices.  But I do want to share my pride here.  I know that keeping it clean can be a real challenge, especially when the person next to you is chowing down on a hot dog and there's a beer just a few feet away from you.  It is possible to make those tough choices, and having someone making them with you can be a great motivator and support!  (Which is partially why my funnel cake is waiting until the 5th....)

Food Log:

• Meal 1: 
• 3 egg whites
  
• 50g dry cream of rice (cooked in water)
• Meal 2:
• 2% flavored Chobani Greek Yogurt 
• 1tbs coconut oil
• Meal 3:
• 3oz chicken
• Green beans
• 1tbs coconut oil
• Meal 4:
• 3oz chicken
• Peppers and onions
• 1tbs coconut oil
• Meal 5 (I remembered!)
• 0% flavored Chobani Greek Yogurt
• 1tbs coconut oil

 Exercise: (I decided to "keep it light" since this was my 5th day of cardio this week)

• Time:  60 minutes on elliptical
• Level:  Level 1 for 1 minute; Level 3 for 45 minutes; Level 1 for 14 minutes
• Calories: 650+

 Weigh-In: 146.0 / 145.4

It Burns!

Sure, cardio and strength training can result in the ever-famous "burning" muscles, but I'm referring to heartburn. Ugh! I don't know if it's because I waited too long to eat meals 2 and 3 today and then ate them pretty close together. I sucked down the yogurt at 5:30 and then shoveled the salad at 6:45 as I was driving to the gym. I'm guessing that had something to do with it. I then had meal 4 right when I got home from the gym, even before I showered, because hubby was starving. So now I sit here with an unhappy stomach, bummed because we're out of Tums. (Wait, I just found 3!)

The hassle is that I can't always anticipate what's going to set off this lovely indigestion. Given that I generally eat the same things everyday, I think it's safe to say that it's not the food itself. Instead, it's probably the timing and spacing of the meals along with how quickly I eat them. And I know that I eat fast, really fast, which most likely is the trigger. If my stomach is empty and I dump a protein-rich meal in there, it's going to be a challenge for my stomach to digest it.

I guess it's a reminder as to why it's important to keep an eye on the clock and work to space out my meals. Lesson learned.

Food Log:

• Meal 1: 
• 3 egg whites
  
• 50g dry cream of rice (cooked in water)
• Meal 2:
• 0% flavored Chobani Greek Yogurt 
• 1tbs coconut oil
• Meal 3:
• 3oz chicken
• Salad
• 1tbs coconut oil (ate it straight because forgot to melt it - not bad but not a first choice)
• Meal 4:
• 3oz chicken
• Green beans
• 1tbs coconut oil
• Meal 5 - EDIT:  WHOOPS!  Forgot to eat this one!  Went up to bed early and I guess it totally slipped my mind.  (No wonder I was hungry in the middle of the night....)

 Exercise: 

• Time:  75 minutes (60 minutes on stairmill, 15 minutes on elliptical)
• Level:  Level 1 for 1 minute; Level 4 for 58 minutes; Level 1 for 1 minute
• Calories:  775+

 Weigh-In: 147.0 / 146.6

Feeling Disjointed

I'm a creature of habit. I like my routine and I like predictability. I do try to be flexible but changes to my schedule can really throw me for a loop. Today I had an early morning appointment with the dentist so I had to get up earlier than usual. No big deal. I got dressed in my workout clothes and rolled out the door. I was back at home by 10am and ready to get on my day. I didn't have to be at work until 2pm so my plan was to get cardio in before work. Okay, good plan with enough time to take a nap first. I set my alarm clock for 11:45 figuring that gives me enough time and fall asleep. Then....

I wake up at 11:56 with no alarm. Genius that I am, I had set the alarm for 10:45! Argh!!! I jump on the elliptical and manage to get the full hour in, though I was definitely keeping my eye on the clock the entire time. Phew! I got that done and felt like I worked through the discombobulated feelings. Then....

I got a call from my client's husband canceling the 2pm appointment. That was welcome news in that I didn't need to rush, but it also threw me off the mental time-table I'd been working from. I used the extra time to do some puttering around the house and I still managed to get into work in time for my 4pm appointment. However....

Getting into the office later in the day just feels weird. I was there until 9pm and I felt like I wasn't even really at work, though it wasn't like a day off either. So just a weird-feeling day all around. Now....

Tomorrow also has the potential for being a day of discombobulation. (I do love that word.) I have changed my schedule around during the work-day. Okay, I can deal with that. Then I got invited to a ballgame tomorrow night, so I'm looking to see if I can squeeze in a cardio session in between. And I'll be trying to figure out eating clean while there. (Saving cheat meal for Saturday's trip to the ballpark.) Now....

