Monday, March 31, 2008

March and April

Recapping March, boo.

1. weigh 134. Well actually the scale has been showing me 138 rather consistently. I would like to get into the lower 130s...

2. be good on weekends. Well this past weekend check. the others, not so much.

3. Train, not exercise. check.

4. Lower-ish carbs. Sorta check? I'm more aware of them and try to eat protein at every meal.

5. Exercise every day. Completely forgot about this and didn't do it at all.

So let's make up all new ones and forget about all that ok?


APRIL:
1. Train - cardio 3 days/week
- weights 2 days/week
minimum of 16 workouts in April

2. Eat protein at every meal and snack.

3. Plan weekend eating. There might be lots of foods but it will be planned. (remind me of this on fridays folks)

4. Have measurements be down by May. 1/4 inch here, 1/2 inch there. Don't care. just not up and not the same. The scale doesn't listen so maybe the tape measure will.

That's it. Nice short focused. I can do that right?

'cause i'm cool like that

I am feeling GOOD! The only downside is that it's only 10:00 on Monday and I've got a full work week ahead of me. But every single other thing is great. Puppy school starts tonight so my dog will have no choice but to be good (right?).

So I think it's obvious that my weekend was good. If a little tiring. Friday my cousin came over and we just visited for a few hours. It was alright. She and I are completely different yet we can talk to each other fine, but we're close enough that she's one of the people I'll be all honest with and say how I hate people who are like BLAH BLAH and only later on realize that she is like BLAH BLAH. And when she tries to explain how annoying her family is being and whatever I completely take their side and agree with them and not her. Oh well. that's how it works. (explanation - she's an ARTIST. artists scare me. They just bought a house and are talking about how they're going to completely redo it and tear this out and redo this and whatever just to suit their tastes, screw the money and the fact that it is perfectly fine. She doesn't have a job, doesn't really know if she's gonna get one or just take pictures and hope to be discovered or something. I'm much to practical and boring to be ok with any of that.)

As I explained it to her, somebody who would sooner write poetry and analyze feelings instead of do something practical like learn math or clean carpets creep me out.

Speaking of clean carpets. (nerd) I bought a carpet shampooer on the weekend and I am IN LOVE! (big nerd) It's ridiculous. it was $250 so kinda expensive. But it's amazing. I vacuumed the carpet and then used this thing. (I vaccuum regularly so it's not like I live in some dump) but this thing got out like 8 hair brushes worth of dog fur from the carpet that we couldn't see after vacuuming. Not to mention all kinds of yucky water. It was so great.

I also bought my barbell set but did not really use it yet. The only thing I could really think that I wanted to do was squats and I needed to warm up a bit to loosen up and well just didn't. I think I'll try to do some tonight because I won't be doing anything else after puppy school. We'll see how long it goes.

I did go for a run with Daisy on Sunday. It was nice, after a couple blocks she tires out a bit and we stop sprinting (aka pulling on the leash). Then did my longer summer route (only like 5k), but it might have been early as we hit a few puddles. We got home and Daisy went outside and passed out on a snowbank. she's outta shape. ;)

Sunday I also was awesome and creative and did some sewing for the house. We've got this bench in the entry that's fake leather that Daisy likes to sit on and look outside. However we've only had it like a month and she's poked 4 holes in it and scratched it all up. So I sewed a little cover for it, fake suede with a cord trim (first time using trim!) and it looks pretty good. Not only that though, I designed a strap thing to hold it on to the bench so it doesn't just fall off or slide around. It involved 4 key chains, a cut up pair of blue jeans and 4 elastics. So cool.

I also put the zipper in a dress I'd started over a year ago so now I have a long brown sundress. It's alright. I don't really know when I'd wear a long brown sundress. It could be dressy but then it looks like something too old for me. We'll see.

Finally I made some turkey chilli and cornbread muffins (which didn't turn out as well for me as they did for my friend I got the recipe from, I think she must have used much more oil to make them yummy, it's actually a sorta healthy recipe - aka not very good?). So lots of leftovers and lunches there.

I did really good on the eating as well this weekend. Considering it's a weekend. Normal things for breakfasts. A couple snacks (which are usually not had on weekends) that were healthy. No take out or fast food. oh wait, a sub on friday for supper. but that's not bad. I had a few sour dinosaurs and might have had a bit too many nuts friday and saturday night (we had people over saturday night for a Rockband party). But again, that's not too bad.

I did measurements, and I forgot to bring them to work to put up here. But overall things were kinda the same as a month ago. Maybe a few areas down 1/4 or 1/2 an inch. Which I guess makes a difference. (wearing my skinny jeans today!) I'm sort of excited that I'm not taking any classes besides drop in once in awhile now. My strength training is gonna kick ass. Plus weather's nice enough for runs (well it's hovering around freezing for the high so it's still chilly. But with the sun it's ok) so I can start doing that more often. yay! things are awesome!

Also, hubby has to work now at 7:30 instead of 8 so he's gotta get up earlier. which is good because I will get up earlier and I love doing things in the morning. (not eating in the car? sweet) Oh also, hubby got a raise so he's happy too.

So things are cool like that and everything is good. Hope it's the same for you!

Friday, March 28, 2008

I hope you plan on participating too

So even though we'll probably be having a party at 8:00 this Saturday, I plan on shutting the lights out on us anyway. It's just an hour people.

fuhgedaboutit

The scale is retarded. I guess it didn't read my blog or notice that my clothes look good. I don't even remember, 138 or something. pft. not important. We'll see in the measurements tomorrow. And even if we don't see there, we'll just suck in our belly's and wear something low cut and look in a mirror and think about how hot we are.

and talk in the third person.

today is friday! It's the weekend! Guess what? I'm going to to totally have an awesome weekend. salads and veggies and fruit. Know why? Because we're entering the danger zone hormone wise. But I just read something that said your body is totally capable of giving up ridiculous amounts of fat in the week before your period, and that's why it gives you all these cravings to make sure it doesn't happen. So if you can outwit your cravings it could actually be an awesome week. So I'll just do that.

So I swam yesterday, first time in about 2 weeks. Arms and back are a little sore from it. I didn't do a very good job going continuously, because I kept running into somebody slower than me and waiting her out. And I forgot to look what time I started or count my laps or anything. And I got bored early on so just made myself do a few more laps, then a few more etc. I was in and out in less than 58 minutes (according to the parking meter) so I'm figuring at least 30 minutes in the pool. Which is alright. I did the proper turns a few times and felt super cool, but too geeky to do it where the lifeguards were so only at the other end. At least I remembered how to do them and didn't hit my head.

I've got a stew in the slow cooker today. But SIL and family is in town (stayed at our house actually, and boy are 8 and 5 year olds annoying, especially in the morning when you have to go to work) and Safari Jeff is in the mall and there was talk of all the rest of the family meeting to watch that at 6:00 and going out for supper. But I don't wanna. But I probably will. Then my cousin is gonna come out for a visit tonight. We were best friends in high school, then roommates through college and she was a bridesmaid at my wedding, but you grow apart ya know? And she's a kind of negative, depressed person (I know you can't help it if you're depressed but it doesn't make you fun to hang out with) who really just gets on my nerves most of the time now and I feel like I can't be myself around her for some reason. Anyway, gonna try and visit for a few hours tonight.

Then apparently we're having a party on Saturday. (if you're in the neighbourhood...) so I'll be cleaning the house for that. Maybe making some snacks, but I'll try ones I don't like so I'm not tempted. Maybe go shopping. I really really want a carpet shampooer all of a sudden (maybe because of Daisy's muddy paws?)

I've been freezing cold lately, even though it's been melting, but I'll try to take Daisy for a run this weekend. It's easier to think good food thoughts when you exercise. Actually if I buy my barbell set I'll do a strength workout, that should warm me up!

Thursday, March 27, 2008

Feeling good

So I know the scale hasn't been budging for me for quite a long time. And I'm not doing enough big strength things to be really seeing muscle growth, but I still think something's going on. I haven't done measurements yet but will this weekend (at the end of the month). My pants are fitting differently. Even my skinny pants, the ones I just recently could wear again, are loose on the waist. Not the butt or legs or anything, so they're not falling down, but they gape a bit when I stand up. Weird.

And my jeans that sort of have always fit, and always looked good, they're loose in the hips. Sort of like stretched out, you know, 3 wearings in and just before a wash. But they just came out of the drier. bizarre.

So I'm pretty happy about that. At least this week, I can put anything in my closet on and not have to check a mirror. Granted my tight shirts don't look good when I'm sitting but standing I'm happy.

I think I'm at that weird place when you don't see it any more. When I was my previously skinniest (4 years ago before my wedding). I wasn't really exercising much, jogging now and then, doing the same "diet" kinda thing as I've always done, save treats for treat worth occassions. Then I remember one morning getting dressed and seeing my naked legs, and being impressed. I don't know how they got that way but they were actually nice! (I have never had nice legs, short and muscular = stumpy looking).

I think I might be getting there again. Nothing dramatic going on, just going through the motions. Eating is fairly easy (save TOM) exercising is second nature. This should pay off right?

