this post is going to be a bit random. yesterday i got some poopy news which is going to change my life a lot. i don't want to get into it yet but it really through me for a loop.
i ended up eating nothing but a sweet potato (a tiny one) for lunch, at about 4pm, and then dinner was 4 pieces of pizza from pizza pizza at 10:40pm. but really it's not so bad. yes, 4 is a lot of pizza pieces (tongue twister), but they were from a medium pizza and i checked online - it's only about 180-230 calories per slice (depending on toppings and stuff) so it was maybe 1000 calories tops, which probably means i didn't do any damage given how little i ate during the day yesterday.
i wasn't going to weigh-in this morning, but then i though, what the heck. and i was 119.6, up 0.6 from last week. pretty good considering i chomped that pizza down so late.
due to my poopy news, i woke up at 4am and couldn't go back to sleep because my mind was racing and thinking and not letting me relax. i waited until 5:30am then went down to the gym. (that's when it opens... luckily it's in my building). i switched up my routine a little... here's what i did:
5 minutes walking
10 minutes running: changing speeds from 5.5, 5.6, 5.7, 5.8, 5.9
then some arm free weights (for about 5 minutes)
10 minutes running: same as above
second set of arm free weights
10 minutes running: same as above
sit-ups (about 100 in various positions)
10 minutes running: same as above
5 minutes walking cool down
stretching
i liked this because it was entertaining. now that i have a hrm, i am very much focused on keeping my heart rate up for a longer period of time. i could have ran for 40 minutes straight and then done the weights and sit-ups, but then i only would have been in my target zone for the running minutes, and not the weights minutes. see what i mean? the whole workout burned 400 calories. and my bum pain is very minimal. i thought i should mention it haha. it really hurt though earlier this week (on wednesday)... i couldn't even walk! i was a limpy laura and it was painful. good thing i rested yesterday.
i wonder if my insomnia last night also had something to do with me not exercising. usually i have no problems in the sleep department. while i was running today, i was thinking about how much i love exercising. when i hear people complaining about it, i just want to put my arm around their shoulder and say "hang in there, pal, you'll love it eventually." do you think i would actually use the word "pal?" who knows! my 10-minute runs this morning were so easy! in my head i was thinking "la la la, running running do da day"... i'm not even joking.
tonight i am going to a stagette party. well, part of one. the girls are going out for dinner and then out to a club. i am going for the dinner part only. it's not really my kind of restaurant... all seafoody and expensive. what would you order? tomorrow my boyfriend and i are going bathing suit shopping. i also want to hit up shoppers drug mart because it's an extra rewards weekend. i have 40,000 points and i'm not afraid to use them. it's also my boyfriend's brother's birthday and he is having a party. partytastic!
today on the menu is:
a few bites of scrambled eggs
an apple
a fat free vanilla yogurt
berry medley oatmeal
with 1/2 pack regular
1/2 cup all bran
2 T pumpkin
1 T flax
berries: strawberries, raspberries, blueberries, and blackberries
gardenburger with lettuce and tomato on a whole wheat pita (yesterday's lunch)
dinner out :) i hope you all have a nice weekend.
Friday, May 30, 2008
Thursday, May 29, 2008
takin' it easy, takin' it slooowwwwww
good morning. today i'm doing things a little differently.
1) i did not go to the gym this morning. why? a) bum pain - needs a rest to heal... feels better already and b) i think i needed a mental break from it as well. it's not like i have to go everyday... that would be ridiculous.
2) i decided to have lunch for dinner today and dinner for lunch. usually i eat somewhat light at lunch — yogurt, fruits, toast — because i like to eat a bigger dinner.
3) i stepped on the scale this morning and i never do that (except on friday)... what's up with me? i was feeling particularly thin and fit this morning... unfortunately the scale said i was up from last week. excuse me scale? where do you get off!? the nerve! so anyway, if i switch my meals around today maybe that will help.
here is today's menu:
about 10 strawberries
10-15 raspberries
4-5 blackberries
5-10 blueberries... obviously i am a berry fiend
vanilla hazelnut coffee
1 packet maple brown sugar instant oatmeal
1/2 cup all-bran
1 T ground flax
1/2 cup blueberries
1/2 cup fat free vanilla pear yogurt
gardenburger on a high-fibre pita with
mixed greens
baby tomatoes
honey mustard
small sweet potato on the side
1 cup plain 2% yogurt
2 slices sprouted grains toast
1/2 cup raspberries
1/2 cup pumpkin mixed in
that's about it. i am boring today. my big plans for tonight include cleaning the bathroom. JOY.
1) i did not go to the gym this morning. why? a) bum pain - needs a rest to heal... feels better already and b) i think i needed a mental break from it as well. it's not like i have to go everyday... that would be ridiculous.
