friday woohoo!

i have to say, i wasn't that impressed with grey's last night. the only thing that hooked me into wanting to watch next week's episode was the very end. i just am not *that* into tv anymore. and new shows? forget about it! who has time? and i like to spend my free time reading. i am almost finished "a thousand splendid suns" by khaled hosseini. he also wrote "the kite runner" which was out of this world, if you haven't read it.

everybody's talking about the scotiabank marathon this weekend. well, not me! although this morning i finished day one of week two of the couch to 5k running podcasts. i def. prefer running in the evenings when i'm a loosey goosey, but the morning is just so convenient and it's nice to have it out of the way.

anyway, this weekend i'm talking about a little trip to the island tonight... hopefully. we didn't get to go on wednesday due to rain. tomorrow is the clothing show - but i think we are going to skip it. tomorrow night is a) my boyfriend's band playing steamwhistle indie club, live at the edge 102.1 studio on yonge st. and nuit blanche all night long. sunday is the word on the street - i will be working at my company's booth of course. word on the street is a super rad event - anyone living in the city should check it out. and that's the weekend - busy!

last night i had thai food - but i wasn't that impressed with the selection. i am funny about noodles - those weird, glassy, crunchy noodles remind me of worms and i just can't do it. so i avoided the pad thai and got "oodles of noodles chicken" which was advertised as yellow noodles. i thought they would be like chinese chow main noodles but they weren't! they were so fat and wormy! they tasted alright but i didn't eat very much. i guess that's ok because i am having leftover enchiladas for lunch today. i love leftovers!

menu:
breakfast:
oatmeal (2)
yogurt (1)
3/19

lunch:
chicken enchilada (3)
refried beans (2)
mexican rice (2)
10/19

of course that's estimating...

dinner: no idea.

lunch

for lunch at the mexican restaurant i ordered the chicken enchiladas. there were 2 and it came with refried beans and mexican rice. i ate one enchilada, 1/2 beans and 1/2 rice. and a caesar mmmmm. i feel satisfied but not stuffed and like i made good decisions.

except i rode my bike to work and the food container is too big for my purse. ha!



also - i was recredited all the swiss chalet money from last night. woohoo!

big fatty fatterson

there is too much going out to eat in my world. last night the bf and i ordered swiss chalet online. we got messy chicken sandwiches but they forgot the gravy! that's like going to an amusement park with no rides! luckily i had an extra swiss chalet gravy powder in my cupboard but still - that is not the point. i wrote them a message this morning so hopefully something will come of it.

tonight i am have a lot of girlfriends over to watch the premiere of grey's anatomy. we are ordering thai food which i had pretty much planned for, but now - surprise - my office is taking the staff to this mexican place for lunch. do i just get a salad? do i get whatever i want and eat until i'm full? do i think about what would be the best and try to eat only 1/2? i really don't know. i have a pretty good idea about calories and fat (for the most part) so i'm just going to make an educated guess when i get there. it's not the end of the world. this weekend i am going to try *extra hard* to watch my portions. i am a fit person, who exercises, so as long as i watch portions i should be able to maintain my weight... apparently!

the good thing is - i am not eating many nuts. in fact, today i had no nuts at all. i had peanut butter, but that isn't like chomping down on an actual nut anyway.

here is today's menu:

breakfast:
whole wheat bagel (4)
PB2 peanut butter (1)
5/19

lunch:
enchiladas maybe - i read on dwlz.com that these were a good option. or a salad. i don't know.

dinner:
something thai

one things is for sure - i've got to stop dreading eating! i love food - i don't want to dread eating it!

bad sleep

last night i had a bad sleep. i couldn't get to sleep, so i stayed up late watching most of the biggest loser that i taped. i only got through the weigh-ins, so don't tell me who was kicked off. then i woke up at 3am thinking it was time to get up. i have really bad eyesight so i can't see the clock until i put on my glasses. when i did it was a big phewf!

tonight my bf and i are going to the island - maybe. it rained a little earlier and i'm not sure if it will again. i packed us a delicious meal of whole what bagels, light cream cheese, fat free chicken breast, baby tomatos, carrots, blue grapes, nuts (not for me i repeat, not for me!), wine, and ranch mini rice cakes (the triangle kind).