Wednesday, March 26, 2008

An aside

So I was thinking about stress a little bit and being glad I don't have the stress-gene. Aka I don't get stressed easily at all. And it got me thinking about my MIL. We were talking about my SIL who is pregnant and said something about how being on bed rest will at least help keep her stress down or something. and MIL says, "oh what does SHE have to be stressed about". She also says this about my other SIL who is getting married in Oct and trying to find a new job and place to live. Also my husband always talks about how he can't deal with X right now because he's too stressed and there's too much going on. (hubby and MIL are scarily similar). But really what the hell is going on in their lives that is stressful? not much. If I say something like this to MIL she says "*sigh* Honestly Randi, you should just trade me days for just 1 week. The crap I deal with at work and with my sisters" or who knows what. She just recently got a job outside the home when her kids moved out. She now cooks at a small restaurant (think chicken fingers, or omelet breakfasts, seats about 30 or something). She's the head cook, so sure she has to deal with ordering or whatever. or complaining about the other cook not cleaning the kitchen after he shift. And her sisters just like to complain when they talk on the phone for an hour every single day. Oh not to mention how freakin' busy and stressful she gets gardening, planting 1000s of flowers in her greenhouse each spring. For crying out loud. There's nothing going on in her life, she's practically retired, she took up a hobby job! She's so freakin' stressed. Boo! if anything at least the preggers SIL can worry about her baby, and the other SIL has a wedding to plan etc.

Same with hubby, I wanted to start planning the bathroom for the basement because that's something that matters a bit to me and I'd like to think about for a long time (we're months away from actually building this part) but he said he didn't want to think about it yet because he's got so much going on in his life right now. Oh really? between your regularly houred job and playing hockey or baseball? sure. I can see how difficult that is. Oh and add in your nightly naps for 1.5 hours, I can see how you don't have time or energy for this. Boo you too!

I don't believe in stress. Oh I know it exists, these 2 are being honest when they say they're feeling stressed. But I don't think it's anything more than a bad attitude. I guess if you had some kind of crazy job with people's lives in your hand or something and worked 60 hours a week plus had to take care of a dying mother and a disabled child or something. But if you just have "a job" and not even any dependants to take care of, you don't have stress except what you make up.

Anyway, there was one aside, my second is about stuff I wanna buy that I'm thinking about since we're getting our big tax refund soon. (plus I have birthday money still!)

So here are some things I want (that are semi-big buys):
carpet shampoo-er
new dinner plates
laptop
expensive bathing suit
trip to europe (with sister in september)
trip to mountains (with hubby this summer)
personal trainer sessions
fence for the dog run
screen door for the front
fabric for all kinds of sewing projects


I'm sure there's lots more. Now here's a questions. If you all of a sudden had some money, what would you buy? (and don't tell me invest it or savings or something because I've already got that covered, this is fun money)

full

So from the comments, I basically understand that I'm going a bit overboard here with the water bottle thing compared to the rest of you. But I've already got it so we'll just see who's laughing when one of us dies (what a horrible thought, of course it's not true, but some of my favorite jokes are the completely inappropriate laugh at death and cancer type jokes, so sorry for those who don't get it)

not what I was gonna talk about but a funny little story. My grandma died just a month before my wedding (told you it was funny...) and it was rather sudden and unexpected (heart attack in her sleep). Anyway, at my wedding my grandpa was talking to my cousin when they announced the garter toss was happening, and my granpda said "oh geez I better get out there now that i'm a swinging bachelor". Haha. then one time when my brother and I went to visit him on a big road trip we were talking about this memorial wall thing where you buy a brick for your family or something (as a fundraiser for something) and they engrave their name and stuff. Anyway, grandpa had bought a brick for his first wife, so it said his name and hers. Then he bought one for my grandma and her first husband (my biological grandpa, but he died when my mom was in high school), and then he bought one for himself and my grandma. And we were all joking that when people come back and look at this wall they're going to think it's some kind of Mormon community or something since his name was on there so many times. My grandpa's awesome.

Ok what I was gonna talk about it how full I feel right now. And in a good way. Last night I had slow cookered chicken thighs (cooked with ketchup, vinegar, brown sugar, Worcestershire sauce) which was really good. And hubby made rice since I didn't get home until late (to make couscous or quinoa which he doesn't like). And he decided to be creative and make it taste good so he added all sorts of butter and chicken stock to the rice. So he really likes it, and I'm really horrified by the grease at the bottom of the rice pot. Oh well. I ate a little bit last night and then a little bit with the left over chicken for lunch today. I ate 4 chicken thighs, and i'm stuffed. I have no sense of scale on thighs since I've never really eaten them before. but it feels like about the same as a large chicken breast. who knows. Anyway, last night I also steamed about 2 cups of frozen beans and carrots with some spices and ate it all. It completely filled my plate (I ate the other food while waiting for it to cook). It was ridiculous how much it was. but it totally satisfied any stuff your face, just wanna eat more cravings I was feeling. Tasted good, with no guilt! and I was stuffed. I have no problem eating to beyond capacity if it's vegetables with spices! yay!

I did go to the gym yesterday. Did 10 minutes on the bike and then ran 5k in about 27 minutes. The old body was sort of tired during the running so I really didn't feel into it, but I'm glad I got 5 k in anyway since that's as far as I have to go in my tri.

I'm going to the gym again today, just do a little bit of a run and then try and do some weights now. (nobody got back to me on good ideas for triathlon strength training...and while your at it, how do I stretch my hip flexors? Having some real issues here.)

perhaps I should meet with a personal trainer. That sounds so cool. Maybe it's something I could do now before the triathlon, then again afterwards for some new goal I'll make up. Any idea on what this would cost me? I'm just sort of doubtful as to the quality of PT my gym employs. I know one of the girls that teaches a class from high school. she's really nice, but definately doesn't use bigger than 5 lb weights. Really peppy in a step class. (however they've got this other girl who teaches a boot camp who is amazing...)

Anyway, supper tonight is just gonna be me. Since I had my "meaty" thing for lunch, I'll do the salad thing for supper and either have my spinach salad with egg or go all out and make a chef salad, we'll see what's in the fridge. Might make a side coleslaw (yeah sorta weird, salad as a side to salad) since I've got so much cabbage right now.

Anyway, I'm just keeping my nose to grindstone, trying to take the thinking out of the food and exercise and just do it. how 'bout y'all?

Tuesday, March 25, 2008

How do you drink it?

So I know you all drink gallons of water every day, the same as I do. (no, that wasn't sarcasm, I do drink gallons daily). And I used to drink water from the water cooler (just for temperature, I actually prefer tap water) from my Nalgene water bottle refilled several times throughout the day. Ok great. But then I heard things, like about plastic water bottles. And I didn't like it.

For my birthday I got an aluminum water bottle (or something like that, it's metal anyway). So far I like it, though it conducts temperature so that my hand freezes when there's cold water in it. Plus I can't see through it when filling to know when to stop. But it will just take some getting used to. Oh and also, the lid is way less convenient to remove.

But I'd sooner not have any endocrine disruptors (basically bad things that can cause cancer, obesity, birth defects, diabetes etc) if I can help it. But I was wondering, am I going overboard? As my hubby says, everything will give you cancer. What do you guys think? What do you use?

edit - basically if it's plastic, even reusable, it can leach endocrine disruptors. The pop bottle kind (that you're not supposed to refill) are the very worst, but even the Nalgene reusable kind are bad (the little number on the bottom in the recycle thing means something, mine's a 7 and it's bad. 1s are very bad. Apparently 2 HDPE, 4 LDPE or 5 PP aren't so bad.

next week is April!

Man time is flying! yay and boo. (yay summer, boo to not getting any closer to my goal)

But I managed a great day yesterday almost. I was ambushed with birthday cake at work. Seriously! the secretary has a little kid so I think she was thinking I would think that it wasn't fair if I didn't get cake and would be upset. Whatever. I ate it instead of afternoon snack and then had a light supper. Now PLEASE let that be the last holiday type thing before summer!

I am managing to avoid the chocolate mints outside my office.

Plus I told office people about my triathalon so now it's tres real. (my office people include 2 former university track stars, one of which now coaches university track and the other competetively bike races. I do think I'm the winner at swimming as a former lifeguard, so I should embarrass myself there. but still. sheesh)

I don't know if I'm gonna take today off as well or start training again. only like 2 months left. and since time is flying, that's like no time. It'll depend on if my sister wants to gym with me or not, otherwise I'm back tomorrow.

Eating is soooo the toughest part for me. Always has been, but now that it's the final countdown (do da da doo doooo, dododo do do....) I mean final few pounds I'm not getting away with nothing. But luckily I should have it beat this week. I bought groceries yesterday including lots and lots of fruits and veggies and milk and yogurt. Plus the spinach salad eating I mentioned earlier. So much spinach. Plus lots and lots of coleslaw veggies so I should whip something up with that. And last night I cut up a cantaloup and a pineapple so they're in my lunch today (and tomorrow at least). tonight I'll cut up the veggies. I also got the slow cooker going with some chicken thighs today. I'm just feeling really on top of it all. yay!

breakfast this morning was plain yogurt with vanilla protein powder, ground flaxseed, and cut up strawberries. yum. health.
snack was just some carrots.
lunch will be spinach salad with 2 hard boiled eggs. pineapple maybe cantaloup too.
afternoon snack probably apple, maybe with cheese string if I'm gyming
supper slow cooker chicken with steamed veggies and maybe quinoa (probably good with salsa mixed in, just thought of that.)


If I focus on eating as I'm trying to focus on "training" as opposed to just working out and eating healthy it might help. As in I'm "training" with my food as well. Eat like an athlete and stuff. only 2 months folks! Forget not eating something because it's "bad" and won't help the weight loss, but because it will affect my workouts and I'm training. might be worth an attitude shift.

Monday, March 24, 2008

I meant starting NOW

I'm gonna forget the weekend, because I mostly did already. It was fun, and there were some successes, but a heck of a lot of reeses cups and mini eggs too. And chips. Why oh why chips?

Anyway, there were lots of bad things, and that's making me hate the scale. But I'm excited to be on track again. Shopping after work here and so stocking up on the good.