Despite all my pointing out disorienting and unsettling schedule shifts, I'm not complaining and I'm okay with each of these events. I do try to make the most of whatever situation ends up on my plate. I had a great conversation with someone about the ability to see the benefits or positive elements in a given situation rather than being stopped by the risks or perceived negative drawbacks. So....

I may feel a little off and goofy for a day or two but there's the opportunity to "reset" over the weekend. Another bonus? I have all clean workout clothes because I was able to throw on a load of laundry with my bonus time today.

SCORE!

Food Log:

• Meal 1: 
• 3 egg whites
  
• 50g dry cream of rice (cooked in water)
• Meal 2:
• 0% flavored Chobani Greek Yogurt 
• 1tbs coconut oil
• Meal 3:
• 3oz chicken
• Green beans
• 1tbs coconut oil
• Meal 4:
• 3oz chicken
• Green beans
• 1tbs coconut oil
• Meal 5 
• 0% flavored Chobani Greek Yogurt
• 1tbs coconut oil

 Exercise: 

• Time:  60 minutes on elliptical
• Level:  Level 1 for 1 minute; Level 4 for 58 minutes; Level 1 for 1 minute
• Distance:  5+ miles
• Speed: Fluctuated between 4.8 and 5.2
• Max HR:  166
• Avg HR:  153
• Calories:  725+

 

 Weigh-In: 147.5 / 147.3

Pacing

Eating healthy and being fit isn't a race, unless you're actually preparing for a race. What I mean is that there's no set finish line when you're actually done. There may be times when you shift your focus or modify your intensity, but the underlying intention is still the same. Regardless of where I am in my life and what I may be doing, it will still be important to me that I live a healthy and fit lifestyle (on a general level). So when undertaking this lifestyle, I want to make sure my efforts are realistic, manageable, and maintainable. 

When I evaluate the way that I'm eating, I don't feel deprived. These are food choices that I can be comfortable with making each day for the future as far as I can see it.   I could follow an even stricter plan, but I don't think that would really be sustainable for my long-term goals.  Sure, I could do it for a couple of months and drop a lot of weight, but what about after that?  Chances are I'd fizzle out and the weight would come back.  I'd rather find something where I can sustain my efforts for the long-term and I can maintain any progress that I make (strength, weight-loss, etc).  I found it interesting when my husband talked about pushing his way through his new plan. Sure, anyone can do anything for a brief enough period of time. But doing it for the long-haul takes more than a bulldozer. (I'm not saying this is necessarily his approach but more where my thoughts go when considering differences in approaches.) 

For me, it's more important to set the stage for a long-term success than to blast through a mad dash and probably burn out.  I definitely wasn't as intense with my efforts when I started but I definitely was consistent with those efforts. As I maintained my efforts, both with eating and exercising, I was able to increase the intensity and still remain consistent. It's another way of building tolerance or endurance. Another bonus is that with a longer pattern of behaviors, it's that much easier for me to get back into that pattern when I've strayed off-plan. 

While I really do respect anyone's efforts to live a healthy lifestyle, I am even more impressed when someone's able to make it a consistent part of everyday life.  That's not to say that I don't admire efforts unless they're successful - believe me, I've been on and off the wagon MANY times throughout my life.  I think it's more that I have an appreciation for what those long-standing efforts entail and that I'm impressed with anyone's long-term dedication to such an undertaking.  But even the most hardcore, life-long health/fitness fanatic had to start somewhere.  I can't help but admire every single person who steps up to the starting line and takes that first step.  Just remember that it's a life-long marathon, not a 50m dash, so pace yourself for the long-haul!

Food Log:

• Meal 1: 
• 3 egg whites
  
• 50g dry cream of rice (cooked in water)
• Meal 2:
• 0% flavored Chobani Greek Yogurt 
• 1tbs coconut oil
• Meal 3:
• 3oz chicken
• Peppers and onion
• 1tbs coconut oil
• Meal 4:
• 3oz chicken
• Green beans
• 1tbs coconut oil
• Meal 5 
• 0% flavored Chobani Greek Yogurt
• 1tbs coconut oil

 Exercise: None - window at work got eaten up. Figured I'd be more productive and less stressed if I stayed in the office.  Then, toward the end of the day, got the starting of a tension headache (probably from staying in the office!), so I opted for some quiet time with my book once I got home.

 

 Weigh-In: 147.6 / 147.4

Just A Log

I'm pretty tired tonight and don't have much to say.  I can report that it was a generally positive day.  Yeah, that's about it....