i really want to go so i hope it doesn't rain. also, this morning i completed week one of the couch to 5k running plan, accompanied by those delightful podcasts. i did it 4 times because i forgot to upload the second week onto my ipod in time. oops!

here is today's menu:

breakfast:
1 cup bran (1)
1/3 cup bran buds (1)
1 yogurt (1)
3/19

lunch:
veg lasagna (6)
blue grapes (0.5)
9.5/19

i am trying not to snack and there is NO WAY i'm eating nuts today! actually i had one nut this morning and it was gross. yuck, i hate nuts and nut related products. do you believe m?

dinner:
whole wheat bagel (4)
cream cheese lite (2)
baby tomatos (0)
baby carrots (0)
blue grapes (probably 0)
nuts (0) because i am not going to eat any
ranch rice cakes (3)
deli chicken (2)
20.5/19

tuesday

well. i haven't dropped the weekend weight - in fact, i'm up 0.2 today. (which is nothing) but it does mean that today i will have to be extra careful. one of my major problems is that there is a can of mixed nuts in my house - yes! mixed nuts! a few here, a couple there, etc. but not today! no more nuts! i know nuts have "good fats" but they really are too much of a trigger for me. this morning i forgot i didn't have any more light silk soy beverage, so i'm eating dry cereal out of the bag for breakfast. oh boy!

here is today's menu:

breakfast:
coffee (0)
1 cup bran flakes (1)
1/2 cup bran buds (1)
plum (0.5)
2.5/19

snack:
raisins (1)
3.5/19

lunch:
pc blue menu chicken something or other (4)
1 slice rye bread (1)
1 slice ww bread (0.5)
9/19

snack:
apple (1)
2 rye crackers (1)
carrots (0)
11/19

dinner - i don't know yet.

monday monday

well, monday again shows me up about 2-3 pounds. i guess it's to be expected? anyway, i'm going to try hard today to eat well and see what the scale says tomorrow. i'm feeling pretty good although a bit slugglish from eating crapola for part of the weekend. last night i made a delicious dinner. i boiled 3 big turkey franks while i fried some onion and garlic in a bit of vegetable oil. after they were done boiling, i cut them up into little pieces and added them to the frying pan, along with some red and orange peppers, and red pepper flakes. then i started boiling some "smart" rotini pasta. (smart is white pasta, with extra fiber. not my favourite but the bf likes it, and dominion was out of whole wheat rotini.) then i added zucchini and pasta sauce to the frying pan... a few minutes later and voila - a delicious dinner and not that bad for you.

i have a friend who is starting this diet called "the no-fail diet" from a book by leslie beck. here is what amazon says:



Book Description
The No-Fail Diet is a nutritionally balanced, easy-to-follow, and realistic diet plan that will help you lose weight and keep it off permanently. No counting calories, fat grams, or carbohydrate grams—it's a healthy eating plan that fits into real life. The No-Fail Diet will help you

- lose up to 30 pounds in 12 weeks
- achieve and maintain a healthy weight
- look and feel great
- increase your energy
- stay healthy and active as you age

Written by leading nutritionist Leslie Beck, The No-Fail Diet includes
- four flexible weight-loss meal plans
- a day-by-day menu plan with meal and snack ideas and healthy eating tips
- over 80 delicious and easy-to-prepare recipes
- a 12-week fitness plan with almost 100 demonstration photographs
- tracking tools to keep you motivated and enhance success

there is a two week jumpstart program which kind of turns me off. no carbs at lunch or dinner... that sort of thing. i just don't think diets with restrictions can be successful in a realistic world, because they don't teach you how to eat for long-term success. that being said, i hope my friend is successul!

today's menu:

breakfast:
light silk soy (1)
oatmeal (2.5)
raisins (1.5)
5/19

lunch:
2 slices ww bread (1)
chef boyardee NHL pasta (2)
cheese string (1)
9/19

snack:
dad's oatmeal cookies (3)
squiggle (1)
13/19

dinner:
chicken breast (2)
butternut squash (1)
baked potato (3)
margerine (1)
20/19

sick

i am getting sick - i can feel it! i'm pumping the vitamin c and echinacea. i don't know if that will help but i'm feeling somewhat better...