I'm planning on eating spinach salad every day until it's gone, and the hard boiled eggs too (I have a great spinach salad dressing that is so good with spinach and eggs and onion. mmmm) Stocking up on apples and oranges and carrots etc. plain yogurt for mixing with berries. stuff I like.

Interesting thing, on thursday I went out with hubby to his hockey game and then out with the team after as it was their last game (and my birthday). So I drank diet coke all night, but still didn't get to bed until 3:00. I was hung-over friday! Well sorta. I sorta felt hung over all weekend! Turns out it's not just booze that does it to you. for me it is lack of sleep, lack of exercise and eating junk.

Would you freakin' remind me of that once in awhile?

I feel like CRAP when I'm unhealthy!

I have really gotta get serious about all this stuff now. Weather is warming up, tri is really coming up, summer so soon! I took last thursday off from the gym, and I'm taking today off and maybe tomorrow. But I think I've gotta get back at it by wednesday. The running and swimming at least. Plus I've got my birthday money now and I can buy my barbell set! yay!

Speaking of birthday. I got money from my parents and hubby's parents like I usually do. Siblings got me a few small-ish things and we're going out for supper (reed diffuser air freshener, solar garden lights, metal water bottle so I don't get cancer, Tim card). SILs don't get me presents since we do a supper thing all the time instead. But my BIL decided to give me $50 in a card (made by his wife the martha SIL). And inside he wrote (well in his wife's writting so even weirder) "buy yourself something naughty, you know you want to". How weird and uncomfortable is that? And he said that I have to show him what I buy! Now he always does a little flirt thing with me and it seems harmless, as in what you'd maybe expect from a BIL, a teasing sort of way, with a little wink and then we laugh it off. But then sometimes it's really inappropriate and I don't feel like I'm doing anything to encourage it. Like we were playing cranium and I was doing the charades thing and we got it right and won so I jumped up and down and high fived my team. And BIL told me to jump up and down again. What the hell am I supposed to say after that? So I just blush and say no and sit down. Boo.
It's one thing for me to talk with my SILs about stuff and joke and complain or whatever, and I'm sure they tell their husbands, because I tell mine, but isn't there a rule that you're not supposed to bring that sort of stuff up? like I'll talk vibrators with the girls, but I think it's weird to with my BIL! Ugh.

Plus he's not supposed to get me any kind of present anyway (let alone $50!) because the guys buy for the guys and the girls buy for the girls. Then it's "fair".

On to happier thoughts. I was tagged a couple times by these lovely ladies to use 6 words to summarize me. (have you read my blog? Have I ever used less than 500 words?) Mucho tough. Here's what I came up with:

It's ok.

Be good.

Can you believe it? I'm leaving words on the table! But I just keep coming up with these same things. An explanation:
It's ok - who knows if this was something my mom said when rocking me to sleep or something, but I know just repeating those words makes me feel better when I'm upset or stressed or whatever. And I really believe it to. Whatever it is, WHATEVER it is, it's ok. It's not the end of the world, it's really no big deal. It's ok, or it will be ok (ok so that would be 6 words). Sort of goes along with the thought that your attitude determines how you see things right?

The other, be good. I do know my mom would say this to us kids whenever we went away on a trip or out for the night or just back to college after a weekend. We didn't really do the I love you think very much. So this is sort of our equivalent (I now say it to hubby or the sibs when they leave somewhere). But I love it. Be good. If you lived your whole life by that principle how great would that be? You don't have to be the best, just be good, do good things, think good thoughts. Don't be bad, either misbehaving type bad, or bad for your health, bad at work, bad to other people.

So now I'm supposed to tag some people, but I haven't really paid attention to who has or hasn't been tagged already. I want everybody who hasn't been tagged that I read your blog to please do it! (I know that's totally lame and I hate when other people do that...oh well)

Thursday, March 20, 2008

so I (mostly) did it

So I had a great successful day yesterday. Until I waiting to leave for step class and ate about 10 pringles. WTF? Let's just say that they were a little pre-workout carbs to up the energy and that they worked. Anyway so that was not part of the plan. But the rest of the day totally was.

And it wasn't easy. Still hungry (or obsessed with eating) after lunch that I ate my yogurt at like 1:30. Then after the meeting with the lawyer (I go pick up a cheque for $43,000 today!) I ate my apple and went to Costco. I guess if I'm totally honest I ate samples of salad, mashed potatoes, a slice of smokie and the tiniest corner of sandwich ever. I know it adds up. However those bites of food were enough to make me NOT buy a hotdog at Costco which I sort of wanted to get. And hubby didn't feel like going out for a drink (while we were downtown anyway, where I would have proceeded to order food) so I ended up going home and cooking the meatballs and veggies just like I had planned.

So I know some of you are watching out for BLTs (bites, licks and tastes), and looking at my thing you'll know I had plenty of those so it was a complete failure in that regard. However, my eating has been so wacked that I'm still considering yesterday a success, because they were just BLTs that were off plan, not complete meals. And in the end they sort of helped me stick to my plan.

Step class was good. Last one until April something. And I was totally the all-star. Instructor has a sore knee so she was doing the "easier" moves and sort of invited me to the front to do the crazy moves. Since I was already in the front in the center of the class I didn't actually move anywhere (I said "this is close enough right?") and she said something like "aw, that's not how it was supposed to work. I thought I could groom you into being an instructor and you could fill in for me when I'm sick and stuff" but it was all kind of light and joking so I'm trying to not let my ego swell. Then when we did the weight part and I was doing chest presses she brought over her barbell and gave it to me to use (everyone has dumbells except her). So I used it, but really I think it was only 20 lbs, and I was using 2 10 lb dumbells so same diff. It was different having your arms have to work together though, interesting to see how off balance you are. Anyway then when we were doing bicepts she asked if I wanted to use her bar again, but she would use my 8 lbs, but when she saw they were 10s she called me crazy and made me use them and she used her bar. It is sorta something to be stronger than the instructor huh? However she is a much smaller person with a much lower body fat.

Anyway, last day before weekend! and tomorrow's my birthday! yay! I'm turning 26. Which makes me feel old. (shut up if you're older, I don't think you're old, and you must have gone through this yourself before anyway). I just feel like now I'm completely an adult and in the "grown-up" part of life. Now I feel out of place in a bar (did already but whatevs), can't blow my money on trips, have to think about kids and retirement and mortgages and am almost 30. And when you're 30 you have to wear different clothes than you could when you were 20 (so say magazines that show what to wear in your 20s and 30s and 40s) and I still never really got into the 20 clothes yet (bikini's are for 20s right?). And I have wrinkles. Yes really.

But at the same time I'm right on target in other areas. Have a house, a husband, thinking babies next year. It's alright.

So yesterday I went to Costco and they had more Tuff Athletic workout clothes (which I buy everything from, my fake lulu stuff) so I spent like $75 and bought 3 shirts and 2 pairs of capris. Super cute. Light pink, brown, green, tan and black. So they all can mix up fairly well. I already had orange, bright pink, blue, black, white and grey. Seriously I have everything they've ever sold at Costco! Ha! I love it!

Tonight I'm going to hubby's last hockey game and probably out after since it's their last one and tomorrow's a holiday. (plus if people find out it's my birthday it might turn into that). Just gonna rock the diet cokes. They feel like a treat anyway and you can drown yourself in them for no calories! (a million chemicals, but no calories...)

Then doing some baking and cooking tomorrow to bring home to parents and in-laws for saturday and sunday. Not to mention I want to do some cleaning (and on my birthday! horrors!).

Hope you all have a nice Easter!

Guess who is awesome?

It's me!

I'm a celebrity guest chef (ok, not celebrity...) at Mizfit today! Yabba dabba doo! Make sure you check it out (it's nothing amazing, just some chicken strips, but they are good and healthy...)

Wednesday, March 19, 2008

Let's have 1 good day

So I decided today is gonna be a good day. I'm gonna eat only good today, not even depriving, just not a mess.
Breakfast - 2 slices whole wheat toast with peanut butter and honey (see, already a treat)
snack - not hungry
lunch - hungry so early - half a pita with white bean and roasted red pepper dip (basically hummus but different bean), grapes, cheese string
Trying to remember I'm full right now and ignoring the carb craving
snack - apple and yogurt? 1 or the other, depends.
supper - sweet and sour meatballs. LOTS of steamed veggies with lemon and herbs. Maybe some couscous or quinoa.
after workout - glass of milk

There. it's decided. So I will not be eating the orange I brought today, nor the kiwi or the carrots or the almonds. All healthy food, but freakin too much!

Gonna up the water intake. gallons of water will be consumed.

Yesterday was not terrible, just far too much food. I ended up having the thai salad with chicken with dressing on the side. When it got to me I realized why it was 1000 calories, not the dressing (which was basically balsalmic vinegar with thai spices and lime.) but because it was a lettuce/noodle salad. So I ate nearly the whole thing, but none of the noodles. I feel quite good about it. And a diet coke, no bellini which were on special.

But lunch yesterday was a disaster. I packed food for supper not knowing if we were going for drinks or a meal. Plus I thought I'd be going to the gym before going out. So once I figured everything out I still plowed through most of my meals: can of tuna with italian and lettuce, mini bagel, oatmeal, apple, grapes, carrots, yogurt, vanilla milk thing. I was completely stuffed and felt gross even while eating, but I just liked the taste too much. (maybe I should only bring gross food?)

Anyway, today is going good. I didn't bring any carby things (granola bars or oatmeal or whatever) so I can't have it even if I wanted (and I do, but I won't).

Chugging the water.