Food Log:

• Meal 1: 
• 3 egg whites
  
• 50g dry cream of rice (cooked in water)
• Meal 2:
• 3oz chicken
• Green beans 
• 1tbs coconut oil
  
• Meal 3: 
• 0% flavored Chobani Greek Yogurt 
• 1tbs coconut oil
• Meal 4:
• 3oz chicken
• Green beans
• 1tbs coconut oil
• Meal 5 
• 2% flavored Chobani Greek Yogurt
• 1tbs coconut oil

 Exercise: 

• Time:  1 hour on elliptical
• Level:  Level 1 for 1 minute; Level 4 for 58 minutes; Level 1 for 1 minute
• Average speed:  5.2 mph
• Distance:  5 miles
• Calories:  700

Weigh-In: 148.4 / 147.9

Keep Back!

 Warning:  Today's entry may have a bit too much information for some people out there.  But I've gotta share....

It would be in everyone's best interest if no one stood directly behind me today.  After my 2nd meal of the day, I was hit with some pretty intense gas.  It was uncomfortable enough that I considered cutting short my cardio session because of the uncomfortable pressure getting exacerbated from the jostling on the elliptical.  Yes, it's got to be pretty bad for me to even think about cutting short my workout!  I must say that I was very appreciative of being able to workout at home where I didn't have to worry about having an impact on anyone else's exercise experience.  I managed to get through the workout and my discomfort did lessen over the course of the hour.  

Then, I entered the potentially dangerous zone - Massage Envy.  I  had my massage this evening and I was a little concerned that I may have an unintentional release.  Given that I've got appointments scheduled with this one masseuse (Joey) through September, I didn't want to damage our rapport. by creating a toxic environment.  Fortunately, it all worked out okay, but I wonder if it left me a little more tense given the occasional preventative measures I needed to take.  And I'm sure I was mentally distracted but I did still enjoy the massage.  

For the rest of the evening, my stomach has been making some "percolating" sounds as I work through these gassy issues.  It's times like these that I'm glad my husband is out of the house on Monday evenings.  I once said that I could be considered a natural resource given all the gas I produce.  Though I should note that the leading source of methane gas in the environment does NOT come from me, but rather from cows - and it's their burps that do the most damage, not their toots.

My husband and I sometimes joke that we're trying to fly;  after all, if you want a pig to fly you just feed it a lot of beans!  But I haven't been eating any beans, so where did all this come from?  It may be a reaction to all my cheating desserts last night.  I didn't have dramatically more veggies with my lunch today, but perhaps that was it.  I do want to keep track of my digestive well-being and see if there's anything I can do to help take care of it.  I generally do better with cooked veggies (learning that through my whole kidney experience and the huge salads I was eating).  Sometimes having more Splenda in my diet has been connected with some extra gas, but that's generally when I've had A LOT of Splenda mixed in there.  I'm hoping to get most of this out of my system before I have to go into work tomorrow afternoon.  But that's one of the reasons why I have candles and a fan in my office.  (I'm not the only one who has these issues sometime!)

From Wikipedia (I just couldn't resist):

Beans, beans, the musical fruit
The more you eat, the more you toot
The more you toot, the better you feel
So we have beans at every meal!

 

Beans, beans, they're good for your heart
The more you eat them, the more you fart
The more you fart, the better you feel
So let's eat beans with every meal

Food Log:

• Meal 1: 
• 3 egg whites
  
• 50g dry cream of rice (cooked in water)
• Meal 2:
• 3oz chicken
• Green beans 
• 1tbs coconut oil
  
• Meal 3: 
• 0% flavored Chobani Greek Yogurt 
• (Forgot to add in the coconut oil)
• Meal 4:
• 3oz chicken
• Peppers and onions
• 1tbs coconut oil
• Meal 5 
• 0% flavored Chobani Greek Yogurt
• 1tbs coconut oil

 Exercise: 

• Time:  1 hour on elliptical
• Level:  Level 1 for 1 minute; Level 4 for 58 minutes; Level 1 for 1 minute
• Average speed:  5.2 mph
• Distance:  5.2 miles
• Calories:  750

Weigh-In: 149.0 / 148.3

2011 - Week 24 In Review

Happy Father's Day!  My in-laws (father, mother, and grandfather) left about an hour ago and I'm in the midst of recovering and getting the house back together.  I'm enjoying some well-earned treats, including a mug of hot cocoa as I wrap-up a week that's been generally positive across the board.  As I mentioned in yesterday's post, my husband is undertaking his own "clean eating" efforts which I'm sure will have an influence on my own efforts.  We'll see how this plays out in the weeks to come.