today's menu:

breakfast
oatmeal and plum (3)
tea (0)
3/19

lunch
soup (3)
crackers (1)
7/19

snack
oreo 100 cal pack
9/19

dinner: eating at rivoli tonight, because the bf's band is playing

humpday

i've always hated the phrase "humpday." not sure why. i don't like the word "hump" either. anyhoo. this morning i went on #2 of week #1 couch to 5k run. i did it outside, which was harder but much more interesting. i planned the route pretty well and made it back to my house right on time! then i rode to work. tonight i am going to the gym. this might seem like a lot of exercise but it's not really. i couldn't just do the couch to 5k on its own and feel like that was enough for me. i have got to do a lot of exercise to maintain my current weight. for awhile this really irritated me, but it's something i can't change so i better just accept it. anyway i like exercise, i like feeling strong and healthy, so it's something i've got to keep up.

here is today's menu:

breakfast:
bread w/ peanut butter (1)
bran cereal (2)
light silk soy (1)
peach (0.5)
4.5/19

lunch:
lean cuisine (5)
9.5/19

snack:
dad's cookies (3)
apple (1)
13.5/19

wow these points add up fast!

dinner - not sure. maybe a big fat salad.

feeling good tuesday

first of all, thank you mousearoo for telling me about the running podcasts. i downloaded one for week one of the couch to 5k running program and it was really neat. the music was alright (i'm pretty open minded to dance or rock music) and there was this guy who told you when to run and when to walk and to "stay loose" haha. it was really easy because i'm used to running for 5 mins at a time (and the running part for week one is only one minute) but i'm not going to push ahead. also, i did it on the treadmill at the gym which does sort of defeat the purpose. but i was already there.

i've already dropped my excess weekend weight. woohoo! that was easy. i think eating/snacking late or after dinner is a big trigger for me, so i'm going to try and avoid it. i don't *need* to eat a bowl of cereal at 10:00pm. i just want to.

here is today's menu:

breakfast:
oatmeal (2)
peach (1)
3/19

lunch:
spinach (0)
chef boyardee lasagna (4)
2 slices ww bread (1)
8/19

snack:
sweet and salty granola type bar (3)
11/19

YUM

dinner:
?

boo hiss boo!

my running class was cancelled from low participation! boo hiss boo! what a bummer. i thought about doing the couch to 5k program on my own, but i want to do it outside, and don't want to have to look at a stopwatch every five seconds. i guess i could do it indoors on the treadmills at my gym. i guess! maybe i will sign up for a running room clinic in october instead. they don't have the most convenient locations in toronto. one in commerce court... sort of near work. and one in high park? not great.

this morning i'm 2.2 pounds heavier than friday morning. it's not bad considering i tried three different kinds of cake last night, after eating lasagna with my parents. that weight should be off by wednesday morning.

today's menu:
breakfast:
strawberry and lemon yogurt smoothie (1)
all bran (1)
light silk soy (1)
3/19

lunch:
spinach (0)
can of tuna (3)
dressing (0.5)
cheese string (1)
2 slices ww bread (1)
8.5/19

snacks:
apple (1)
carrots (0)
dad's oatmeal cookies (3)
12.5/19

dinner:
not sure. i have a TON of green beans. i love green beans. maybe a veggie burger too. i haven't had one in awhile which is surprising because i used to eat them at least 4/5 nights a week. yes, i am a single woman and i can eat whatever i want!

running shoes?

can anyone give me direction or tips on running shoes?

i use an old pair of reebox at the gym. they are very cute and my feet feel good in them but it's probably time they retire... especially if i'm going to be hitting the pavement, or treadmill soon.

price and style are definitely a factor, and i'd like to avoid nikes as i've had problems with their arches in the past.

danke schon!

i'm so happy it's friday

my shopping trip last night was pretty successful! i didn't get any work shoes for fall, but they really have a nice collection. AND SO CHEAP. i bought a pair of dark reddish (almost a browny red) pair of heels with a peep hole and strap, patent too. i wouldn't wear them to work because my office is very casual, but i would wear them out and about - they are hot! and best part is, they were regular $115 on sale for $29.99. the bad thing about the shoe outlet is that most of the shoes were size 5 1/2. or 10. but they had stuff in the back and the salesgirls were very helpful. there were a lot of other outlets on the same road - le chateau... some bedding stores, suit stores... etc.

my allergies are acting up even though i took a reactine this morning. i also rode my bike to work - go me!

because i am so happy it's friday - here is a friday five of sorts!

what makes me laugh today:

1) Colin Ferrell spending thousands on a Toronto homeless man let it be known that he took the man to a sporting goods store that is two stores down from my office. i was working away and colin ferrell was in my vicinity.