2) i decided to have lunch for dinner today and dinner for lunch. usually i eat somewhat light at lunch — yogurt, fruits, toast — because i like to eat a bigger dinner.
3) i stepped on the scale this morning and i never do that (except on friday)... what's up with me? i was feeling particularly thin and fit this morning... unfortunately the scale said i was up from last week. excuse me scale? where do you get off!? the nerve! so anyway, if i switch my meals around today maybe that will help.
here is today's menu:
about 10 strawberries
10-15 raspberries
4-5 blackberries
5-10 blueberries... obviously i am a berry fiend
vanilla hazelnut coffee
1 packet maple brown sugar instant oatmeal
1/2 cup all-bran
1 T ground flax
1/2 cup blueberries
1/2 cup fat free vanilla pear yogurt
gardenburger on a high-fibre pita with
mixed greens
baby tomatoes
honey mustard
small sweet potato on the side
1 cup plain 2% yogurt
2 slices sprouted grains toast
1/2 cup raspberries
1/2 cup pumpkin mixed in
that's about it. i am boring today. my big plans for tonight include cleaning the bathroom. JOY.
Wednesday, May 28, 2008
pressure to stay thin
no matter how much weight you have lost, or how much weight you still might have to lose, do you feel the pressure to stay thin? i would have to say that i do. and it's more of a pressure of my own making, but with the help of others... this might not make sense so i'll try to explain myself.
when i was heavier, nobody (except my mom) really said anything negative to me about my weight. guys i dated said they didn't care (i did and still do believe this), and girls certainly didn't mind having a friend heavier than they were. now that i am a thinner person, i feel a lot of pressure to stay this way. obviously i like getting compliments about my shape, i really do because it's very gratifying and i work really hard, but sometimes these comments just add to the pressure to stay thin. for example, my mom tells everyone that i run... everyone... even when i am right there which can be a little weird if i don't feel like talking about it. my parents are always telling my sister that she should be more active like me. i can tell that my friends who are on diet and exercise plans are envious that i am already at my goal.
it's like once you reach your weight loss goal and manage to keep it off for any amount of time, you are kind of held up on a weight loss pedestal. i can imagine that it is also this way for people who have lost a more significant amount of weight than i have, be it 60 or 70 or 100 pounds. people think you hold the key to the secrets of weight loss and getting fit.
i feel like if i fell off the wagon now, not only would i be letting myself down, but i'd also be letting down all the people in my life that build me up so much for living a (for the most part) healthy lifestyle. my boyfriend (who really loves ketchup chips) said that he used to eat ketchup chips every night, but doesn't anymore because of me and my healthy influence on him. that's pretty big! so my question is: do you feel the pressure?
this morning i ran 5 miles on the treadmill... it was pretty easy except my bum is hurting now. stupid bum! tonight is date night which i am looking forward to. i haven't had a wednesday date in weeks! is anyone (in canada) watching that new "make me a supermodel show?" i am... i am so happy there are male and female models... finally!
today on the menu:
1/2 cup cheerios
coffee
weight control cinnamon oatmeal
1 T flax
1/2 cup all bran
2 T pumpkin
1 t baking powder
1/2 t nutmeg
1/2 banana
2 strawberries (all i had left)
28 baby carrots
10 baby tomatoes
2 T skinny dips hummus
200 g plain 2% yogurt
100 g fat free vanilla pear yogurt
blueberries
blackberries
2 T pumpkin
plain oatmeal (if hungry)
probably homemade poutine and a turkey grill 'em and frozen veggies
when i was heavier, nobody (except my mom) really said anything negative to me about my weight. guys i dated said they didn't care (i did and still do believe this), and girls certainly didn't mind having a friend heavier than they were. now that i am a thinner person, i feel a lot of pressure to stay this way. obviously i like getting compliments about my shape, i really do because it's very gratifying and i work really hard, but sometimes these comments just add to the pressure to stay thin. for example, my mom tells everyone that i run... everyone... even when i am right there which can be a little weird if i don't feel like talking about it. my parents are always telling my sister that she should be more active like me. i can tell that my friends who are on diet and exercise plans are envious that i am already at my goal.
it's like once you reach your weight loss goal and manage to keep it off for any amount of time, you are kind of held up on a weight loss pedestal. i can imagine that it is also this way for people who have lost a more significant amount of weight than i have, be it 60 or 70 or 100 pounds. people think you hold the key to the secrets of weight loss and getting fit.
i feel like if i fell off the wagon now, not only would i be letting myself down, but i'd also be letting down all the people in my life that build me up so much for living a (for the most part) healthy lifestyle. my boyfriend (who really loves ketchup chips) said that he used to eat ketchup chips every night, but doesn't anymore because of me and my healthy influence on him. that's pretty big! so my question is: do you feel the pressure?