Exercise:  As I'd expected, I got in my 4 days of cardio and a day with the trainer.  With these 5 days, however, I still managed to top 3800 calories for the week.  I increased the intensity or duration of some of my cardio sessions.  Then, today, we added in 30 minutes of cardio after working out with the trainer - so consider that an extra half a cardio workout.  Man, did I feel low energy at the end of that half hour!  I did enjoy mixing up my workouts a bit at the gym, doing most of my cardio on the stairmill and then switching to the elliptical.  Some of my burnout has to do with boredom, so this allows for a change of scenery/activity.  I also like to wrap-up my workout with the pumped-up music.  It does help me to re-energize for those final minutes.  I still haven't made it back into the pool, and won't for at least a week or so because I got my hair colored yesterday and my stylist would kill me if she knew I was touching it with chlorine!

This week, I'll aim for 4 cardio sessions again, plus the extra 30 minutes after Sunday's training session.  We're doing 30 minutes because that's my husband's ceiling right now.  At this point, my work schedule looks exceptionally light.  I don't want to jinx myself, but I anticipate being able to fit in each of my cardio sessions without significant difficulty.  I'm hoping that my friend continues to be in town, so I'll catch time with her where I can (which I why I'm not pushing for 5 cardio sessions).  With my husband being "on plan" himself, I'm hoping that perhaps we can do a joint cardio session at the gym somewhere in there.  The only possible hitch in there is that he hasn't built up to the endurance level that I'm at and would probably wrap-up after 30 minutes.  But we can see about making something work.

Food: I was mostly clean all through the week, until this evening's dessert.  Thursday, I met with my friend and her husband for lunch.  I had packed my own clean lunch and could have stuck with that, but didn't want to hassle with it.  I was quite happy with ordering my sandwich with fries for lunch.  It was planned and I didn't feel like I over-ate there.  Tonight, we hosted the Father's Day dinner.  I saw it as an opportunity to foist off "unclean" foods onto family members and clean out our fridge (salad dressings, dinner's leftovers, etc).  I didn't partake in any of the hors d'oeuvres but had my yogurt then.  Dinner was mostly clean (and I only served myself the clean pieces).  And then there was dessert, my planned cheat of the week.  After successfully not nibbling on any of the 4+ batches of baked goodies over the week, I happily tasted (and tasted again).  Quite delicious and now quite out of my system.  All the leftovers are packed up and ready to go into work on Tuesday where all my colleagues can complain about how I'm making them fat (while they nibble on everything I put out, naturally). 

This week will be interesting.  My husband is eating clean and we're eating many similar foods, so that will make food preparation a bit easier for me.  He can be a bit more particular about having freshly cooked chicken while I'm fine with chicken that was cooked at the beginning of the week.  So I'll be giving a bit more thought about my schedule for food preparation.  Also, my trainer's wife has revamped my meal plan a bit as I seemed to be stagnating in the 145-147 weight range.  Starting tomorrow, this is what my meals will look like:

Meal 1: 3 egg whites, veggies, 50g dry cream of rice (cooked in water)
Meal 2: 0% or 2% flavored Chobani Greek Yogurt, 1 tbsp coconut oil
Meal 3: 3 oz lean meat, veggies, 1 tbsp coconut oil
Meal 4: 3 oz lean meat, veggies, 1 tbsp coconut oil
Meal 5: 0% or 2% flavored Chobani Greek Yogurt, 1 tbsp coconut oil

The only real changes are an increase in my cream of rice (THANK YOU!), no rice with my chicken meals, no coconut oil with breakfast but added coconut oil to my other two meals.  Honestly, I don't know if I'll perceive much of a difference.  I already feel like the rice is somewhat insubstantial mixed in among all the veggies I'm eating.  The increase in cream of rice, which I really am happy about because it's like dessert for breakfast, may be a bit much so I'm thinking about pacing myself with that meal and maybe giving myself a rest.  Or I'll be so happy to have something so yummy that I'll continue to devour it without breathing!  The only possible challenge will be the addition of the coconut oil to my first yogurt - only because I'll have to melt the oil while at work and that can be a bit more of a hassle than just pulling the yogurt out of the fridge.  It won't be an issue with the meat and veggies because I'll just combine it all in there when I'm preparing my meal at home and pop it into the microwave as usual.

Overall:  This week was solidly positive from both a fitness and a nutritional perspective.  While I may have been feeling a little flat emotionally at times, I didn't let it dampen my efforts or use it as an excuse to undermine my efforts.  I think I did a good job at taking care of myself and well as of others.  I didn't really feel burned out until this morning, and I think that was more because I was tired and feeling a bit overwhelmed in anticipation of this evening's activities.  But it all worked out just fine and I took care of what I needed to take care of.  Now I can head up to bed (a bit earlier than usual), read my book, and sleep in tomorrow. 

