I Don’t Need to Leave the House

by

My big plan for the day (other than pretending like there’s not an impending quiz) was to go to a Pilates class at my gym.  I showed up at noon and…..nothing.  I was so frustrated I just went home – I couldn’t have done much anyways, I was wearing my ‘yoga bra.’

I might have sat on the couch and stewed for a while.  I might have felt the need to eat a few marshmallows dipped in peanut butter.

But then I got down to business.  Using Netflix’s Watch Instantly program I made use of a ’10minute Solutions Pilates’ DVD.  I did legs, abs, and whole body stretch for a nice 30minute routine.  Loved it!  I think I might start devoting 10minutes a day to this video – I could feel the burn, it was easy and quick, and I can squeeze it in.

Don’t ask me whether or not I’ve done any work since then!!!

Do you prefer to work out at home or at the gym?  Do you ever use exercise DVDs?

Quack Quack

by

I had my second pt session this morning.  Good news and bad news.  He could see the improvement in my home exercise already, yay.  But then I got on the treadmill.  I ran in my running shoes and barefoot for a while (the soles of my feet are killing me now!).  Apparently I run like a duck. 

He showed me the proper way to run – leaning slightly forward, feet hitting a straight line in front of you – and had me practice for a while.  Ultimately he told me not to run until our next session on Tuesday.  I can keep doing the elliptical and I should speed walk to practice proper foot placement.  I’m more than a little disappointed, I’m ready to run again!  Plus I’m signed up for a race this weekend, I’m still not sure what’s going to happen with that.

I had a yummy smoothie all planned for breakfast but I was running late so I ended up just eating a Passion Fruit Macadamia KIND Plus Bar in the car.

When I got home around 9:30 I also ate an onion bagel with reduced fat chive cream cheese.

Yum!  These Thomas’ bagels are so nice and chewy.

Today’s a lab/quiz day so it should be pretty busy.  I can just say now that I’m going to bomb my quiz tonight 😦  It’s a good thing I have two weeks until the final, I’ve gotten a bit behind.

What animal describes your running style?

Born Again (Exercise) Virgin

by

First off, who thinks it’s a good thing I’m not single???

Although I guess it’s not a good thing for Adam!  The sweatshirt is actually pretty cute.

The problem is more the sneakers and dirty yoga pants (yes, these are the pants I rocked all day yesterday).

Before class this evening I had the pre-gym snack of champions –

I what I really like is the juxtaposition of my diet soda and candy bar next to the headline for an article about healthy diets.  🙂

My friend ended up not being able to go to the gym after class.  I can’t even tell you how proud of myself I am that I went anyway.  After a month off I am more than ready to get moving again!

I set the elliptical to level 7/random and did an easy pace for 30minutes.  I’m not gonna lie, it was hard!  I am out of shape.  And it’s not even like my fitness level went back to square one, it’s like being reborn a fat person.  In NYC I stood from 7-5 and walked constantly so it wasn’t that big of a deal that I didn’t get any formal exercise.  Here I sit on the couch most of the day, and for the last month with my injury I’ve been trying not to move at all.  Fortunately, I am super excited to get back on track.

After my cardio I did some arm/ab strengthening and lots of stretching, including my pt.  ‘Twas good.

I still have to shower and I have pt at 8am tomorrow so I’ve got to rush off.  Sweet dreams!

Have you ever had a fitness rebirth?  What’d you do to get back into fighting shape?

Kitchen Warfare

by

I didn’t get enough any studying done before class, but not because I was making an amazing dinner. 

I started  making an amazing dinner.  I even cut my own *onions!  *The husband has no sense of smell so he doesn’t cry when he cuts onions, therefore it is always his job.  Sadly, once my beautifully cut onions were sauteing the red pepper flakes killed their container to bring some guerilla warfare to onionville.

It rained fire and brimstone on the tear-makers and my kitchen filled up with smoke that could rival any tear gas.  My lungs felt like they were on fire and dinner was unsalvagable.