Shopping for a bikini at victoria secret online. Too much selection. going nuts.

have a meeting at 3:00 to finalize the new mortgage (just refinancing). So meeting with hubby there and then I'm probably not going to come back to work. Ha! I'm having a super hard time right now. Mostly because I don't really have anything to do really. So I'm completely cool with ducking out early. sweet! Maybe hit the mall since the meeting is near-by. Might go swimsuit shopping in person so I can better see how things work. (I'm fine with the belly not being where I want yet, I just wanna see how the boobs hold up -ha - with different styles.)

Anyway, all encouragement is welcome today as I try and just go minute by minute not filling my face. I feel like I'm staring at a plate of cookies but can't have any. (even though it's freakin' oranges and almonds and carrots...)

Tuesday, March 18, 2008

I'm learning alright?

So food yesterday had some highs and lows, then more highs. High #1, ate really good at work. lots of fruits, veggies, 10 almonds and a salad and that's it. However, that wasn't enough to keep me going while cooking supper. (lesson learned? need some protein in the afternoon!) While supper was cooking I proceeded to eat chips, cookies and candy. Bad form. However supper was another high. Instead of the honey garlic chicken wings I'd cooked for my household, with the fettucini alfredo Sidekicks and asparagus with mayo (weird but how hubby likes it), I made myself an egg white omelet with 9 million vegetables in it (and cheese) and just had that. Then after class was a glass of skim milk. So it could have been a great day eating wise if I'd only eaten some yogurt or cheese in the afternoon, turned out to be a sorta bad day with a bunch of junk. but I did learn something.

So for eats today what am I doing?
breakfast - protein shake with frozen berries
oatmeal to go bar (this was supposed to be my emergency food, but it's basically cake so I can't stay away from it)

other meals - can of tuna with a couple sprays of italian dressing and some lettuce, hummus and half a pita, grapes, apple, kiwi, carrots, cheese string, orange. Also brought a mini bagel since I didn't know what the deal with supper would be.
But now I know supper's gonna be out with my girlfriends at Earl's so I might tighten up the food a bit. Try and have a salad at Earl's.

Class last night was brutal. I don't know why but I couldn't do the squats. I can only do slow squats, and she had us do some singles and it just messed me up, I don't use my legs properly, my hip flexor acts up and all I feel is in my quads just above my knee (which is freaking huge enough there thank you) and I want to feel it in the butt more like when I go slow. I had to drop weights and just do body weight. Weird. I could always do it before...maybe the bad eats?

I've also got a couple weird things in my arms, like my right shoulder feels like it's got a pinched nerve sometime, my left forearm hurt this morning, my arms creak and crack when I do upright rows which can't be good. I've got class this wednesday and then none for at least 2 weeks, plus I'll only be doing class sometimes then, focusing on tri training. (ps - anybody know any good strength exercises that would help with a triathalon pass them along! I don't know what I should be focusing on, muscle endurance?) I'm tossing the idea of taking all next week off, besides maybe walks/short runs with the dog. It's good to give your body a break once in awhile right?

Anyway, I gotta do some work today, i didn't do 1 freakin' thing yesterday. The top 2 guys are out of the office, plus so are both secretaries and so it's only us low on the totem pole guys (4 people). So it's been so easy to just surf the web or blog. But it would look pretty bad if I got absolutely nothing accomplished.


Update - thanks to Shannon I just checked out the nutritional info at Earl's. ARGH! Salads with 1000 calories! second choice of kung pao with 46 g of fat! Yipes!
I think I'll get a salad still and just eat half of it and get the rest packed up, but do salads really keep well as leftovers? Maybe I could do the same thing with the kung pao? I could get like a burger or something but then i'm adding sides on to it anyway. Definately sticking to diet coke!

Monday, March 17, 2008

What do you think of a Polar?

I'm now waffling between a polar heart rate monitor with a foot pod (approx $200 on ebay) or a garmin same thing (but not the gps one, also with a foot pod, around the same money). I just don't run outside when it's cold. I don't know if I will ever do it (cold to me lasts all winter, colder than -10 C I just can't do it, and that's minimum 4 months where I live), so I do the treadmill thing at the gym. And that means the GPS would be useless. However, does it still work as just a GPS? For like camping? or when hubby goes hunting? oh I don't know.

The polar one shows all kinds of amazing training stuff you can do with intervals based on heart rate and stuff. But I'm sure it's all like that. At the same time, I did pretty darn good without any of this junk last summer when I just used a watch and how I felt. Hmm...

I'm gonna do a 10K.

See katieo's post about her race. me=inspired.

go to bed

So make sure to check out Christy's blog for a nice summary of some sleep stuff. Not enough sleep gives you pre-diabetes!? Makes you hungrier?! More emotional?! (ok that last one isn't suprising). and no. you can't get away with less even if you think you can. (sleep is one of my favorite things to do, second to eating probably. geez I sound like fun huh?)

obsessed

I've become obsessed with baby clothes. How weird, I know. I'm not pregnant, I'm not getting pregnant for at least several months. But I've discovered cute, funny, clever baby clothes and I'm obsessed with making them. It started with my SIL and how she's all country and her hubby is like "you're ruining the baby [in her belly] with all your country music!" cause he's a rocker. And that reminded me of these black onesies I'd seen that said like KISS and AC/DC and stuff that he would totally love, but they were like $30 each. So on the weekend I bought a 3 pack of white onesies and tried to dye them black, but they ended up looking like a faded black. (might try again). And I was gonna put cute little sayings and stuff on them. And I just googled ideas and now I'm obsessed. here's ones I like:
AB/CD (in AC/DC font)
for those about to ROCK (with a cradle picture)
Mother Sucker
if you think I'm looking good, you should see my Aunty!
Plus I like just ones that say either DUDE or CHICK to help people out (babies look the same right?) but we don't know what they're having yet.

And then I was looking on ebay for black onesies and then just white ones and basically that's all I did this morning so far.

My weekend was pretty good. Not half as productive as I wanted to be. I forgot that curling was on so that took up quite a few hours. Plus all day Sunday hubby and I spent shopping. Well and looking. We were trying to figure out some basement stuff so we spent hours in home depot just looking. I got a run in with Daisy on Saturday but I don't think it nearly made up for the terrible eating.

Friday supper with my SILs was alright. I ate a thai chicken salad, but we had appetizers of some goat cheese dip and dessert and a Moxie sized margarita. But it was a splurge so no big deal. Saturday though hubby and I went out for supper for my birthday (which is on Good Friday, and I'd feel to guilty celebrating on good friday) and I had a chicken fajita and soup. Again not TERRIBLE for a birthday supper, but bad for second night in a row. Then when we were shopping we got Timmy Ho's and I just had a sandwich and a DONUT (I love donuts, and muffins, and bread. I explained to hubby, anything that can crumb is my favorite. chips, toast, bagels, cookies....). Then supper sunday was fast food again, but I just had a jr burger and a side salad.

None of my meals were really bad, and if there were only 1 of them this weekend I'd be really happy. It just is bad that every single meal had a bad thing.

I felt pretty good about myself during the supper with SILs. I loved that I had a salad while they all had fatty meals. However SIL who joined Curves is really looking good. I would post pictures but I only took 1 and it's still on my camera. I still feel pretty good with my overall good-looking-ness too though so it's all good. What did get awkward was when they talked wedding with roommate SIL. Both of her sisters are in the wedding party, sure makes sense. I am not. Ok. But her sisters are sort of running the show too, making the invitations for her and the favour basket things. It just sort of got awkward when they talked about all that stuff and about what time they should book their hair that morning and whatever, when I'm just sitting there, not really involved. It does sort of hurt because she's LIVING with me and I'm not really a part of her day at all, and we talk about stuff at home and I help her with stuff, but since I'm not officially anything I'm not included. It's hard to explain so this may make no sense at all. but since you guys always stick up for me and dont even know SIL, I'm sure you'll make me feel better anyway.

Did not take any pictures for you all. So sorry. Hopefully I get my glasses soon and I can take pictures of them too this week.

Friday, March 14, 2008

Why don't you guys post more this afternoon?

I'm bored at work trying to kill the last 1 hour. Come on! write something!

No?

Well I'll write then.

We're going to Moxie's tonight. Moxie's does not publish their nutritional info. Marketplace (like canadian 60 minutes?) did a thing about how supposedly "healthy" food in restaurants like that is actually super super bad, as in 1000s of calories in a salad and stuff. At least mcDonalds tells you the nutritional stuff so you can make informed choices. I was going to look up the menu and try and decide what I was going to order. But I guess I'm going to try and go with intuition. Probably the thai chicken salad or something, but I know at Boston Pizza that's one of the worst options! But still, vegetables, chicken, seems like it's alright. Probably a fatty dressing. It is an "occassion" so I'm not too worried about it I guess. I probably will have a fancy drink too, and I'm no longer a drinker. AND dessert. Hmm... (FYI boston pizza pad thai has over 2000 calories)

It's my 3 SILs and me. The one is tiny SIL who lives with me. She's like size 4 everything, short, small hands, (blond...) you know the type right? But the other day I noticed that she was sort of...soft. Even though her legs are way smaller than mine (WAY) I think mine are nicer, hers are fatty, but small.

One SIL is pregnant (and therefore fat - haha!). But she's the one who has been in every diet program thing, started with weight watchers, joined a gym, then bought a treadmill and bowflex thing, and then most recently LA Weight Loss. Each time was successful! but she gains it all back. Just before she got pregnant, she was down to 5 lbs above her goal with LA. But then in her first trimester, she sort of let loose. Now she's due in like 2 weeks so she's gigantic, but she's supposed to be.