Food Log:

• Meal 1: 
• 3 egg whites
  
• 30g dry cream of rice (cooked in water)
• 1 tbsp coconut oil
• Meal 2:
• 3oz chicken
• Green beans
  
• 1/2c cooked rice
• Meal 3: 
• 0% flavored Chobani Greek Yogurt
• Meal 4: (REFUELING - all clean, just larger portions)
• Salad with spray dressing
• Chicken
• Peppers and onions
• Brown rice
• Meal 5: (CHEAT)
• Brownies
• Snickerdoodle Blondie
• Cookies
• 2 Chocolates
• Hot Cocoa

Exercise: 

• Time:  1 hour lifting with trainer, 30+ minutes on elliptical
• Calories:  750

Weigh-In: 147.3 / 147.0

Individual Differences

Today, my husband started his own clean-eating plan.  I'm not going to go into any real detail about what he's doing because that's his personal business and not for me to be sharing with everyone else.  But I will share a bit about my experiences with Day 1 of this new eating mentality in our home.

• I will admit that I'm JEALOUS!  He's getting to eat eggs, oatmeal, and protein shakes!  He doesn't really understand why I would WANT to eat these things, but then he's not eating how I'm eating.  I don't really understand why he WOULDN'T want to eat these things.
• I've learned a number of lessons along my personal path of eating clean, but that doesn't mean that other people have learned these same things.  I'm very focused on making sure I eat when (if not before) I get hungry.  I have a timeline in my head for the day, starting with when I'll eat my first meal and when I'll wrap up with my last meal.  From there, I work backwards to fit in my other 3 meals and make sure they're spaced out well enough.  I'm used to planning out these meals and know what will happen to me (mood and energy-wise) if I don't plan in advance.  I'm not willing to bulldoze my way through hunger, especially if I don't need to.  That's the beauty of 5 meals a day. 
• To me, unless it's a cheat meal, food is less about an experience and more about refueling.  Sure, I want it to taste good, but I'm okay with things tasting "good enough" as opposed to delicious.  Maybe that's why I put so much stock in finding quality cheat meals and can be so disappointed when they don't pan out.
• I've found strategies for helping to quell those cravings in between meals.  That's partly why I drink so much.  I'll also drink different diet sodas because the carbonation helps me feel full and the sweetness is dessert-like.  I'll chew sugar-free gum for many of the same reasons.
• What may feel like second-nature to me wasn't always that way.  I've built up to this level of intensity/discipline over an extended period of time.  When I think back to December 2007 when I started Weight Watchers, there were times when I was frustrated, confused, or overwhelmed.  And this was AFTER having done other forms of food monitoring quite successfully in the past.  Most other people haven't tried this approach, especially not with the level of precision (or some might say rigidity) of these plans.
• Similar to it being second-nature to me, I'm used to eating this way and have adjusted my standards, expectations, tastes accordingly.  Yes, I think a chocolate protein shake (made with water) tastes delicious, especially with raw oatmeal mixed in.  Throw in some vanilla, cinnamon, and a touch of Splenda and I'm in dessert heaven!  Others would say this doesn't even qualify as food, let alone a meal.
• The more I keep busy, the less likely I am to think about food or be tempted to graze.  People tend to consume more calories on Saturday or Sunday as compared to the work-week.  I feel like I'm always doing something, even if it's while I'm sitting on the couch (hello, blog entries!).  When I'm out-and-about or working on a particular goal, the thoughts about food tend to fade away or at least get quieter.

None of this is to pass judgment or to say that I'm "better" than someone else.  I'm definitely impressed that my husband would consider trying this approach, given how restricted and relatively hardcore it is and given how stressful and demanding his daily life is.  Instead, it's about appreciating the different perspectives that people come from when approaching a situation or taking on a new endeavor.  Given who I am - my personality, my mentality, my priorities, my goals - it might be easier for me to push through some of these food- and fitness-related points.  But that's not to say I handle everything with grace and ease.  (Remember my breakfast of cookies and cookie dough not too long ago?)  Even beyond the scope of eating and exercise, there are plenty of things that I struggle with or that I fail to grasp/comprehend.  When I ask questions about someone's experiences with a particular approach, it's not attaching a value judgment to the individual or the approach.  Rather, I'm looking to understand and to be educated about how other people do things.  I want to know what works and what doesn't and why.  I'm not interpreting your statements as saying "it just doesn't work" but I'm wondering how your experience differs from mine.  Everybody's body is different and there's no cookie-cutter approach, though there are approaches and principles that are generally accepted as effective.  I want to understand those circumstances in which they're not effective and how they can be modified to work for a particular person.

