Sassy on the Path

Back on the Wagon - Wooooo Hooooo!

noreply@blogger.com (SassyFitnessBug) — Fri, 27 Feb 2009 22:16:00 +0000

Well, it's been several months since I've checked in here and I am sorry to say the past few months have found me about 50% on the program. For the most part, I have been exercising regularly - most weeks I get in about 4-5 hours of exercise, but the diet has been off most of the time.

At any rate, over the past year or so I have regained a good deal of the weight I had lost back when I was diligently following this program and I am pretty disgusted with myself. However, being a person who always likes to look forward and not backward, I am determined to stay positive and get back on track.

Today was the first day of really being diligently back on the wagon.

Today was a 1400 calorie day. I had a protein shake for breakfast (275), a pizza bagel with vegetarian "sausage" and onions (575) for lunch and a veggie burger on whole wheat bread topped with sauteed peppers and mushrooms (and some veggie "bacon") and cheese (550). My total calories for the day was right on the money at 1400.

For my workout, I walked to our local tennis courts and met a friend for tennis. We played for about a half hour (I couldn't play long because I had to go to work) and then I walked home. My total exercise was 1 hour.

My goal is to lose about 10 pounds/month and really get toned up by the summer. I know if I really maintain my diligence on this program it will happen!

Doing well

noreply@blogger.com (SassyFitnessBug) — Thu, 25 Sep 2008 14:33:00 +0000

So far I have been doing really well this week. I've worked out every day so far, whenever possible doing that extra walk at lunch time. I went back to the ice skating rink on Tuesday - that was a lot of fun. I haven't been there in months. I realized that it's a lot more fun when I don't go so frequently - it feels more exhilirating. I was surprised at how quickly I reacclimated to ice skating. I feared I would be a little rusty and unsure of myself, but I wasn't.

I was proud of myself yesterday. I woke up feeling pretty run down, headachy (PMS) and I was also a little short on time, but I dragged myself into the workout room and did a workout anyway. I did Michelle Dozois' Your Best Body Circuit- only the "express" version (the DVD contains 2 workouts - the regular 1 hour workout, and a condensed 30 minute workout).

On cardio days, since I know I will have my fitness walk at lunch, that leaves my mornings open, so I've been doing yoga in the morning. It's great to do yoga. I usually don't do it that frequently because it doesn't really fit well into my schedule of alternating days of cardio & strength (which I do not want to sacrifice). I LOVE yoga, though. It makes me feel so chilled out and I think it helps to keep me on the program because it has a soothing psychological effect on me.

My diet has been on track too. As I mentioned, the next month is going to consist of mostly 1400 calorie days with a few 3000 calorie days sprinkled in on days when we have social/eating occasions. The 1400 days are truly a challenge and not that easy to do, but it's worth it if I can have my splurge days. So far this week I have been right on track.

Checking in...

noreply@blogger.com (SassyFitnessBug) — Tue, 23 Sep 2008 16:35:00 +0000

Well, the weight gain episode really derailed me psychologically for a few days, but I am happy to report I am back on track this week. What's more, I have increased my exercise level. In addition to my usual 5-days-a-week workout schedule, I am also adding in a little extra by taking walks at lunch time every day I can (when the weather is suitable and when I don't have other obligations).

As of today there are only 30 days until our Mexico trip so I am really trying to buckle down. I am having to alter my calorie allotment schedule a little because I have about 7 special occasions over the next month which involve social eating. So what I have done is allotted those days 3000 calories and the rest of the month 1400 calories. This comes out to the same as my normal schedule. It's a little difficult because 1400 calorie days are TOUGH, but I know I can do it.

I'd really like to drop 10 pounds from where I am now over the next 30 days.

Disgusted!

noreply@blogger.com (SassyFitnessBug) — Sun, 14 Sep 2008 22:41:00 +0000

I haven't written in few days and that is because I am disgusted.

My 10-day weigh in was supposed to be on Sunday the 14th, but Saturday the 13th was a planned splurge day, so I decided to weigh-in Saturday morning instead.

Well, to my utter horror - I GAINED 2 pounds over the past 8 days. GAINED! This, after 9 days of 100% diligence with both diet and exercise. This has never happened before. I thought something must be wrong with the scale so I got on and off 3 times, but same result.