Once I was able to go in the kitchen again I knew it was time for a drink.  Bring on the stout! …….Kerrygold Dubliner Cheese with Irish Stout that is.

I tried some Kerrygold products at Foodbuzz and I am so glad to have the opportunity to try more, yum.

One ounce of the cheese,

with turkey pepperoni,

and a granny smith apple

made a tasty tasting plate.

Now I can head to class.  I am going to the gym after Chemistry so I’m sure there will be more food pics to post by the end of the day.  I have pt at 7:30am tomorrow (which means I have to wake up before 6:30) so feel free to post and tell me to get my butt to bed on time!

When was the last time you went through war in your kitchen?

How Did That Get There?

by

This a busy not so fun day so this will be a quick not so fun post.  Boo 😦

I had a meeting this morning to discuss the program I’m planning on applying to next year, so that was fun.  So you know, the choice has been 99.9% made in favor of pursuing my R.D.  Yay.

Daytime parking near my house is really bad, and things were very full when I got back from my meeting.  After 2 maddening loops I drove off to cool down with an iced diet coke and somehow these fries and chicken nuggets ended up in the car too 😉

Sodium-y, mmn.

Now I’ve got lots more to do before class tonight.  I am meeting a friend at the gym afterwards so I’ve got to make Adam dinner before I leave.  And there’s the small matter of tomorrow’s quiz.  Eek!

What was the last thing that accidentally ended up on your plate?

P.S. Enter this not-so-boring contest.  I wish those products would accidentally end up on my plate!

Kicking Off the Season

by

Let’s see – my house is decorated, I’ve had lots of good tidings and cheer, I’m super busy and stressed – yep, it feels like the holidays!  Due both to some good news and a few mishaps today was jam-packed.

I am one of those people who gets really (really really really) into holidays.  I manage to keep my purchasing under control, but I’ve had my red and green outfits outlined for weeks!  Part of my excitement involves keeping each holiday carefully guarded and away from the other holidays.  I do NOT wear red with green outside of December, I won’t drink eggnog ’till there’s snow on the ground, and I do my damnedest to stay away from Christmas music the day after Thanksgiving.

Today was not only December 1st, it was also the day of our first snowfall in Buffalo, a near perfect time for holiday decorating.  So after I got a few to dos of lesser importance out of the way (registering for classes, calling for pt) decorate I did.

[Thanks for the package mommy!]  Bring on the Jingle Bells!  I even – accidentally – included some snazz in today’s outfit.

Don’t worry, the overall effect was less than elvish.

Why the yoga pants in the snow you ask?  Because I managed to book my first physical therapy appointment!  Fortunately I called right after a cancellation and they were able to squeeze me right in.  I was a bit rushed so I made breakfast to go –

1cup frozen blackberries, Dannon Lite and Fit Blackberry Yogurt, 1/2 scoop Chocolate Amazing Grass, and about a 1/2 cup of water to ease the blending along.

Physical therapy (pt from now on) was everything I could have ever dreamed of!  My doctor was knowledgeable and understanding, and more importantly he says my half in March shouldn’t be a problem!  He watched me walk and twisted my ankles and it took about two seconds for him to see the problem.  I have tendonitis in my right shin.  Most likely from a bad sprain I got in high school, but also because I walk and stand like a duck. 

The doctor gave me pt moves to start doing at home and I have the green light to elliptisize and start doing cardio again.  I’m getting on the treadmill at his office on Thursday and will figure out the running situation from there.  For now the assumption is that I will go twice a week for pt for the next month or so.  My fingers are double crossed that I can start running again this Friday!

The excitement was majorly lessened on the drive home.  What should have been a 30minute trip to meet Katie for coffee took 2+ hours.  Ugh.  I did get to stop at the post office on the way – and picked up some fun – and I did finally make it for coffee.

Another seasonal must, my first red cup!

A tall nonfat eggnog latte.  I snacked on a Coconut Acai Prana Bar alongside my coffee.