Food Log:

• Meal 1: 
• 3 egg whites with salsa
• 30g dry cream of rice (cooked in water)
• 1 tbsp coconut oil
• Meal 2: 
• 0% flavored Chobani Greek Yogurt
• Meal 3:
• 3oz chicken
• Green beans
• 1/2c cooked rice
• Meal 4: 
• 3 oz chicken
• Green beans
• 1/2c cooked rice
• 1 tbsp coconut oil
• Meal 5: 
• 0% flavored Chobani Greek Yogurt
• 1 tbsp coconut oil

Exercise:

• Time:  50 minutes on elliptical on stairmill, 25 minutes on elliptical
• Calories:  850

Weigh-In:  146.8 / 146.3

Intense Cravings Attack!

Sometimes I want nothing more than to give into my cravings and just eat anything and everything in sight.  I enjoyed yesterday's lunch with my friend and her husband - yummy food with good company.  I wasn't really hungry for food at that time, but it was "traditional" lunch time (just after 12 noon) so I decided to roll with it.  Looking over the menu, I could have gone for a salad but didn't really want to.  None of the salad options were particularly appealing, although I'm sure they were delicious.  So I opted for the panini.  It wasn't huge and the side of fries was a reasonable amount as well.  I must say that the portions at this bistro were quite reasonable!  I ate my food (pickle and all) and left the table quite satisfied.  Then... I got in the car and drove to the office.  While in the car, I was suddenly STARVING - after not being hungry at all and then eating a good-sized lunch.  I had some of the extra cookies from my Father's Day bake-a-thon and I could have reached into my bag to pull one (or all of them) out, but I didn't.  I called my mom instead and distracted myself with our conversation.  When I got into the office, I put the cookies in the kitchen and walked away.  I told myself that if I still wanted something after my 2pm appointment, I could go and have something then.  I wanted to give my stomach a chance to actually digest and feel full from the lunch I ate.  By the time my break rolled around, I no longer felt that intense craving for something to eat.  I did chomp away on some DumDums that afternoon so I could have something sweet.  I also made sure to keep up my fluids (both diluted Crystal Light and tea) to curb the craving as well.  I'm happy that I was able to make the choices to support my larger goals rather than to give into immediate impulses.  I could have easily thrown in the towel after my planned cheat at lunch, but that wouldn't have been planned.  Also, it wouldn't have been enjoyed or savored.  I'm much more looking forward to tasting each of those cookies on Sunday when I pull them out for the Father's Day dessert!

 

THURSDAY

Food Log:

• Meal 1: 
• 3 egg whites with some salsa
• 30g dry cream of rice (cooked in water)
• 1 tbsp coconut oil
• Meal 2: (Lunch with friends in town)
• Italian panini
• French fries
• Meal 3: 
• 3 oz chicken
• Green beans
• 1/2c cooked rice
• 1 tbsp coconut oil
• Meal 4: 
• 0% flavored Chobani Greek Yogurt
• 1 tbsp coconut oil

Exercise: None (planned)

Weigh-In:  147.0 / 146.8

 

FRIDAY

Food Log:

• Meal 1: 
• 3 egg whites
• 30g dry cream of rice (cooked in water)
• 1 tbsp coconut oil
• Meal 2:
• 3oz chicken
• Green beans
• 1/2c cooked rice
• Meal 3: 
• 2% flavored Chobani Greek Yogurt
• Meal 4: 
• 3 oz chicken
• Green beans
• 1/2c cooked rice
• 1 tbsp coconut oil
• Meal 5: 
• 0% flavored Chobani Greek Yogurt
• 1 tbsp coconut oil

Exercise:

Time:  60 minutes on elliptical

Level:  Level 1 for 1 minute; Level 4 for 58 minutes; Level 1 for 1 minute

Distance:  5.2+ miles

Speed:  Averaged 5.2mph (hence the distance)

Calories:  750+

 

Weigh-In:  147.9 / 147.1

It's Just LIfe

Not much to say today.  Things are going okay, so there's no complaints here.  I had a productive day, kept it clean, and felt good about life in general.  I brought some of my cookies into work and got rave reviews from people.  One person didn't believe that the chocolate spritzes were homemade, they were so professional looking and yummy.  Two other people insisted on the recipe for the snickerdoodle blondies.  And even with all this praise, I still haven't succumbed to the cookie pressures and had any for myself - I'm saving them for Sunday dessert.  Even with all this good stuff, I'm feeling a little "meh" right now.  I'm a little tired, which accounts for part of it.  I'm also concerned for a friend of mine, which has an impact on my mood.  I'm getting a bit distracted with thinking about plans for the weekend and the preparation I'll need to do for Sunday's Father's Day cookout.  And somewhere in there I have to get the house tidied up.

So, when it comes down it it, it's okay to not feel fabulous all the time.  It's okay to get distracted sometimes.  It's okay to not feel up yet not feel down.  That's just how life goes some times.  It just is.