The other SIL has recently joined Curves (3 months?) but when I saw her a few weeks ago, she was looking really good. (she's the martha one if anyone remembers). She has always been round (short and round) hiding in sweaters or whatever. But when I saw her she was looking less round. She looked big still, but a big difference. But probably at the stage where when people say she looks good she's like "well how fat was I before?"

And since these are my SILs, and part of the in-law family, I feel competetive. I wanna look the best out of them all. So the fact that she lost a lot of weight is making me feel insecure, like why didn't I lose a bunch of weight?

This meal we always take pictures at, and they're always every 6 months. So it's sort of a progress photo twice a year. I can see how my hair and style changes, and my general size. I know I looked pretty good last time still, I was at the same weight approximately. I think I've probably toned up a lot since then. I'm glad i'm feeling pretty darn good lately about my size at least.

At least I have more money then all of them.

Sad but I feel better. Motivation I guess right? Like let's look even better in September.

So this weekend I'm gonna try and be super productive. So far my to do list:
send back black dress with a hole in it
find RRSP paper that mom needs, or else request a second copy sent
take pictures for you folks
print pictures at photolab.ca because of sale
vacuum whole house
do ALL laundry
make floor plan of basement
go to Home Styles trade show?
maybe go on date with hubby for my birthday (which is on Good Friday so I'd feel too bad going out then and that weekend is so busy)
Put frames up in living room and on new bookcase
Look into puppy school for Daisy

Fairly busy huh? we'll see what I get done. Plus if it's nice I'll try and go for a run with the dog.

Yay! beers at work time! (I don't like beer but I like sitting and BSing!)

I rock

Not to be confused with iRack which was a funny little thing from MadTV I saw on youtube.

iRock.

So yesterday I hit the old gymnasium up and hoped on the treadmill - FOR 47 MINUTES! I thought, I'm sick of being scared of running for a long time so I just tried it. It was cool. I ran 8.25 km. So that's pretty good I think. slightly better than 1 km in 6 minutes which is a 30 minute 5k (watch Randi do math!). I tried to keep it steady on no incline and 10.5 km/hr, but I would get bored or a good song would come on I'd try and run with. So I moved it around a bit. The last 3 minutes were super hard core too, 2-3 incline and 11-12 km/hr. My body was starting to get tired at the end. Not so much my lungs and heart which is good (I remember huffing and puffing when I first started running, I could probably breath through my nose for most of this run). But what made me stop was the crazy blisters I was getting on my feet. I was overpronating on purpose (in anti-overpronate shoes which is not easy) to keep the weight of my inner foot where the crazy blisters were, both feet. Kinda super gross if you wanted to see. They started hurting at 30 minutes, right when I usually stop. I'm gonna have to figure something out for that. I already was wearing my most technologically advanced socks and my expensive running shoes. Ideas?

So I was super duper happy and felt really really good when that was done. (except my feet). I'm positive I could do a 10K with out a problem. Yay! Maybe after my tri I'll sign up for one of those! Anyway, after that, stopped at the grocery store, not the slightest bit hungry, bought some produce I was out of and went home where I had a stir-fry waiting that I ate on quinoa. yum. healthy. Then Lost was on and I was so pissed at Jin the whole thing for not showing up until after his baby was born, but then IT WASN'T EVEN SUN HE WAS GOING TO SEE! SUN THINKS JIN'S DEAD? Crazy. and Michael's back? Awesome. There, now I spoiled the whole episode for you.

I also baked up these apple snack things. High protein, low cal, fairly yummy, though unusual. Ingredients:
2 apples, cut into small chunks
1 cup egg white
2 cups cottage cheese
cinnamon
sweetener of choice
(next time I'll add some kind of oatmeal or cereal or something)

Mix up, pour in muffin cups, bake 40 minutes at 325. It's pretty yummy, but the texture is all eggs so that's kinda weird when you were expecting more muffin. But yummy. And 1 cup is like 65 calories or something, but like 10 g of protein! wowsa! So after Lost I ate 3 of those. 4 of them were my breakfast this morning, just microwaved.

After Lost, I had to pack a dressy outfit for after work today, since I'm going out for supper with my SILs for our semi-annual birthday supper. So I was trying on all sorts of clothes, including my American Apparel, multi-style dress (as a shirt is what I decided to go with for tonight, since it's not THAT fancy of a deal, and it's not warm enough for the strapless dress). Anyway, I was trying on all of my slightly dressier clothes (work is jeans and t-shirt for me every day, super cas). And everything looked AWESOME! I remember buying some skirts (that I still haven't worn) for $5 and having to wear them above my belly button, now I could probably just about slide them on and off without unzipping. But they look super cute just above my hips now. I had a shirt where the buttons would gape at my boobs, not any more! My sister gave me a pair of her pants that were too short on her that were always too tight on me. No longer! They fit fine (though my legs look kind of big in them), another pair of khaki's for the rotation. Then I tried on my skinny jeans: these jeans I bought when I was close to my previous skinniest, and they were sorta tight on me, but I wanted to drop a few more pounds and then I thought they'd look great. But that never happened. UNTIL TODAY! I'm wearing those jeans right now! They look smokin!

I realized that I super love the top and bottom of my body. My calves are really nice, and so is my knee, above that my legs are big, I know it's a lot of muscle, but the fat on top of them isn't helping. Plus I really love my cheekbones now without the pudge, my neck, shoulders, back, chest, down to my waist. Not a big fan of my belly yet. But it seems the fat is coming off from the top and the bottom, I'm just dealing with the legs and belly. Frankly that's all I cared about in the beginning, but now that I've seen my new arms and shoulders and calves I really like them.

So even though the scale showed me 137.0 this morning, more than monday's (but way less than last friday still) it doesn't matter. I apparently am making changes in my body that are not on the scale (or really the tape measure either...) and I'm liking that. I would still like the number to end up 130 one day, but I really won't care if this is the weight I stay at (when my belly's gone). So I think maybe I'll do a bit of a fashion show on Saturday and take pictures for you all, and you can be completely lost because you didn't see what these outfits used to look like but still say nice things because that's who you are.

So like I said, even though I didn't rock the scale, I still rock, and I look pretty darn cute with clothes on. But i'm not ready for the bikini yet but I will be.

Thursday, March 13, 2008

update

(when I read that "code red people" I read "code red PURPLE" and wonder what the hell I was on. ha)

there were no sizing options with the cake. It was very good, half chocolate half vanilla. Lots of frosting. Enjoyed, but my teeth hurt. Ate my cheese. Overall feeling - thirsty. A bit antsy, I should get to the gym quick and take advantage of the sugar rush.

so I go!

We are still code red people

So the cake alert was postponed a day until today. there is no escape. Strategy: have a small piece followed by a cheese string to try and minimize impact of sugar crash. Enjoy it. Do not eat cookie after supper.

Glasses shopping was great. And stressful. Found 2 pair. They're very similar to each other and to my previous glasses. But I know what I like. The one pair comes with clip on sunglasses. I was debating getting prescription sunglasses and regular glasses (2 for 1 deal) but you can't get "cool" prescription sunglasses. The lenses are all too small and practical like. Plus you wouldn't want to pay $200 for trendy glasses that you'd feel you have to keep wearing even when they're out of style (I realize that $200 is nothing for some people for just non-prescription sunglasses. I wear my $15 pair from the gas station with pride).

Both pairs have a little but of funky-ness to them. The first pair that I had picked out to begin with were going to be my serious non-funky pair. Because looking straight at my face they look normal. However the arms are thicker and have lime green swirls on them. So my sister thought I was crazy when I said they were plain, but I can't see that looking at myself in the mirror. The other pair has nothing funky about them, but they're black and a bit bolder than my old glasses and more square so just have a funkier vibe, but yet are plain solid black so could also be the safe, serious pair.

For summer I decided to basically do the same as last year. If I'm playing ball or anything, I'll wear my clip ons which don't look that cool but serve their purpose. If I'm watching ball or at the beach and don't need to see, I'll wear my cheap trendy shades and go blind. If for some reason I want to wear trendy shades and see, I'll wear contacts. I'm going to look into getting day use contacts, since this will probably only be like 3 occasions this summer (SIL wedding, MS bike tour, and big ball tourney fun fest thing.)

Stupid optometrist cost $130 since I got an optional picture of my eye done. Glasses after the coatings and everything cost $420. It was an expensive day yesterday. Worst part was my credit card being declined at the glasses place. The card I try and use all the time has a really low limit ($1000 or $500) because I get PC points on it. But I use my credit card for every single purchase in a month and just pay it off all at once at the end of each month. So like $2000 bill each month on groceries, gas, tuition, glasses etc. But having a card declined for whatever reason is still really embarassing. I felt like I needed to explain it to the chick but whatevs. I know I've got the money.

Class last night was good. Really brutal on the butt abs and back. Just the way I like it. The cardio for some reason wasn't as intense. Or maybe i'm in better shape. We checked our heart rate and usually I'm working HARD (fail the talk test for sure, like 174 bpm) this time, I was only like 150. weird. The muscle burning was awesome though. squats till I thought I'd die, but then my body became more efficient so it wasn't killing my quads any more, but I finally could feel it in my butt! Hover for 2 minutes then donkey kicks and then more hover for another minute! I loved it! I think everyone else hated it. I gotta sign me up for some boot camp. I wanna go somewhere where you just swear at the instructor and she loves it. yeah, messed up. Or not messed up, if only I could take classes from her.

SIL made spaghetti and meat sauce last night. A bit heavy maybe but me not having to think about it? DONE! I had a nice serving and a side salad. Followed with a small bowl of yogurt. I gotta go back to the green tea for dessert. it's getting ridiculous. I hate the fact I needed to put small in front of bowl of yogurt. Like justifying it. I had yogurt! No matter how little it was a dessert and I didn't need it. I had my glass of milk after class since I wasn't hungry.