I just don't get it. I mean, I can understand maybe not LOSING much, but GAINING? How is this possible?

I was so disgusted, I have been off the program the last 3 days. Tomorrow I will get back on (grudgingly) but I am going to have to work against serious psychological disgust.

Good Day for a Walk

noreply@blogger.com (SassyFitnessBug) — Thu, 11 Sep 2008 22:23:00 +0000

I did well today on the program. For my workout, I took a 40 minute power walk at lunchtime. I work two blocks from an Ivy League University and it's the most beautiful campus. I love to take walks through the campus - especially this time of year when the campus is teeming with students. It gives me those back-to-school butterflies, even though I am done with school for now. The photo I posted here is exactly where I take my walk.

My calorie goal was 1800 today and I was right on track. I had a shake for breakfast, Ellio's pizza for lunch (which I dressed up with sauce, veggies, vegetarian "sausage" and cheese). After the pizza I had a handful of yogurt raisins. For dinner I just felt like having cookies, so that's what I had.

Total calories was 1780.

Wednesday

noreply@blogger.com (SassyFitnessBug) — Wed, 10 Sep 2008 19:30:00 +0000

I tried another new fitness DVD today - Amy Bento's Slo-Mo Strength Challenge. I wasn't feeling the love with this one. It was very tough, and very thorough, but I found it to be boring (too many reps of each exercise, not enough variety) and some of the exercises were so advanced that I had to modify. I did the entire workout, but I didn't really enjoy it as much as I enjoy many of my other workouts. I kept watching the clock. I'll probably get rid of this one.

My calorie goal was 1,400 today and although it was tough, I managed to do very well. I had a protein shake for breakfast, some leftover noodle/veggie stir fry for lunch, a pile of grapes for a snack and for dinner I had a fish taco with homemade salsa. My calories came out right at 1,400.

I am starting to see some visible changes in my physique since I got back on the wagon in earnest. My shoulders are regaining definition and my stomach has flattened a bit. I can also see a bit of change in my face...it's definitely thinned out (the double chin is just about gone). Right before I had gotten seriously back on the wagon, I had to buy a larger size dress pant because none of my other dress pants were fitting me well. Now, the new pants are at the point where they are too loose to wear, so that's a good sign. Today I am back in an old pair of dress pants. They fit a little snug, but THEY FIT.

I am really going to keep plugging away. My main motivator is the Mexico trip, but I also want to slim down quite a bit before the holidays. In past years, the holiday season would always end with me feeling totally disgusted that I was even heavier than I was before the holidays, and before the holidays I was already too heavy. This year (like last year) I want to get through the holidays and come out on the other side feeling happy with how I feel and look. I want to be able to enjoy the holidays, but not feel like all hell has broken loose to the point that serious New Years resolutions have to be made.

The hard thing about fall and winter is that it is an EATING season...not only the usual holiday celebrations, but it's a time when I like to bake and eat comfort food (homemade mac & cheese anyone?). I still eat those things on my program, but they are very calorie-dense so I get very little food for the calories. For example, I baked some chocolate chip oatmeal cookies a week ago and as I always do now, I calculated the calories for the recipe as I made them so that I could eat them on my program. Well, it turned out that 5 cookies (each cookie about 2" in diameter) was over 700 calories!!! Can you imagine? No wonder I put on so much weight in the past. I used to plow through piles of cookies without a thought, especially during the holidays.

Mexican Tuesday

noreply@blogger.com (SassyFitnessBug) — Tue, 09 Sep 2008 19:53:00 +0000

I woke up so sore Tuesday morning. I am telling you - that workout on Monday was just killer. The backs of my upper legs were particularly sore.

Despite having sore legs, I took a 35 minute power walk for my cardio workout.

My calorie goal was 2,000 on Tuesday. I am not 100% sure how I did with the calories because my lunch was at a Mexican restaurant so obviously I couldn't count calories, but I think I was able to estimate pretty closely. It was an upscale place with small plates (tapas), not the usual American/Mexican grease pit type place. I had some tortilla chips, salsa and guacamole to start (not nearly as good as the guac and salsa I make at home, to be honest). I also had a very small serving of ceviche (probably 1/2 cup, if that) with tortilla chips and another small appetizer that I would describe as a small flatbread with sauteed mushrooms and a smidgen of cheese. For dessert I had a very small piece of tres leches cake, which was about the size of 1/2 cup. Oh, and I also had a Mexican soda. I estimated this lunch at about 1,200 calories.