And here's my horoscope for today:  "Some bittersweet episodes from your past are on your mind today. You're in a very reflective phase right now, and if you encounter reminders of what you've been through, you don't have to apologize for feeling a touch of melancholy. This may sound odd, but if a blue mood hits you today, don't try to cheer yourself up. You certainly shouldn't wallow in misery -- but do let yourself feel your feelings, and don't try to hide them."

Talk about irony!

Food Log:

• Meal 1: 
• 3 egg whites
• 30g dry cream of rice (cooked in water)
• 1 tbsp coconut oil
• Meal 2:
• 3oz chicken
• Green beans
• 1/2c cooked rice
• Meal 3: 
• 2% flavored Chobani Greek Yogurt
• Meal 4: 
• 3 oz chicken
• Green beans
• 1/2c cooked rice
• 1 tbsp coconut oil
• Meal 5: 
• 0% flavored Chobani Greek Yogurt
• 1 tbsp coconut oil

Exercise: None (planned)

Weigh-In:  147.0 / 146.7

All About The Food

Why do so many social engagements seem to revolve around food?  A lot of invitations I get for get-togethers are supposedly for a fun activity (bowling, games, movie, knitting, etc), but inevitably food becomes the dominant factor.  Food is definitely a big piece of social interactions, but it can make things difficult when one's goal is to eat clean.  Abstain from alcohol and you're bound to get asked if you're pregnant (been there, done that!).  Bring your own food and there can be an awkwardness when you eat something different from what everyone else is eating.  Research shows that people tend to eat more when there's a larger group together.  I don't think it's quite exponential, but the number of calories consumed goes up as you start to feel more anonymous in the crowd.  (This was covered in Mindless Eating.)  There's also a social pressure to eat, to try things, to take a taste, or to have a sip.

The tough thing is that a number of my friends are "all about the food" - they enjoy good food, want to try new foods, and prepare amazing foods.  I'm not critical of this.  In fact, I am basically guaranteed delicious eats whenever I get together with them.  However, this can be an unwanted challenge when I'm trying to make clean choices.  I do try to keep a balance and allow for "cheat" meals and for socializing with friends, but it's particularly tough when the food element of the socializing isn't really a food option that I'm interested in.

When I have a cheat, I generally want it to be a quality cheat that I'm really going to enjoy.  With a number of these get-togethers, I don't have much say about what food is served or available.  And I don't want to be known as "that friend" who's picky about food, difficult or controlling, or not capable of having a fun time.  Unfortunately, there are times when I may be more likely to turn down a social invitation rather than take on the "eating clean" challenges associated with the gathering.

Recently, I've decided to challenge myself and to find a way to make these situations work for me.  I try to communicate with my friends in advance as to what food there's going to be.  I check online menus for some planning.  I offer to bring foods so I'm more likely to have a clean option or a delicious cheat on hand.  I'll even bring my own clean foods so that I have those choices available, even if I don't end up eating them.

The main thing I emphasize with my friends is that, while I enjoy the food, I enjoy their company even more.  So while I might not be partaking in the food, I'm not rejecting them or their friendship.  If the situation is handled well, I think it's possible to have a time where everyone's comfortable and having their needs met without feeling judged.  This is definitely something I want to think about more, especially with all the summer gatherings coming up.

Food Log:

• Meal 1: 
• 3 egg whites with salsa
• 30g dry cream of rice (cooked in water)
• 1 tbsp coconut oil
• Meal 2:
• 3oz chicken
• Peppers and onions
• 1/2c cooked rice
• Meal 3: 
• 2% flavored Chobani Greek Yogurt (Strawberry Banana - YUM!)
• Meal 4: 
• 3 oz chicken
• Peppers and onions
• 1/2c cooked rice
• 1 tbsp coconut oil
• Meal 5: 
• 0% flavored Chobani Greek Yogurt
• 1 tbsp coconut oil

Exercise: 

• Time: 70 minutes (45 on stairmill, 25 on elliptical)
• Level:  Stairmill was level 8 the whole time; Not sure what level the elliptical was
• Distance:  Somewhere around 7+ miles between the two, but who knows how it's actually calculated
• Calories:  750+
• Had a lot of energy and could have kept going on the elliptical but needed to get home and take care of other things.  Tried streaming Netflix on my phone and the picture wasn't that great.  Opted for my audiobook instead.