Hitting the gym today. Not swimming. Since I'm a super pro at swimming and I'm still scared about the bike and run gonna work on those. I sort of feel wussy, like I should sign up for a longer distance tri since I'm so awesome at the swim. Like I should challenge myself more. But I'm still thinking that the total endurance of the thing is gonna kick my ass. Until I can make myself run 10k I'm sticking to this (I probably could do it, I just chicken out, and like I talked about yesterday, I like the short high intensity stuff.)

Anyway, mini bagel with pb for breakfast. running late as usual. carrots and baba ganouch for snack, leftover pasta for lunch. And an apple. Afternoon will be the cake, and cheese. Plus have some yogurt and an orange that are available. Try and not though, because of the cake.

the end.

Have you met my new best friend?

Mizfit? (appologies to previous best friend, but I'm a fickle beast)

So you know how I like to be all know-it-all and bossy and pretend I'm the shiz-nit in the fitness world? Well Mizfit really is the shiz-nit. She has pretty muscles and has good advice and credibility. If you haven't gone to her site then you're the dumbest person alive and I can't believe you can actually read this sentence.

Plus you know how much I adore anyone who comments and thinks I'm clever or funny.

Wednesday, March 12, 2008

OOOooooooooooohhhhhhhhhhhhh

Suzanna, don't you cry for me.....

Yes I often just turn sounds into the beginning of songs. You should have heard me after class on Monday when I started a song nobody has ever heard of except me ("I'm so 'appy, living in a sock drawer, a sock drawer." from a Robert Muench cartoon. )

So food-wise, things are back to normal. Except that there are cookies on my cupboard that call to me after meals. Yesterday I didn't eat until 8:00, way late for me, because hubby thawed the chicken, but didn't proceed to follow the rest of the directions I'd so nicely written on the bag. Oh well. It was lemon pepper chicken that was completely amazing. I'll do a big recipe post this weekend maybe. anyway, and a lettuce and veggie salad. Filled me up nicely if I could have waited 10 seconds. But had a small bowl of yogurt with flax seeds for "dessert". Good, healthy. get the calcium. But then I also ate 3 cookies and made my tummy hurt. dumb dumb dumb. Gotta remember that. you feel worse after eating them. (not because I'm a bad cook, they're really good. but my tummy had enough!)

Workout yesterday was fairly intense, but very short. 30 minutes of pretty high intensity cardio. the end. 15 on the bike (I could totally feel the burn in the legs, now that's the part of the tri I'm most scared of. it keeps changing) then jumped on the treadmill for 15 minutes of HIIT. Dude, I can run fast when I know it's only 15 minutes! I gotta start working up the overall time though. I just get bored, I had no music yesterday. Plus i keep doing the high intensity stuff because then I can get out of there faster, plus I heard it's the best way to blast fat (which is the real goal honestly behind this whole tri). But there is still a need for general endurance for this thing.

Ate some muesli for breakfast. I bought it from a bulk bin at the grocery store. Good, lots of fruit chunks which tricks myself into thinking it's dessert. I put a tiny bit of milk on and soaked it overnight. Then added more milk this morning. It was good, just sort of too flour-y. not chunky enough. when this is done I'll make homemade. I think this will be good in a baked oatmeal kind of thing. Plus if anybody has any awesome recipes for how they eat it let me know!

I also made quinoa last night (yes Cara you were right). It was alright. I think i needed a bit more water, it was sorta tough still. But I threw in some spices and stuff and it was good. Nothing fancy, but a perfect sub in for rice. Hubby didn't try it since he doesn't like couscous and figured this was the same. whatever.

Lunch today is leftover whole wheat crust chicken pizza (1 small thin slice, according to package ~170 calories). 1 minibagel with laughing cow light. apple. had some grapes already this am. also packed some carrots and baba ganouch and a kiwi and almonds.

But this afternoon there will be cake served for a dude's birthday. I may miss cake because of my eye appt and glasses buying, but if not I'll just have a small piece and skip the rest of afternoon snack, preparing for a sugar crash by having supper early. But the more I think of it, I might not be back yet so that's alright. (I know I could not eat it even if I'm here. But our office is only like 6 people so it kind of really stands out when you don't partake.)

anyway, pretty much lunch time. work is sort of stupid so I'm avoiding it a bit. then appt at 1:30 and glasses shopping with sister afterwards. (leaning now towards 1 pair regular glasses, 1 pair prescription sunglasses. I always think I'll do contacts and sunglasses in the summer but I just can't get used to contacts, plus I always get infections. If I want to look pretty for special occasions or something I can do the contacts, or just go blind, my prescription is pretty mild)

Supper unfortunately wasn't thawed out yet so might be some kind of smokies or tuna or something quick. We'll see. Then class tonight.

eating time!

Advicicles

I don't know what that word is, why advice combines with icicles (or another icles if you prefer...) but that's what I said in my head so there it is.

I need advice runners! I sorta was thinking for my birthday I'd get a fancy schmancy running "accessory" that tracks your distance and speed and whatever. Like a Garmin something or a Nike+ thing. But I do not have an iPod, I have a panasonic or something mp3 player. And I don't want to change that. and I don't want to spend $1000s of dollars. So runners, what do you have? what do you wish you had? What's not worth the money? Where can I find it (i'm thinking of checkin' ebay.)

thanks!

Tuesday, March 11, 2008

kickin ass

So I'm feeling all back and bitchin ladies. Currently I'm rocking one of the prettiest salads ever:
spring organic mixed greens from costco
hard boiled egg
ham slices
left over turkey pieces
Fresh STRAWBERRIES (Yes they're back in stores at reasonable prices!!!)
and mandarin orange dressing. Lovely.

Breakfast wasn't as great. I was in a big time rush, so it was a pear and a oatmeal to go square (they're really good if you don't mind eating sugar and chemicals for breakfast, I'm anti-packaged food. But it was sure tasty!)

no morning snack, afternoon snack of an apple, probably a mini bagel before hitting the gym. Supper is chicken breast and maybe asparagus or something.

Yesterday I went grocery shopping and totally rocked it. I bought all kinds of fruits and veggies (mostly fruit) and multi-grain mini bagels, whole wheat flour, muesli, and some kind of grainy thing that I can't remember the name of it but it's got protein but basically looks like couscous...Whatever, it's called.

oh yeah, and I'm eating grapes.

Buying glasses tomorrow hopefully. Might do a 2 for 1 deal, you pay a bit more but end up getting 2 pair. ($400 total compared to $300 total, but works out to $200 each instead of $300 each. Make sense?)

Work is a bit busy for me right now. It's good though. Was getting a bit slow, now that my thesis is submitted I don't have anything that looks like work to do (between real work) so I read blogs. I'll be a bit skimpy on the commenting and reading for a little while (I haven't even ready them today and it's almost home time!)

I mean gym time. Hitting the gym, doing some bike and some run. yay!

(oh, and hubby and I may have stumbled across the best basement plan yet, that's what we were fighting about earlier. But it might have lead us to something we both really like. win win!)

me = drama queen?

Or at least over reactor? apparently. Scale this morning? 136.4. Back to my previous low. As in those 2 lbs from friday are gone. Stupid TOM. Seriously this one has screwed me over more than any ever! At least it's over (for another 3 weeks...)

Monday, March 10, 2008

well ok...

So I made a few mistakes this weekend. Nothing really horrible. I completely pigged out on Sunday supper with my parents. and it was leftovers. (but broccolli soup, potatoes and gravy, turkey bun, then angel food cake and strawberries and whipped cream). Way too full, but good food really.

I did get a jog and a walk in on the weekend. And didn't do too bad on the "bad food" stuff. Like chips or whatever. none of that so that's good.

I went home to visit my parents without the hubby. It was fun. They did my taxes (no I'm not an infant, my parents do taxes for a living, they're tax consultants), we worked out some floor plan options for my basement, I did some cooking for mom, filled her freezer with ready to slow cook meals (they're so busy in tax season), and then did some scrapbooking and some watched curling. It was great.

Then I went home and was trying to show hubby the floor plan options and we had a big fight about it. Apparently he already had it planned out in his head and thought I didn't care and then thought that I was saying we're doing it this way and that's it. It was horrible. I bawled my face off (stupid TOM) and now I'm all puffy today and feel gross. We're sort of ok now, but still sorta tense I think.

To make things worse, while we were in the basement fighting and planning, the dog was upstairs eating my glasses. Yes. My only pair of glasses. I don't have contacts. The lenses are in tact but they were even scratched to begin with. The ear parts are chewed up, the wires are all bent all over the place and the lenses aren't in the frames any more. Awesome. And hubby has a temper and is a bad fighter and so on, so he instantly got super mad at the dog and went and yelled at her and probably would have kicked her if she didn't hide from him. But she had probably done this like 10 minutes earlier and had no idea why he was mad. So I just put her in her kennel for the night. And pretended like I wasn't upset about my glasses because it would make hubby more mad if I admitted it was a big deal. But it is sort of a big deal to me today. And I liked those glasses. Even though I ws planning on getting new glasses maybe soon, I'm still upset at being forced to get them now. And what if I can't find any that I like but I have to buy them now since I don't have any. I also can't wait for a sale or anything. Plus it's lame and minor but I had planned on taking a picture of all my glasses (I still have them) and scrapbooking it and talking about my glasses since they always reflect personality so much and change all the time. And now I can't 'cause they're broken.

So I'm trying not to dwell on it. I've gotta hit some stores after work and try and find a nice/cheap pair. Luckily I don't have a restriction on my license and my eyes aren't that bad (though I really should be wearing them).