And Katie and I had lots of good chatting.  🙂

Afterwards I picked up Adam and we drove to Wegmans for some kitchen restocking.  Did you miss my Thanksgiving Challenge Recap?  I had big plans to cook a fancy dinner tonight, but my 2hours of fun on the highway ate up that time.  Adam ended up going to a study session until 10:30 anyways so it was for the best.  Instead we got salad bar.

Oh how I’ve missed Wegman’s salad bar!  My excitement was bigger than my stomach, I left several bites of everything on my plate.  And it was pretty clear from my choices that I’m not over the brussels sprouts I was planning on making with dinner!

Curried chicken salad,

barley with brussels and pumpkin seeds,

roasted brussels sprouts and blanched broccoli,

small mac and cheese square.

Normally I would demolish the mac and leave veggies but I was proud of myself for leaving an even amount of everything today.

Adam had to rush out as soon as we got home with the groceries so fridge duty fell entirely to me.  Once I put everything away and cleaned up the kitchen I actually worked up another appetite!  I broke into two purchases that I dreamed about all November –

My onion bagel with reduced fat onion chive cream cheese was everything I’d been thinking of!

While I ate I worked on my Chemistry homework.  And then I kept working long after.  Class is getting hard!  I have a quiz this Thursday that I am in no way ready for and I’m getting a little nervous.

It’s after 11 and I stil have my pt exercises and a shower so I’ve got to scadaddle.  Visions of sugar plums kids!

What’s your holiday celebration mo?  Have you started on Christmas/Hanukkah/Kwanza yet this year?  We don’t have any Hanukkah decorations per se, but I usually don’t but the menorah out until it’s time to light it.

Thanksgiving Challenge Recap

by

For those of you who don’t remember, here is the post that explains the Thanksgiving Challenge.  The basic idea was to spend $100 on food in the month of November.  Throughout the month you reflect on how thankful you are for what you have, and get the added benefit of clearing out your kitchen cabinets.

I did great on the second half, not so hot on the first!  Here’s a breakdown –

  • the $100 was for our entire (two-person) household
  • it did not include things like toilet paper and toothpaste
  • we chose not to include booze, although we only ended up drinking once or twice in the month

I included everything I ate in the challenge.  I also included everything my husband and I ate together, as well as all of my husband’s meals.  In the end, I did not include the snacks my husband ate without me.  His dinners the weekends I was out of town went into the total.  The ice-cream cones he bought and ate entirely by himself did not.

In the end, our balance was $98.86.  This included all of our groceries and most of our meals out.  It’s that most that was the problem – we did some cheating!  In the end there were 4 occasions of eating out that did not go into our totals.  Some were deliberate choices (the meal I mentioned before the start of the challenge that came from my last paycheck, a last minute meet up with my cousin) that I’m happy I made.  Others were spur of the moment choices I regret.  Chicken fingers eaten drunkenly at midnight are not a necessity.

It’s also worth noting that we started with a fairly stocked kitchen.  And my grandparents paid for our meals our entire visit (and Turkey Day).  But it’s also worth noting that the Foodbuzz Festival was often surprisingly absent of food and I managed to stick to my guns (and my budget).

In spite of a few disappointments, my overall reactions to the challenge were positive.  Having to think more about my food choices often led me to think more about how fortunate I am to have those choices in the first place.  And it was very cathartic to clear out my kitchen!

Here are some links to some key learning opportunities from the challenge –

Cheating happens.

Sometimes empty pantries led to strange choices,

but the most wonderful meals are often low-budget.

Did you participate in the Thanksgiving Challenge?  What did you end up learning/feeling?

One last link!  Here is a blog reflecting on the evolution of Thanksgiving that I think you all would like!

1st Day of December

by

On the agenda for today –

  • see the first snow of the season
  • rework my class schedule for spring
  • put out the Christmas decorations
  • breakfast of some sort
  • my first pt appointment!
  • coffee with Katie
  • restocking grocery trip
  • post office
  • Thanksgiving Challenge recap
  • gym
  • dinner
  • major homework assignment

I’ll be back this afternoon/evening with a full report!