Weigh-In:  147.0 / 146.9

2011 - Week 23 In Review

My week in review is a little late, as I was over at friends' yesterday enjoying a cookout.   We got home a little late and I headed straight to bed. In addition to playing some Dance Dance Revolution (DDR) and not totally sucking, I managed to keep it mostly clean - go me!  I think it was a good wrap-up to a generally positive week.  Here's what was going on:

Exercise:  4 days of cardio and a day with the trainer.  I could have gotten a 5th day of cardio in there on Friday, but I chose to take the day off and spend that evening with my husband on the couch.  It was an intentional choice on my part - he got home from work early and it felt like we hadn't seen each other in ages.  All in all, a good choice and one I needed to make.  With the 5 days of exercising, my watch says I burned approximately 3300 calories.  Not bad, given that I aim for about 3600 if I get 6 workouts in there.  

This week, I'll probably get 4 cardio in again.  A friend is unexpectedly in town, so I'll definitely opt for time with her over time on the elliptical.  But I'll still try to make time for the cardio in there as well.  I'm happy that I got today's workout in there, as there was a definite temptation to blow it off.  I ran errands all afternoon and spent most of the evening talking on the phone or puttering around.  Eventually, after 8pm, I got my act together and made my way to the elliptical.  I can use that as a reminder when I get pulled off-task later this week.

Food: I was clean all through the week, until Sunday evening.  Even then I was mostly clean (see below).  Friends invited us over to cookout and they normally come over to our place.   I wanted to go over there so it wouldn't seem like we couldn't go anywhere and food always had to be at our place - I'm not THAT controlling or rigid!  They're fully aware of my efforts (and do tease me about them sometimes).  They're also trying to eat healthier themselves.  All in all, it's more likely to be a healthier situation.  I brought my own rice and veggies, just in case, but didn't really need them.  I also brought dessert (the last of the evil cookies from last week).

This week will be a mixed bag.  We've got family over for Father's Day, so I'm hoping to do a mostly-clean meal like we did with friends yesterday.  With my friend being in town, there's a chance we'll be together for a meal or something.  I'll pack what I can and make the best choices I can with what's available.  The most important thing here is seeing my friend - what I eat is secondary.  If it's clean, that's great; if it's not on-plan, I'll accommodate the choice elsewhere.  I made a bunch of cookies today (3 batches) for Father's Day and managed to not taste a bite.  Everything is bagged and boxed away, so I don't even have the temptation of having it out in front of me.  There's one more batch of cookies I was planning to make and they're not a favorite of mine so the temptation to taste won't be too strong.  I just remind myself that I can have some on Sunday, when everyone's over for Father's Day.

Overall:  Happy and comfortable would describe this week.  I had good cardio sessions.  I made good food choices.  I had balance in my life, making time for hubby and making allowances for desserts.  I got enough sleep, though I could always go for more.  I didn't stress about things being undone around the house (like laundry waiting to be put away).  I made time for some fun stuff.  Not a thrilling, exciting, party of a week, but a good, reliable, satisfying week.

SUNDAY
Food Log:

• Meal 1: 
• 3 egg whites with salsa
  
• 30g dry cream of rice (cooked in water)
• 1 tbsp coconut oil
• Meal 2:
• 3oz chicken
• Green beans
  
• 1/2c cooked rice
• Meal 3: 
• 0% flavored Chobani Greek Yogurt (had tried to postpone this, given that I was eating at friends' for dinner, but got too hungry and realized it wasn't worth depriving myself in the moment)
• Meal 4: 
• Steak (didn't add any other fats because this was sufficient)
• Green beans
• Peppers and onions
• Ear of corn
  
• Brown rice with barley and radish seeds
• 2 cookies
• Meal 5: 
• 8oz 0% plain Chobani Greek Yogurt with cinnamon, vanilla, and splenda
• 1 tbsp coconut oil
• Cadbury Creme Egg

Exercise: 

• Time:  1 hour lifting with trainer 
• Calories: Appx 350

Weigh-In: 148.0 / 147.6

MONDAY

Food Log:

• Meal 1: 
• 3 egg whites with salsa
• 30g dry cream of rice (cooked in water)
• 1 tbsp coconut oil
• Meal 2:
• 3oz chicken
• Peppers and onions
• 1/2c cooked rice
• Meal 3: 
• 0% flavored Chobani Greek Yogurt
• Meal 4: 
• 3 oz chicken
• Green beans
• 1/2c cooked rice
• 1 tbsp coconut oil
• Meal 5: 
• 0% flavored Chobani Greek Yogurt
• 1 tbsp coconut oil

Exercise: 

• Time: 62 minutes on elliptical
• Level:  Level 1 for 1 minute; Level 4 for 60 minutes; Level 1 for 1 minute
• Distance:  4.8 miles
• Calories:  650+
• Had a slightly slower pace but was able to sustain it.  Didn't get around to doing cardio until after 8pm, so glad that it actually got done.  It would have been VERY easy to bail on it.

Weigh-In:  149.0 / 147.9