2) the coach of the leafs is vowing that we'll make the playoffs this year ... when we make the playoffs - maybe i'll start watching hockey!

3) britney calling herself a "fat pig" after her performance. true, maybe she should have covered up a little more, but a fat pig? i don't think so! she's had two kids! and stomach surgery... but that isn't the point.

4) these kitchen gadgets. i want them all. especially the little omlet egg pan thing.

5) ugly christmas sweater parties

enough said. for mousearoo who asked, i am taking a learn to run course at the miles nadal jewish community centre. starts monday - right after the new year!

menu:
breakfast:
starbucks latte (2)
2 slices rye toast (2)
2 tbsp PBS peanut butter (1)
5/19

lunch:
lean cuisine (5)
2 slices ww bread (1)
11/19

dinner:
i don't know - but something with veggies since i'm obviously lacking.

shoes

i didn't go to whole foods and i'm not going tonight either. well, i'm probably not going tonight. instead i'm going to the nine west shoe outlet. it's way up north on dufferin. my car is out of the shop so i'm free to drive wherever i want to go - maybe i'll even drive to the whole foods after. maybe. probably not.

i'm feeling pretty low this week. my bf is really busy and i feel like i don't have enough people to hang out with. i'm starting this "learn-to-run" class at my gym next week, so maybe i'll meet some nice people there. it's hard to meet people who don't end up talking about you behind your back or just being plain do-dos in general. anyhoo. i've dropped all my weight from last weekend. that wasn't too hard :)

menu:

breakfast:
shreddies and milk, tiny amount to ward off vitamin nausea (1)
oatmeal (2)
strawberries (0)
3/19

lunch:
chef boyardee mac and cheese (3)
2 slices ww bread (1)
1 slice mozza cheese (1)
8/19

snack:
2 rye crackers (1)
yogurt (1)
10/19

dinner: i don't know. i have to go shopping for vegetables.

i wish my veggies wore accessories too.

Cool and Crisp

It's a lovely fall morning and I'm trying out a new oatmeal.

Nature's Path Organic Flax, Soy, Blueberry Hot Instant Oatmeal.

Here is the tiniest picture ever:


Why are words like flax and soy so attractive to health nuts? Or people like me, who don't actually know *that* much but are trying.

I'm hoping this oatmeal will be very filling, but it's too early to tell. It does have little seeds in it, which I like.

Breakfast:
oatmeal (2)
strawberries (0)
2/19

Lunch:
Lean cuisine (5)
2 slices ww bread (1)
8/19

Snacks:
carrots (0)
2 rye crackers (1)
yogurt (1)
10/19

Dinner:
Not sure, maybe a veggie burger and fries.

I might go to Whole Foods after work. I think there is one in Yorkville, but I'll have to double check. I think they have lots of interesting products that regular supermarkets don't, but I could be just making that up from a dream or something.

take care of business

after this past week and weekend, i found myself up a few pounds. i really can't explain the ways of the weight world. sometimes i eat more and lose, some times i eat more and gain. i'm sure it depends on a lot of factors that i don't always consider - exercise, time of day eating, etc. anyhoo. in order to rid myself of this excess poundage, i'm going to tcb right away and avoid snacking after dinner. i hate being hungry before bed but so it goes.

breakfast:
oatmeal (3)
3/19

lunch:
lean cuisine mango chicken curry (6)
lettuce underneath (0)
9/19

snack:
carrots (0)
yogurt (1)
2 rye crackers (1)
11/19

tonight is the premiere of the biggest loser... is everyone excited? i am!