I only had about 500 calories left for dinner and I just felt like having some ice cream, so I had 1 ice cream sandwich and some fudge popsicles.

My total calories were right around 2,000 (estimate).

Manic Monday

noreply@blogger.com (SassyFitnessBug) — Mon, 08 Sep 2008 14:24:00 +0000

Mondays are always tough, but especially when it's a low-cal day (1500), which it was today.

I've been getting a little bored with my workout collection, so I purchased a few new workouts recently. I did one of them this morning - Angie Miller's Strength & Core Fusion. This was one tough workout!!! OMG, I was literally cursing at some points, it was so tough. There were lots of compound exercises which were strength-oriented, but also kept the heart rate up, so it was like doing strength and cardio simultaneously. Not sure if this workout will become a favorite. It's definitely a thorough workout, but it seemed to be lacking the fun factor. Also, the instructor is somewhat annoying as she talks NON-STOP through the entire workout. I mean there isn't one second in this video where she is not talking. Grates on my nerves.

My diet was right on track today. For breakfast I had my usual protein shake. For lunch I had a veggie burger on whole wheat bread with sauteed onions and mushrooms, topped with cheese, ketchup and mustard. For dinner, I had 2 toasted English muffins with peanut butter. For dessert I had 1/2 frozen banana dipped in chocolate and sprinkled with peanuts (I made these popsicles over the weekend). Total calories for today was 1525.

Stir Fry Sunday

noreply@blogger.com (SassyFitnessBug) — Mon, 08 Sep 2008 09:04:00 +0000

Well, back to reality on Sunday - it was a 1400 calorie day. :(

I simply had too much to do yesterday so I skipped the workout. I had shopping and lots of housework to do, so I decided that would be my exercise for the day. Doing a formal workout plus all the chores would result in running myself into the ground.

My calorie goal was 1400 and I was just 50 calories over. I had a protein shake for breakfast, a bowl of Campbell's Tomato Soup and a grilled cheese sandwich for lunch. For dinner I made an awesome stir fry. This weekend I discovered this new Asian supermarket near my house (it is about size of a regular supermarket and I was the only Caucasion shopping there - good sign!) I stocked up on all kinds of sauces, noodles and other stuff. Anyway, last night I put the ingredients to good use. The stir fry was made of an assortment of veggies, seitan (vegetarian "meat") and rice noodles. For the sauce I used soy sauce, chili paste, rice vinegar, sesame paste and ginger. It was delectable! Oh, and I had a 50 calorie popsicle after dinner because I had a raging sweet tooth.

Scrumptious Saturday

noreply@blogger.com (SassyFitnessBug) — Sun, 07 Sep 2008 16:01:00 +0000

Yesterday was a fantastic day! It was my splurge day and also my rest day, so no calorie counting and no working out. I'll tell you, all those days of lower calories and exercise are worth it for that one treat day each week.

So I ate all kinds of crap yesterday - I can't even remember all that I ate but I ate whatever I wanted, whenever I wanted with no measuring, weighing, counting or writing anything down. Although my diet was mostly crap during the day, I did make a fantastic (and healthy) dinner. I love to cook and quite a repertoire of wonderful things I make, but this is probably my favorite of all the dinners I make:

FISH TACOS

Breaded tilapia fried in a little oil (the breading is a mixture of panko bread crumbs, regular bread crumbs, wheat germ, grated cheese and herbs.)

Homemade guacamole

Homemade salsa

Wrap the fish, guacamole and salsa in a warm, soft tortilla, squirt some lime juice over the filling and sprinkle with cheddar. MAJOR YUM! I mean, this is about as good as anything we eat in Mexico. FANTASTIC.

TGIF

noreply@blogger.com (SassyFitnessBug) — Sat, 06 Sep 2008 00:30:00 +0000

Today was a bit challenging, since it was a 1,400 calorie day. Never easy! But I have been telling myself all day to hang in there because tomorrow is my splurge day. Boy I am ready for it.

I had a protein shake for breakfast, a vegetarian chili burrito with cheese for lunch and all I wanted for dinner was snacks, so I had cheese and crackers and 2 fudge pops (I know, so healthy). My total calories for the day was 1,445.