So add that to the fact that hubby and I were fighting. I feel crappy. And crampy.

Also, fat. I think I've gained real fat lbs in the last couple weeks of sucking. Not a major deal now that I've addressed it I can deal with it. I'm going to focus a lot on my tri training, just try and think about food less. When I think about food too much, even though I'm trying to think healthy, it just makes me eat too much. It should start getting easier for me since the weather's getting better. I can run outside more, plus warmer weather makes me want veggies and salads more.

There is one awesome thing that I got out of this weekend. My taxes. Now who thinks taxes are awesome. Weird I know. But maybe if you were getting almost $6000 back you would think so too! I KNOW! We had a bit of a scare last year that I'd have to pay a whole bunch since things got screwed up with the university income. So I asked work to take off an extra $300 a month. So I'm getting all that back. Plus, from paying full time tuition for a full 12 months, I get to deduct student "cost of living" sort of things, like $400 a month tax exempt. We figured out that by paying full time tuition, and being a student, I pay about $1600 in tuition a year (not taking any classes, just a maintain status thing). But it saves me $2000 in taxes. So I actually make money by paying tuition. Hilarious. So I'm glad I figured that out, I'll stop pestering my committee and everything to get my thesis done. I'll probably have to pay over the summer since I can't convocate this spring any more, and I was upset about that. But now I know I'll be getting that back and more. Sweet.

So at least I can afford new glasses this month! I'm also going to buy the matching tv stand for my living room, only $80. Plus maybe a shelf for my bed room, $90. Then I'm going to take maybe another $200 and have fun with it, shopping or whatever. The rest is going in savings, to maybe pay for a vacation this summer. I'm gonna put it in an ING account since you actually get interest there but can still access it. My sister is thinking of going to Europe for a few months this summer and maybe I can visit her for a week or something over there. I have always wanted to go to Europe but hubby couldn't care less so this might work out. I'll focus on this stuff instead of the glasses. It makes me happier.

Friday, March 7, 2008

dude what is with it

What is with this Obsession I'm having with food lately? I feel like I want to park myself in front of a trough and just gorge. I just finished my morning snack. I'm busy with work. I'm thinking of nothing but lunch and how there's only 85 minutes until lunch time. WHAT THE HELL? TOM NEVER hits me like this. Maybe I'm using TOM as an excuse or something for complete lack of will power and motivation.

oh yeah, WI was up 2 lbs. Boo. 138.2.

Thursday, March 6, 2008

Know this girl?

Anybody familiar with Candace (and those who aren't, you should be) check this out. She's made her GOAL with WW! Congratulations!

Mistake, moving on

Food wasn't pretty at home last night. Instead of having dessert, I ate about 4 cookies before supper. (Note to self, freeze them or hide them). Supper was fine, chicken strips and carrots. I over salted the potatoes so I didn't even eat any (so no "starch" again.) But then I was just munchy all night. I ate a handfull of nuts. Another cookie, more nuts, another cookie. Didn't even count. TOM thing I'm pretty sure. Next time I'll load another serving of carrots (since they were really good) and it will take longer to eat and fill me up better. Or make a tea since I wasn't exactly hungry, just wanted to eat. I was sort of nervous for how class would be, since I basically ate right up until it started. But it was fine. Ideally I'd eat supper earlier, but still have a preworkout snack. It just helps give me energy through the whole thing, I get a better workout with food in my belly. Nothing afterwards, finally felt full. Plus I was busy cleaning. (we had a home appraisal done this morning at 7:30 so I thought I should clean a little).

Today I packed the leftover chicken for lunch. I forgot I was gonna have edamame, but I'll have that tomorrow. I've also got some pineapple, carrots and hummus, unsweetened applesauce, an apple, cheese string. Gonna save the cheese for just before swimming so I don't have a problem like last time. (when I got out of the pool I was just dazed, couldn't move, couldn't think. Took 1/2 hour to just throw my clothes on and get to my car where I proceeded to eat every single thing I could find. Blood sugar thing I guess. Weird how swimming affects me like that even though it doesn't feel like as hard of a workout as running)

I booked a hair cut tonight at a new place. Lady does it from her house. I decided that I'm leaving my hair long until after summer (if I'm gonna wear a bikini I better have long hair, live the dream). Then cut shoulder length and probably never longer for the rest of my life. (I used to have short boy hair, so to have hair this long has required a lot of effort) So I'm probably just gonna get a trim, but if she seems cool I might explain that this is my last time having long hair so I want to do everything you can do with long hair so is there something fun we can do.

But I booked my appt during Lost. Oh well, have to tape it.


Goal today - not a single cookie. Burn them if I have to. It's not looking good for WI tomorrow.

Wednesday, March 5, 2008

thesis good, food not good

So I'm having a really good day thesis wise. My work has allowed me a lot of down time so in the last couple days I've managed to get it completely good copy. Just need to write the dedication and it's to committee! woo hoo!

However, I am currently stuffed and feel like I packed a bit of bad food for the day. breakfast was good, Kashi cereal. morning snack was berries and cool whip. It's been in my fridge for awhile so I thought I should get eating it. Not terrible nutrition wise. And very treat like. So not horrible. But then lunch here I just had leftover veggies and a pork chop. Full meal. But felt the need to finish it with 250 calories of greek yogurt. Ok so now we see why I can't buy that stuff any more. So really not TERRIBLE. Just feels very indulgent for being eaten by 12:30. Rest of the afternoon should be alright. Just carrots an apple and a cheese string left so won't be more than that. Supper's gonna be chicken strips (breaded with bran, sneaky health trick) and maybe some potato wedges and carrots.

Goal for today - no dessert! Easy peasy. Don't want to be too stuffed for step class. After class it's a glass of milk or nothing.

So at the gym yesterday I did some serious intervals on the treadmill since I only had 12 minutes on it. Then some more half assed intervals on the bike. I feel weird training for the bike part of my race. You don't need to be in shape to bike. You can pedal pedal coast the whole thing. Plus I don't know how to "train" on a bike. So I just have been floundering between high tension and fast speed. I think what I should be working on is maybe endurance since I have to run after the bike and don't want my legs all useless.

I also saw a poster for a triathlon this weekend that's just a beginner indoor one using exercise bikes not real bikes. Also the transitions aren't timed so you can actually dry off and change in between. That would be cool. However I found out like 4 days before the race, and I already made plans to go home (hubby's got a hockey tournament back home and wives are scrapbooking). So I was sort of choked about that. But I think I'll still be fine for mine in June.

Anyway, I ate up most of my lunch watching Colbert so back to work time!

An athlete

So yesterday when I was working out I saw this great woman. An amazing athlete. I think probably a runner though she could very well be a triathlete. How did I know she was an athlete? Because I saw her on the treadmill and aside from her amazing lean strong body (I changed my mind, I don't want to be skinny, I want to be lean) she was doing crazy sprinting interval things on the treadmill. I just watched her for like 5 minutes straight (she was right in front of me while I was on the bike).

There is no need to questions sh*t. She looks like somebody who runs. I'm running, if I keep it up, I'll look like somebody who runs. Doing what I'm doing will lead to a great runner body. It might take a while. But I'll get there.

The amazing part - I was so impressed with her. Her pace on the treadmill, the determination on her face. (her awesome tan, that helps). Thinking maybe one day I can look like an athlete like that. Then I realized - I just f*cking did that on the treadmill!!! In fact, my pace was probably faster than hers and I had an incline. There was probably somebody behind me thinking "Holy sh*t, there's an athlete. Look at those intervals!" F*ck yeah!

Tuesday, March 4, 2008

I think I can see it

I think my post yesterday was quite characteristic of me dealing with TOM. I think I see the pattern. I feel like what I'm doing is not good enough and need to make drastic changes often unrealistic. Either that or think that I can't do any more and should resign myself to my current shape. Well I know that neither of those are the right thinking so I should just tough it out through this week. It's weird how TOM can affect you. It's really subtle unless you blog every day huh?

So I'm gonna still try and keep with my March goals I wrote down yesterday. Started pretty good today, with my protein breakfast. I made an "omelet" consisting of 2 eggs, salsa a cheese string and green onion. Don't know if that's really an omelet. (didn't know if that's how you spell omelet either. so much I have to learn). I was really good. But I also felt the need to have a small bowl of mediteranean yogurt with it. (it's no name greek yogurt stuff ok? but not low fat or low cal or anything.) Overall I think it was still a good breakfast but the yogurt should have been saved for morning snack at least. Therefore I didn't have morning snack. Well thats' not really way, but it works out like that.

Yesterday for supper I made Moo Shu chicken (or something like that). Basically chicken and cabbage with a sweet asian sauce. It's a homemade sauce from a recipe, but I think I have to tweak it, it's just too sweet for me. Hubby loved it though. That was my lunch. With some grapes. i'm doing my best to be done, give myself time to realize I'm full. Maybe have a tea now. I also have a (light) yogurt, veggies and hummus for afternoon snack. I'm hitting the gym after work so I know I'll need my snack later on.

Supper is gonna be parmesan pork chops and steamed beans or carrots. That will be 2 suppers so far this week without a "starch". It's good cause I eat more veggies then. We've got a meeting about our mortgage and the basement tonight so I don't think I'll be snacking.