monday snoozeday

virgin festival this past weekend was pretty good. except i fainted on saturday night listening to bjork. she was just that good. actually it was a combo of low iron, claustrophobia and "i'm not paying that much for food, let's eat when the concert is over." soooooo... i fell hard (with no injuries) and was out for over a minute, apparently. bjork brought me back to life. so did chinese food at the new ho king on spadina. we rode our bikes there and back both days. it feels so good to do active things that aren't just going to the gym. that can get boring somewhat fast.

here is today's menu up until dinner:

breakfast:
1/2 orange
oatmeal (3)
3/19

lunch:
lean cuisine (6)
9/19

snack:
2 rye crackers (1)
yogurt (1)
11/19

Friday woohoo!

Even though it was only a four day week this weekend, I am extra happy it's Friday! Maybe it's my allergies. Weigh-in wasn't that great. A bit of a gain, so I'll have to watch it this weekend.

Here is today's menurific menu:

Breakfast:
oatmeal (2)
peach (1)
3/19

Lunch:
Lean Cuisine lasagna (6)
spinach (0)
9/19

Snack:
cauliflower (0)
9/19

Dinner: who knows!

Thursday

Alright. Evil Dead the Musical was really funny - there are still tickets left and 5 more shows if you live in the Toronto area and still wanna go. The songs were campy and funny, and the blood spurting was really well done. 4 out of 5 stars! It's already Thursday - I need tonight to clean up around the house and go to the gym. I managed (if I go tonight, which I will) to go three times this week and I'm really proud of myself for doing that. I want to go three times a week and it's got to be a priority, which it really has been for the last few months. I cannot remember a week that I have not gone at least three times. Except when I went to Vegas - give a girl a break!

This weekend is the Virgin Festival concert on Toronto Island. I didn't really care about going, but all my friends are, and I managed to score a 2 day pass for only $85, when one day is regular priced $82 and two-day $138. This guy in Montreal sold it to me and it's coming via express post right now.

In other news, I need to stop spending money I don't have.

Here is today's menu:

breakfast:
oatmeal (2)
peaches (1)
3/19

lunch:
soup to go (2)
2 slices rye bread (2)
yogurt (1)
8/19

snack:
yogurt (1)
2 rye crackers (1)
10/19

dinner:
pasta (4)
chicken breast (2)
veggies (0)
becel light (2)
18/19

snack:
popcorn (3)
21/19

Allergies

My allergies are making me so tired. I got up early today to go to the gym before work, since I had plans yesterday and couldn't go. THEN I went to the dentist. And NOW I am at work. Tonight I am going to see Evil Dead the Musical, and I am very excited. They have a splatter zone if you sit in the first three rows - blood splatter! I am not sitting there haha.

Today's menu:

pre-gym:
yogurt (0.5)
almonds (0.5)
1 slice ww bread (0.5)
1.5/19

breakfast:
oatmeal (3)
4.5/19

lunch:
some sort of microwave meal (6)
6.5/19

dinner: yet to be determined.
:o)

weight woes

happy tuesday and september everyone! after a lovely 4-day holiday, i am back at work. i am also 3.6 pounds heavier than last week which is a bit disconcerting, but not that bad if i tcb (take care of business) right away. i did eat a lot of bbq on the weekend, and just sit around, and drink a lot of alcohol, and ate right before bed last night, so it's probably to be expected. i'm just going to take it in stride because it's not a huge deal. as long as i try not to snack unnecessarily between meals or late at night, i should be alright. i went to the gym yesterday which was nice. i'm only aiming for 3 times a week these days. anything more and i find i become obsessive about it, like trying to go every morning before work. i wanted to go this morning, but i was up before my alarm with horrible allergies. i walked to the shoppers by my house because i thought it opened at 7am, but it didn't open until 8am, so feeling rejected, i just went home and back to bed until 8. thankfully i now have reactine in me and my eyes aren't red, itchy blobs anymore.

here is today's menu:

breakfast:
peach (1)
oatmeal (3)
4/19

lunch:
pc blue menu veg. lasagna (6)
10/19

snack:
2 rye crackers (1)
peanut butter (1)
12/19

dinner:
i'm going out for dinner, possibly to the rivoli. not sure what i will have yet!