Today my workout goal was cardio and I didn't feel like doing my usual cardio workouts so I went outside for a power walk. I walked for about 35-40 minutes all around the neighborhood (with my IPod of course).

So all in all, a successful day.

Thursday

noreply@blogger.com (SassyFitnessBug) — Thu, 04 Sep 2008 15:08:00 +0000

Today was a moderately easy day, since my calorie allotment was 2,000. For breakfast I had a toasted English muffin with peanut butter. For lunch I had a burrito filled with vegetarian chilli and reduced fat cheddar cheese. I indulged in 4 homemade oatmeal chocolate chip cookies for a snack. For dinner I had baked potatoes topped with steamed broccoli, fried onions and reduced-fat cheddar. My total calories for the day came out to 2,050.

I did a tough strength workout this morning: FitPrime's Strong Bear. Boy, it felt extra tough today for some reason and I was sweating bullets. That is one awesome workout!

10-Day Check-In - RESULTS

noreply@blogger.com (SassyFitnessBug) — Thu, 04 Sep 2008 10:18:00 +0000

I am very pleased to announce that I reached my first 10-day goal EXACTLY. I have lost exactly 6 pounds (to the tenth of the pound, which is pretty amazing). Needless to say I am really happy about this. It's been hard to get back on the wagon and really stick to the program diligently, but somehow I think I have finally done it.

My next check-in will be on September 14th and my goal is to lose 4 more pounds by then.

Wednesday

noreply@blogger.com (SassyFitnessBug) — Wed, 03 Sep 2008 18:34:00 +0000

Today was a very good day on the program. I started with a good cardio workout - I rebounded while watching WHFN's Fast Cheetah, and did the floorwork and ab section at the end.

I was right on track with my calories today, although one of my "meals" wasn't the healthiest. I had a protein shake for breakfast, 5 homemade oatmeal chocolate chip cookies for lunch and for dinner I had leftover shrimp creole. Total calories were right around 1500 which was my goal today.

Well, tomorrow is my first 10-day weigh in, so I am anxious to see how I did these past 10 days. The goal is 6 pounds, but I will be happy with ANY loss. I am feeling a bit thinner and am noticing a slight difference in the way my work pants are fitting me (much less snug) so I am pretty confident there will be a good result.

9 Fat-Burning Eating Tips from HungryGirl

noreply@blogger.com (SassyFitnessBug) — Wed, 03 Sep 2008 18:20:00 +0000

There was a good article today on Hungrygirl.com that I thought I would share with you.

"9 Fat-Burning Eating Tips

Now don't get all excited. We don't have any magic wand solutions that will take the place of exercise and eating right. But we do have a few foods that could help you on your journey to rid yourself of excess flab. Hungry Girl's here with the scoop...

LEAN PROTEIN: To put it simply, protein takes a lot of effort for the body to break down and digest. A lot more than, say, fat. So while your body is working hard to process that protein, you're burning calories. HG tip -- eat fish! Chances are you're not getting enough of it. Not only is fish a fabulous source of lean protein, BUT many types are full of those Omega-3 fatty acids you're always hearing about. Beans are also a wonderful source of protein. And it's no secret how we feel about our friend the soybean. (Let's have a cheer for veggie patties and soy-meats!)

WHOLE GRAINS: Belly fat is not particularly cute on anyone (except maybe babies), so it's exciting news that whole grains can do a number on that stubborn flab around your midsection. One of the easiest ways to get whole grains into your diet? Oatmeal in the morning. Quaker's Simple Harvest Multigrain Hot Cereal is really good and just full of grains. Also, Kashi GoLean's Hot Cereal packs in 7 whole grains and a big 5 - 7g fiber! Mmmmm...

GRAPEFRUIT: Ever since you were a kid popping Flintstones Chewables, you've known that Vitamin C is good for you -- and that certainly hasn't changed. Vitamin C is a powerful antioxidant AND has been shown in studies to help burn fat. So, if you're looking for a snack, how's about a nice, juicy grapefruit? The theory is that grapefruit helps to lower insulin levels, which keeps you from being hungry all the time! We know it smacks of classic diet food, but those Ruby Reds are MIGHTY delicious! If it's too sour for you straight, sprinkle it with some no-calorie sweetener like Splenda or stevia.