this morning i ran 5 miles on the treadmill... it was pretty easy except my bum is hurting now. stupid bum! tonight is date night which i am looking forward to. i haven't had a wednesday date in weeks! is anyone (in canada) watching that new "make me a supermodel show?" i am... i am so happy there are male and female models... finally!
today on the menu:
1/2 cup cheerios
coffee
weight control cinnamon oatmeal
1 T flax
1/2 cup all bran
2 T pumpkin
1 t baking powder
1/2 t nutmeg
1/2 banana
2 strawberries (all i had left)
28 baby carrots
10 baby tomatoes
2 T skinny dips hummus
200 g plain 2% yogurt
100 g fat free vanilla pear yogurt
blueberries
blackberries
2 T pumpkin
plain oatmeal (if hungry)
probably homemade poutine and a turkey grill 'em and frozen veggies
Tuesday, May 27, 2008
i have a problem
and it's my love of coffee. i love coffee. it's so warm and yummy and makes me feel good all over. right now i am halfway through reading skinny bitch, which tells you that coffee is bad (and everything is bad...) and if you *need* coffee then you have a problem. well, i don't think i need coffee. i don't have it everyday, and sometimes i only drink half a cup and forget about it. and i make a point not to drink more than 2 cups per day (if i'm really jonesing for coffee), and now that i'm in my almost mid-late twenties, i try not to have coffee at night. it doesn't keep me up at night but the tables could turn at any moment.
in other news, this morning i did an anti-boredom workout: bike, arm weights, elliptical, more arm weights, treadmill, stretching it out. i also did this new arm free-weights move that i read about here on fit celeb. except i used 5-pound weights because my gym doesn't have 3-pound weights... and 3 pounds is too light for me. i think jessica biel (from the fit celeb link) has a superfit, awesome body. she is feminine, but also hardcore... that's what i want. although i'm sure some people might think she is too buff, i am not one of them. see!:
weird how that picture is from chinadaily.com, haha. anyway.
i just noticed yesterday that erin from going skinny tagged me for a meme game. here are the rules:
1. Link to your tagger and post these rules.
2. Share 5 facts about yourself.
3. Tag 5 people at the end of your post and list their names, linking to them.
4. Let them know they’ve been tagged by leaving a comment at their blogs.
my five:
1) some of you may know that i am learning to sew... i took a class and made a pillow (and haven't done anything since)... until now! on facebook i won a $100 prize from the sewing studio, and i've signed up for the "how to make a summer dress" class... isn't that rad? it's 4 classes and doesn't start until mid-june. but a summer dress? hooray! just think... once i've made one... i can make a thousand, and wear something different every day of my life.
2) i was a very picky eater as a child. my mom would say stuff like, "if you don't eat that broccoli, then you can't have dessert" and i'd be fine with that. now i can't imagine not wanting dessert, hah. i hated all green veggies, most other vegetables, salad, rice (who hates rice?), and all seafood.
3) i ride my bike to work everyday, if it is not raining, or winter. i love riding my bike but only at a comfortable speed. i am not afraid of going fast... just lazy. i work out hard in my actual workouts, so i want bike riding to be something enjoyable and relaxing. i have a cruiser... here i am last summer - now i have a blue milk crate basket at the back to put my stuff in.
4) i have workout ocd. for example, when i'm running, i have to know a) exactly how far i'm going or b) how many calories i'm burning, but not necessarily both. it's a bummer too, because i live really close to lake ontario, and wouldn't it be nice to go for a run by the lake? but noooooo, since i can't plan my route on mapmyrun.com, i haven't even tried it yet. how crazy is that? that being said, the weather hasn't been *that* nice yet... so hopefully this summer i can overcome this ridiculous idea.
5) i was really obsessed with getting a papasan chair and so i got one, in black, and now i hardly ever sit in it... go figure. it's too comfortable. once i sit down, it's very difficult to get up out of it. my dream is to bring it out on the balcony in the summer and read, and it hasn't really been warm enough yet to do that (because of wind) so hopefully soon.
and now i have to tag five people, so randomly i'm choosing: shelley, crystal, mandy, shirls, and laura. tagging people is a lot of work.
in other news, this morning i did an anti-boredom workout: bike, arm weights, elliptical, more arm weights, treadmill, stretching it out. i also did this new arm free-weights move that i read about here on fit celeb. except i used 5-pound weights because my gym doesn't have 3-pound weights... and 3 pounds is too light for me. i think jessica biel (from the fit celeb link) has a superfit, awesome body. she is feminine, but also hardcore... that's what i want. although i'm sure some people might think she is too buff, i am not one of them. see!:
weird how that picture is from chinadaily.com, haha. anyway.
i just noticed yesterday that erin from going skinny tagged me for a meme game. here are the rules:
1. Link to your tagger and post these rules.
2. Share 5 facts about yourself.
3. Tag 5 people at the end of your post and list their names, linking to them.
4. Let them know they’ve been tagged by leaving a comment at their blogs.
my five:
1) some of you may know that i am learning to sew... i took a class and made a pillow (and haven't done anything since)... until now! on facebook i won a $100 prize from the sewing studio, and i've signed up for the "how to make a summer dress" class... isn't that rad? it's 4 classes and doesn't start until mid-june. but a summer dress? hooray! just think... once i've made one... i can make a thousand, and wear something different every day of my life.