(oh yeah, and there was no snack after class yesterday, however I had a banana with peanut butter before it)

I still have to figure out what i'm going to do about next session of classes. This set ends just before easter and the next starts up in April. It's $35/class for 10-12 weeks. Good deal and I like the classes. It's just i'm supposed to be doing my triathlon training (June 1st!) about 4 or 5 days/week. So with 2 classes it's just too much. the classes are good for me, but they don't improve running, swimming or biking abilities. But at the same time, I'm not sure if I'd make myself hit the gym instead of going to the classes or if I'd just end up slacking it. I'm also looking forward to it being nice enough out for running and biking outside, plus once I get my barbell set for my birthday I can pretty much do everything at home. So basically I've realized that I shouldn't be taking the classes right? It's just I'm a super pro at them and have sort of made friends with the instructor and a few of the girls in the class. Hmmm...

I think what I'll do is get a punch card (10 classes) and go to classes while it's still cold out instead of running outside. Also tri training is a little lighter at first. Then as the weather gets nicer I can just go to one/week or so or maybe none, but still be able to drop in once in a while for a change. That seems alright huh?

I have a question for other triathletes out there, in a first ever sprint triathlon, when I'm thinking about maybe doing 1/year, a mountain bike is alright right? I won't be the only one right? I'm super nervous about this since I'm not part of any club or group, just doing this on my own. I don't know anything about transitions or clothes or anything and I don't even have a friend doing it with me so we can be clueless together. I tried emailing the organizers but they don't have any info yet and won't until April or May for my June 1st race.

I'm sort of obsessed with my tri right now, I spend hours just looking up other people's training or fine tuning my own etc etc. I so wish I had somebody doing it with me I could talk to.

Anyway, blogs to read, work to pretend to do.

Monday, March 3, 2008

March Goals

My March goals. A wee bit late but I didn't forget.

1. Weigh 134 by the end of the month. (it's only like 2 lbs, I know. However I've got my birthday and Easter this month. Plus, we're venturing into new territory here and it's just not going as fast as it used to be.)

2. Be good on the weekends. Saturday night, one night only, can be "bad". Cheat night, splurge day, whatever. It doesn't start friday night and end monday morning. It's 1 night only. one night only, one night only....

3. TRAIN. Not just exercise. TRAIN for my triathlon. That means tracking workouts, making improvements, seeing results.

This will be added on top of my Feb things: track food (how I do it now is fine, I don't need calories or whatever), focus on veggies and protein, away from carbs. In fact this can step up a little bit. The amount of fruit I eat (is good) but means I'm already high on the carb scale. Also...still no desserts, most days.

I came up with a sort of realization the other day. Since I am now HEALTHY (see cholesterol post), in fact with better than average health, I no longer am losing weight for health. Health requires me to maintain. The losing weight that I am pursuing from here on out is pure vanity. I'm cool with that. I'm doing it for the bikini, that was never a secret. But that's probably part of the reason it's harder to stick to. It was "easy" at first, cut out the saturated fat, whole grain everything, etc. But I've already lost the pounds that those changes would bring. Now I'm having to reduce the carbs, cut out treats, the "harder" things. (though I'll probably look back at this and see them as easy later).

I'm glad I wrote that out. I knew, but never "realized" the reason I'm stuck. The changes I've made have had all the effects they'll have. I need new changes. I've been stuck for like 4 months really, going back and forth in 5 lbs. (called maintenance?) So I need to do something NEW to get losing. It's not like I've been snacking or letting up on the exercise. The things I'm doing now, are the things that brought my from 150 to 140. But to go from 136 to 130, I'm going to have to do something NEW. So the NEW things are (adjusting March goals...)

4. Lower carb it up. Suppers have really been good lately, work on breakfast and lunch. Tuesday and Wednesday breakfasts are now protein-ish (pb toast doesn't count). Eggs or protein shake etc.

5. Every single day will have exercise. I keep saying this, but I never do on the weekends. It can be 15 minutes. In fact I should do more short time period, interval training. If you workout hard enough, 15 minutes is enough. (I'm thinking jump rope in the mornings?)

It's pretty tough to think of these darn things. I already workout really hard, 4 days a week. I already don't eat processed foods (generally). Weekends are the only times when I'm not awesome. I suppose that's enough to derail my whole week right? So that's already in the plan, be good on weekends.

Anybody have any ideas for those last stubborn 5-10 lbs? Things that I'm not doing?

bad girl

So I was not very good this weekend. I ate like a pig. And didn't really think twice about it. that's the worst part. Sure it's alright to have a bowl of chocolate cereal at 9:45 on a Sunday night. What's wrong with that? Nevermind that you just finished your bowl of cool whip with berries (yes I said that right). I guess it wasn't so much pigged out (well a little bit) as just lost all the normal food feelings I have. Such as order something light from a menu. Avoid fast food. Avoid mayo drenched things. Here's what I ate:

friday - went to the bar for supper with hubby and his friend. Got a clubhouse sandwich with a side salad. Salad was really good. sandwich was very mayo-filled and I forgot that I don't like bacon and ate it anyway. Not terrible for a friday treat but not on plan.

saturday - started ok. Went to the university to meet and work with my sister on our theses (we're both finishing our Master's, my in Civil Engineering, her in Biotechnology). Met at Starbucks since we had a joint gift card from Christmas. I got some ridiculous Chocolate chippy cold drink that was awesome, but I am such a coffee virgin that I didn't think to order it "skinny" or "no-whip" or anything. But it was good. Then lunch was good. We had pitas and hummus brought from home and a million grapes. totally awesome. But by the time I was going home at supper time I was starved again and grabbed Burger King for hubby and I. And he had a bad day and wanted poutine, and I had a good day and wanted poutine. So I had poutine and a whopper jr. Are you kidding me POUTINE?!?! ugh. I think I even munched on some chips and stuff that night.

Sunday hubby and I were shopping but got called to go for brunch. Ok not terrible. I had an omelet, probably too much cheese but that's not bad. But instead of the side of toast or whatever I got pancakes. 2 big fluffy pancakes and ate it ALL drenched in syrup. Boo. The second I put the last bite in my mouth I "woke up" and said outloud "why the hell did I eat all that". To which the table errupted in laughter (I think my mouth was full when I said it too). Gotta try and "wake up" a bit earlier in the meal next time. Supper was alight, just some sandwiches grabbed from the grocery store and veggies and dip. However I got the chicken salad sandwich. drenched in mayo of course. Why? I never eat chicken salad because it's over mayo'd. I don't really like it even. whatever.

Then of course there was the cool whip (light) and berries and the chocolate cereal (President's Choice. It's actually pretty good, and not as bad for you as lots that seem like they should be worse)

So I was a bad girl eating wise. So today I'm gonna be good. I can't remember who's blog I was reading, but they're doing their goals one day at a time. That's not a bad way to think about it really. Much easier to keep it on the top of your mind.

My goal today is to not eat any of the muffins that were brought to work for us. It's morning snack time now, and nothing sounds better to me than a fat filled carb. But I'm going to eat my packed and planned yogurt (which I also really really like, lemon flavoured, mmm). So all day I'm not going to eat anything unplanned.

And here's what is planned:

b - english muffin, margarine and jam. shouldn't have had the jam.
s - lemon yogurt
l - pita with ham and mustard and coleslaw mix (weird in a rush food this morning)
s - veggies with hummus (I made individual veggie trays last night for everyone in my house, I'm so cute)
s - kung pow chicken. From my Clean EAting magazine. Involves coleslaw salad mix which has been in my fridge too long and chicken. Good and easy.

after workout? MEASURED bowl of mediteranean yogurt (it's not low fat and is good enough I'd eat 3 servings before noticing). If I want it afterwards. Post workout I'm usually not hungry.

Anyway. I never got around to taking pictures this weekend. I could have last night but really didn't feel like it after my eating. Soon, I promise. I did take measurements Saturday morning and there was some reduction in some areas in Feb so that's good.

I visited my pregnant SIL on Saturday after school. She had to be in the hospital because she started bleeding at work. Baby and everything's ok but she's on bed rest for a week now. She's still got 7 weeks left before baby's due so hopefully she doesn't have to be on bed rest until then! (I wouldn't be able to handle it. while i'm not pregnant, I consider myself a know-it-all in everything and I think it's important to be as active as possible during pregnancy, it's healthy when you're not pregnant right?) Anyway she said she's doing alright. We proceeded to gossip about the rest of her family. SIL who lives with me, used to live with her. So we talked about her a bit. I was reminded that she said she was just going to move in for a month or so until she found another place. This was August 1st folks. I don't think she's even gone apartment shopping once. And it's not like she's a problem living with us, she doesn't eat much, make a big mess or anything. She does dishes once in awhile. But never vaccuums or anything else. Cooks maybe (maybe) once a week. Pays diddly squat for rent (we thought it was temporary! $250 includes food and all bills). I just didn't want a roommate when I was married. So the gossiping made me remember that we should talk to her about all this but it's going to be tricky since like I said, it's not like she's a problem and we're kicking her out. We just want her to move out... I think we're going to up her rent every month by $50 or something (tell her about it of course) just as a sort of motivation for her. It would be one thing if she had a plan, but she doesn't. She's getting married in October, her hubby's on the rigs so he's only home 1 week a month. They're thinking of moving back home. They were going to buy a house, then build a house, then just rent somewhere. But they don't have anything planned. If they decided they were building and couldn't move until June or something, that would be fine. She could stay with no change in rent. But right now they'll probably still be with us after the wedding. Whenever her man comes home they just visit people or go ice-fishing and whatever, fun stuff. Not wedding planning and definately not house hunting. That's less likely to change as it gets warmer ya know? More fun things to do. Gotta say something.

So that was really more for me than for all of you. (this blog has replaced the journal I used to write in at home, obviously. that's why you hear about fights with hubby and problems with SIL)

Hormone Alert - we're starting the week before TOM, and that's when my rationale tells me that it's ok to gain right now, or it's fine to eat donuts and nothing but. So hold on target please ladies.