GREEN TEA: Green tea is EVERYWHERE. It's been classified as a "superfood" as it's been linked to reduced rates of heart disease and cancer. And now it helps us lose weight too? Green tea has been shown to raise our metabolism, which is key in our battle with the bad stuff. Researchers also suspect that substances called polyphenols combined with caffeine are responsible for its fat-burning properties. If the hot murky stuff doesn't do it for you, try HG's Green Tea Crème Swappuccino! Only 75 calories and SO GOOD!

SPICY FOODS: You know how when you eat spicy foods, you sometimes start to sweat a little (ew)? That's because it's given a little kick to your heart rate. These little kicks will result in a temporary increase in your metabolism, which will help you burn fat a little easier for a bit. A quick hit with cayenne, red pepper flakes, or whatever hot sauce you fancy should do the trick and get your blood pumping. And these spices are practically calorie-free. Yes!

LIGHT DAIRY: Hey, dairy queens! Good news! It turns out that people who eat low-fat or fat-free dairy lose MORE weight than people who don't. Sure we mentioned protein before, but it bears bringing up again since the magical combo of calcium and protein seems to work wonders. We're WAY into yogurt, so we suggest picking up some Fage Total 0% Greek Yogurt and mixing in your favorite fruits, sugar-free preserves... or whatever! Also, light string cheese is a GREAT little snack, with only around 50-60 calories and 2.5g fat a pop. Not bad for hard cheese, people.

WATER: Experts say it's important to drink lots of water if you're trying to burn fat Your body can't work effectively if it's dehydrated -- not only will you FEEL like you don't have any energy, but also your body really won't have what it needs to function and burn off fat. Keep that machine humming -- drink around 8 glasses of water a day!

CINNAMON: Sure this stuff tastes good -- that's why it's found in SO many things. But those chefs might not know that their sprinkling of cinnamon is helping the body process sugar more effectively and lower blood sugar levels. High blood sugar can lead to the body storing more fat, so maybe put together a little shaker of cinnamon and Splenda to sprinkle on your favorite foods! Then whip up some fat-burning cinnamon toast by using your new concoction on whole-wheat bread!

APPLES: An apple a day isn't going to keep the gym away, but it'll probably make your diet plan more effective. Word on the street is that the pectin contained in apples limits how much fat your cells can absorb. (SWEET!) Plus it's a naturally soluble fiber, which is always good. So next time you feel all snacky, grab whichever apple looks best to you (we love Fujis!).

Hungry for More?

Check out Hungry Girl: Recipes and Survival Strategies for Guilt-Free Eating in the Real World. The book's a New York Times Best Seller, and it's packed with 165 super-easy and delicious recipes, survival guides for eating out, and so much more!For a daily dose of guilt-free tips, tricks, food finds, recipes and more, visit hungry-girl.com and sign up for free daily emails!"

Tough Tuesday

noreply@blogger.com (SassyFitnessBug) — Tue, 02 Sep 2008 21:43:00 +0000

Today I did a really good strength workout - Jari Love's Ripped 1000 (a toughie!). I was really proud of myself because I was not in the mood to work out today, but I selected a tough workout and did it.

My calorie goal was 1500 which is always a little tough, but I did well. I had a protein shake for breakfast, a grilled cheese and vegetarian "bacon" sandwich for lunch (with a side of Cheez-Its), a peach, a fudge pop and for dinner I had some shrimp creole (leftovers from a meal I cooked over the weekend). Total calories for the day: 1580

Speaking of fudge pops, can I just say THANK GOODNESS for them? The ones I buy are only 80 calories each and they are intensely chocolate. They really save me from going totally off the deep end. Chocolate is probably one of my biggest weaknesses and something I constantly crave, so having a low cal chocolate fix is really a lifesaver.

My other big weakness is cheese, but cheese is pretty easy to incorporate into my regular meals without it causing excess calorie issues.

Thumbs Up

noreply@blogger.com (SassyFitnessBug) — Mon, 01 Sep 2008 12:23:00 +0000

I haven't been here in awhile - just been busy and haven't felt like posting, but I am happy to report that I have been doing well on the program, especially this past week. This past Monday I made a commitment to myself to really be diligent. I have a big motivator. On October 24th we are leaving for a 10 day vacation to our favorite place, Tulum (Mexico) and I want to get rid of all the weight I gained over the past few months by then so I can walk around in my bathing suit with PRIDE. I know I can do it (or come close) if I am really diligent on the program. (The photo in this post is one I took the last time we were in Tulum....ahhhhhhhh....)

