The Challenge

The Challenge: 15 pounds lost in 30 days

Starting Date: Whatever day I get my YMCA membership - hopefully 03/31/10.

Completion Date: 04/29/10

Methods for Weight Loss:

• Cooking breakfast, lunch, and dinner every day and packing healthy snacks to eat at 11am and 4pm.
• Exercising at least 60 minutes, 7 days a week (this includes, but is not limited to, the gym, dog walking, geo-caching, golfing, and cleaning).
• Limiting my TV watching to 2 shows a night.
• Drinking as much water as I do Soda each day.

Wish me luck - I'll keep you updated!

Ready, Set, Go!

One of these days...

The salad for lunch is prepped and packed. The veggies for the breakfast fritatta are chopped. The chicken for tomorrow's Chicken with Lime Sauce for dinner is defosting in the fridge. The snack veggies are cut and sectioned into individual serving sizes. The roasted garbanzo beans are cooling on the stove.

This chick is ready for change.

I came to a decision this weekend that I was done letting my neighbors below me bully me out of exercising. Hold that thought, I'm not going to start being a crappy neighbor and work out on my treadmill anyway. The treadmill is going back (and yes, in the Merc). :(

I will be trading it out for a membership at the Y. Right down the street from Geoff's work is a great YMCA with a great cardio studio and weight room, group exercise classes, rock climbing wall, indoor skate park, video game room, and basketball. Plus, two tennis courts right outside.

The downtown Y has 2 pools, raquetball and a couple additional features.

So, as soon as the treadmill gets returned, we'll take the cash and head over to the Y and start going in the mornings before work.

I need it. Exercise makes me feel better in so many ways. So, I'm done neglecting it. Mostly by removing the excuses. If it's too easy to put it off, then something's got to change.

And change it will.

The Mini-Loser goes to Minne-apolis

Well, our mini vacation this weekend was a welcome respite from life. We had a great little hotel room, complete with separate living and bed rooms and kitchen. Breakfast in the hotel had everything you could ask for (including healthy options!).

The Mall of America didn't disappoint, with 3 stories of shops, both high end and affordable, a theme park in the middle, and free refills on Diet Mountain Dew. Ikea was just across the parking lot from the mall as well (and Geoff was thrilled to find out we were there on the weekend of the $1 Swedish Meatballs meal).


Overall it was a nice, relaxing weekend. I didn't get any "conventional" exercise in, but since one level of the Mall of America is over a half mile, I walked at least 2 miles in the mall alone and then Ikea added another good distance. I also made smart food decisions. There was no weight loss this morning, but no gain either.

Progress is progress, right?

Mini-Apple-Less

Another pound down. Cool.

Last night was Pistachio Crusted Chicken - and it turned out great. It was really easy. Whirr up the pistachios in a food processor. Mix with cumin and sesame seeds. Dip chicken in flour, egg and then the pistachio coating. Bake for 25-30 minutes.

I also made a side-dish of "glazed" carrots. I just boiled these in orange juice for 10 minutes, then added honey and let the liquid boil off. They were a great compliment to each other and I'll definitely be making this again.

I also worked out last night. 30 minutes on the treadmill (at very high incline) and then 20 minutes of weight training (using the resistance tubes).

Geoff and I are off on a little "roadtrip" this weekend to Minneapolis. Should be loads of fun. I figure I can bring the resistance tubes and weight train while we're at the hotel.

Pizz-uh oh

So, last night got a little crazy time-wise. Hub had to work late. But hub also had to be to the church by 6:45 for scouts. I left work at 5:30, went home and let the dogs relieve themselves. Then I had to hop back in the car and pick hub up at 5:45, but he didn't actually get out of work until 6:15. So on the way home we stopped and picked up...a Little Ceasar's Hot-n-Ready pizza.

I know.

Ma and I discussed at some length the fancy stories I could tell about what I made for dinner last night to blog about. haha. But I guess the whole point of this blog is to keep my honest.

However, as if the fates are trying to keep my motivated, by weight was down 1.5 pounds today. So, instead of feeling guilty about my two slices of pizza last night, I'm feeling good about that fact that a) I didn't eat 4 and b) I don't have to sabotage today. Sometimes guilt makes me feel like eating (okay, pretty much always), so not having to deal with the guilt is a huge blessing.

Tonight on the menu is Pistachio Crusted Chicken. Yum!

I'm getting my ND license today. Hope my picture looks better than my Utah one - it's BAD. So bad.

(Anti)Thanksgiving

Last night I made my foray into Mushroom Stuffed Turkey. They were gorgeous and smelled kind of like heaven - but neither the hub or I were too impressed with the flavor. Maybe I'll try a different kind of mushroom next time...or do chicken instead or turkey....or just never do it again.

But, it was still edible and healthy. We had a little side salad with spinach, greens, and a pinch of pistachios. That part was yummy.

Still no exercise. Long story. Neighbor issues. I'll talk about it later. Probably. LAME.

Sweet Holy...Potatoes

Well, day one went pretty well and day two is off to a good start. I went grocery shopping last night and got everything I need for a week filled with delicious dinners and healthy snacks.

Last night I cooked up a pot of Sweet Potato Garlic Soup. It was super (souper?) easy, and turned out really great, I think. Just sweet potatoes, onion, roasted garlic, green beans and chicken broth. It made for a nice creamy, slightly sweet soup. I topped it off with a swirl of unsweetened Greek yogurt and some chives. Yum!

I didn't exercise yesterday, which is the real killer, but by the time I finished my grocery shopping, cooked up the soup and ate...it was almost 9pm. And, being on the third story, I didn't want to disturb the downstairs neighbors. I should be able to get finished a lot earlier tonight and therefore get my workout on.

I did buy a few $3 shirts while I was at Walmart grocery shopping - and they are pretty cute. Surprisingly enough.

One day down...

Denial

Well, after months of misplaced denial, I'm back at square one on the weight loss wagon. I stepped on the scale this morning to an ugly scene.

I took a brief moment to mourn the loss of my short-lived svelt figure and then allowed the full reality of the 30 pound gain to sink in.

But, it's okay. You know why? I have meal-planned and exercise-planned and before the summer can make it to my door, I'm gonna kick that 30 pound's butt.

This week I have planned a plethora of healthy, easy dinners including pistachio crusted chicken, stuffed butternut squash and Thai chicken. During the day I'm doing Slim Fast powdered drinks for 2 weeks.

I'd really like to sit around and be embarrassed about all the weight I've gained (but let's be honest, the sitting around is what got me here in the first place) and hate my clothes - but that would not make them fit again. So, here I am, putting myself out there. Accountable to you, reader(s). Keep me honest, will ya?