The thing about this program is IT WORKS if I stick to it. I know this for a fact because the times I have really stuck with it, the weight and inches have fallen off pretty quickly.

This past week (Monday - Sunday) I was near perfect on the diet (only 150 calories over for the entire week which I intend to rectify today by deducting 150 from my allowance) and I was 100% perfect with the exercise.

I am going to weigh-in every 10 days. My first weigh-in is this Thursday and my goal is a loss of 6 pounds. After that, my goal will be a 4 pound loss every 10 days.

Sunday Slacker

noreply@blogger.com (SassyFitnessBug) — Mon, 18 Aug 2008 13:42:00 +0000

Sunday was a rest day so no exercise. My calorie goal was 1400 but I went totally off the wagon. I was just ravenous and had no willpower whatsoever. So I decided the way to rectify this situation is to make yesterday a splurge day and sacrifice my spluge day this week. So this week's splurge day will be subsituted with a 1400 calorie day so it will all even out.

Overall, though, I did pretty well this past week with 5 days of solid exercise and I was right on dietary program for 6 out of the 7 days. I haven't weighed myself (I am going to try to limit that to once a month if possible) but there's definitely a noticeable change in the way a particular pair of dress pants are fitting. They were snug last week and this morning when I put them on they were feeling a little loose.

So all in all, I am pleased with my progress!

Saturday Success

noreply@blogger.com (SassyFitnessBug) — Sun, 17 Aug 2008 00:54:00 +0000

Saturday was another good day for me. It was a scheduled rest day, but it was such a gorgeous day, hubby and me decided to go to a local park and walk . We walked about 3 miles so I certainly got some serious exercise in!

My calorie goal was 1800 and I did well. I had a protein shake for breakfast, some watermelon for a snack, a small fish sandwich for lunch, 2 Klondike bars and for dinner we had a BBQ. I had a veggie burger on 1 slice of bread with cheese, 1 corn on the cob with a dab of butter and a very small helping of mashed potatoes. Total calories just a little over 1800.

I'll tell you...there is nothing better in the summer than a perfectly ripe seedless watermelon and corn on the cob. Mm Mm good!

Fabulous Friday

noreply@blogger.com (SassyFitnessBug) — Fri, 15 Aug 2008 19:18:00 +0000

Friday was a fairly easy day because it was my splurge day. For me, the diet part of this program is the most challenging. Working out isn't that bad, although of course it's been a little more challenging lately only because I am getting reaclimated.

Anyway, I didn't really feel like working out, but I forced myself. I rebounded while watching WHFN's Steamin' Cardio.

My diet was completely out the window but that's what splurge days are for! Pizza, ice cream, a nice dinner out! All those things I dream about on those dreaded low-cal days.

Successful Thursday

noreply@blogger.com (SassyFitnessBug) — Fri, 15 Aug 2008 10:26:00 +0000

Thursday was a good day on the program and I was proud of myself because I REALLLLY felt like overdoing the calories (esp. after dinner), but I didn't. I think knowing that today (Friday) is my "spluge day" was enough to keep me on the ball.

I didn't feel like working out, but I mustered up enough motivation to do Michelle Dozois' Your Best Body Circuit. It felt a little more difficult to me than usual this time but I got through it. I rebounded during the cardio segments because I enjoy rebounding better than standard cardio.

My calorie goal was 1500 and I was right on target. I had a homemade Egg McMuffin for breakfast, a pita pizza topped with chopped veggies for lunch, a cup of chopped watermelon for snack (yum!) and I made a nice dinner of baked/breaded tilapia (used panko bread crumbs and fresh herbs in the breading which made it extra good), corn on the cob and a side of broccoli and carrots. My total was 1525 for the day.

Worn Down Wednesday

noreply@blogger.com (SassyFitnessBug) — Wed, 13 Aug 2008 22:00:00 +0000

I decided to make Wednesday a rest day for a couple of reasons. First, I WAY overdid it on Tuesday. Not only did I do a workout in the morning, I also spent a few hours at work moving my office to a new office. I didn't move the furniture (I had a handyman do that for me), but I had to move boxes, computer equipment, files, as well as decorate, hang pictures, set up my computer, etc. In addition to that, I had to organize my old office (which is now a therapy room) and assist the handyman with organizing a third office that we had to borrow some furniture from.

I was so wiped out when I went home Tuesday night, I ate dinner and then crashed on the couch. I woke up Wednesday morning still feeling a little wrung out. I contemplated working out but decided against it because a real estate showing was planned and I needed to get a bunch of housework done in the morning so the house would be "show ready". So, although I didn't do formal exercise, I did do a lot of activity yesterday morning and felt like I got a workout!

It was a 1400 calorie day, so that was a challenge. I did well, though. I had a protein shake for breakfast, a grilled cheese sandwich for lunch and some pasta with marinara sauce and cheese for dinner. That's came to about 1385 calories. I definitely felt like eating more but I was able to exercise restraint.

Trying Hard to Stay on the Path

noreply@blogger.com (SassyFitnessBug) — Wed, 13 Aug 2008 11:20:00 +0000

I've been doing pretty well the last few days, although I just haven't had time to blog. As far as exercise goes, I've been doing great. Last week I only missed one workout and that was only because I felt wrung out and like my body needed a rest, so I worked out 5 days of the week. As for the diet, I didn't do so great over the weekend, but otherwise, I did well the rest of the week.

Thinking back to last week, my biggest challenge was dealing with ravenous hunger. I am not talking about just WANTING to eat. I am talking about stomaching-growling hunger. I think my body is still in calorie reduction shock and it's rebelling. That's why I had a hard time sticking with my calorie levels every day last week.

I am going easy on myself because I realize there is a re-adjustment period and therefore I am cutting myself some slack. I am keeping in mind that I am moving into the right direction. The workout schedule is back on track and I am being conscious about trying my hardest to stick to the calorie plans.

Monday the goals were 2000 calories and strength training. For my workout I did FitPrime's "From the Ground Up" (one of my favorites). I had a shake for breakfast, pita pizza topped with veggies for lunch (plus a cup of soda), a couple popsicles for a snack and for dinner I had pierogies with steamed broccoli and fried onions. My total calories were right at 2000.

Yesterday was a 1500 calorie day, which was challenging, but I did well. I had a homemade egg McMuffin for breakfast, a veggie burger topped with fried mushrooms and onions for lunch, some cherries for a snack and for dinner I had some spaghetti with marinara sauce and the rest of the leftover baked eggplant I made last week. NO junk food yesterday. My total calories were about 1550. My workout yesterday was FitPrime's "GForce2" (a rebounding workout).

Thursday

noreply@blogger.com (SassyFitnessBug) — Fri, 08 Aug 2008 09:57:00 +0000

Yesterday was a fairly easy day. It was a rest day, so no exercise. And it was a 2000 calorie day so I could splurge a little. I had a shake for breakfast, a pita pizza with baked eggplant for lunch and I had a crazy dinner...a bunch of junk like peanut butter and crackers and popsicles. Don't ask. I was just craving that stuff. My body is still in adjustment mode so it's been a challenge this week.

Toughing it out

noreply@blogger.com (SassyFitnessBug) — Thu, 07 Aug 2008 16:59:00 +0000

Yesterday was a successful day for me. I did a really great strength training workout in the morning - FitPrime's "From the Ground Up". My calorie level was 1400 yesterday, which of course was a challenge, but I did well. For breakfast I had a protein shake. At lunch I had some leftover filling from the stuffed peppers I had made the night before (which I made from quinoa, veggies and a little cheese). I also had a handful of cherries (yum!). For dinner I made baked eggplant and had it along with side of pasta and marinara sauce. I had a single-sized fudgsicle for dessert. My total calories for the day was 1440 so pretty good!

My period is over today so I hesitantly got on the scale. I am ashamed to tell you this, but I am going to tell you for the sake of keeping myself honest...over the last 6 months I have gained back 20 pounds of the weight I had lost when I got down to my lowest weight on this program. Isn't it amazing how easily it piles back on if you are not diligent? Well, truthfully I was beyond not diligent. I was off the deep end, so that's the reason. Anyway, I am hoping that being really diligent on the program will get me back to my old level of progress and then move forward from there.