2) i was a very picky eater as a child. my mom would say stuff like, "if you don't eat that broccoli, then you can't have dessert" and i'd be fine with that. now i can't imagine not wanting dessert, hah. i hated all green veggies, most other vegetables, salad, rice (who hates rice?), and all seafood.
3) i ride my bike to work everyday, if it is not raining, or winter. i love riding my bike but only at a comfortable speed. i am not afraid of going fast... just lazy. i work out hard in my actual workouts, so i want bike riding to be something enjoyable and relaxing. i have a cruiser... here i am last summer - now i have a blue milk crate basket at the back to put my stuff in.
4) i have workout ocd. for example, when i'm running, i have to know a) exactly how far i'm going or b) how many calories i'm burning, but not necessarily both. it's a bummer too, because i live really close to lake ontario, and wouldn't it be nice to go for a run by the lake? but noooooo, since i can't plan my route on mapmyrun.com, i haven't even tried it yet. how crazy is that? that being said, the weather hasn't been *that* nice yet... so hopefully this summer i can overcome this ridiculous idea.
5) i was really obsessed with getting a papasan chair and so i got one, in black, and now i hardly ever sit in it... go figure. it's too comfortable. once i sit down, it's very difficult to get up out of it. my dream is to bring it out on the balcony in the summer and read, and it hasn't really been warm enough yet to do that (because of wind) so hopefully soon.
and now i have to tag five people, so randomly i'm choosing: shelley, crystal, mandy, shirls, and laura. tagging people is a lot of work.
Monday, May 26, 2008
hard to the core to the hard hard core
good morning monday. my weekend was pretty good. friday night was my boyfriend's show. i got my unflattering portrait done - would you like to see it? of course you would!
i really like it! it looks a lot like me... just unflattering haha.
it ended late and with chinese food - but i didn't feel bad about it since i had done 5 miles that morning and usually on fridays i take it easy. on saturday i ran 4 miles outside... which was nice because it was a really beautiful day. my boyfriend and i had our dance class (tango, rumba, salsa, swing), went grocery shopping, and went to a friend's birthday bbq. fun! yesterday i went to a wedding shower and pigged out on scoops - those tortilla chips. the bowl was right in front of me during present opening... which took a long time... resulting in many many scoops.
and now it is monday. i set my alarm for 6:45am, hit the snooze, thought about not exercising, then exercising after work, then thinking there is NO WAY i am going to want to do anything after work on a monday, so i went downstairs and hit the gym. i ran a surprisingly easy 5 miles, all at a 2% incline, switching the speed up from 5.5 mph every 2 minutes, up until 6.3, then i ran 2 minutes at 7 mph and the cycle started again. my knees didn't hurt at all (which is amazing for running for 50 minutes) and my bum pain is pretty much gone. i am healed! phewf... i was worried for a bit. and now that my workout is over for today i feel grrrreeeeaaaat.
i am reading this book called "souvenir" by therese fowler... here it is... it's pretty good - i find myself thinking about it all of the time.
today on the menu is:
high fibre berry oatmeal
1/2 cup all bran
1 T flax
coffee with skim milk
1 cup plain 2% yogurt
1/2 cup pumpkin
1 cup strawberries
14 baby carrots (yes, 14!)
2 slices sprouted grains toast
shrimp pita sandwich =
high fibre pita
shrimps
spinach
mustard
tomatos
side of green, yellow beans and carrots
i really like it! it looks a lot like me... just unflattering haha. it ended late and with chinese food - but i didn't feel bad about it since i had done 5 miles that morning and usually on fridays i take it easy. on saturday i ran 4 miles outside... which was nice because it was a really beautiful day. my boyfriend and i had our dance class (tango, rumba, salsa, swing), went grocery shopping, and went to a friend's birthday bbq. fun! yesterday i went to a wedding shower and pigged out on scoops - those tortilla chips. the bowl was right in front of me during present opening... which took a long time... resulting in many many scoops.
and now it is monday. i set my alarm for 6:45am, hit the snooze, thought about not exercising, then exercising after work, then thinking there is NO WAY i am going to want to do anything after work on a monday, so i went downstairs and hit the gym. i ran a surprisingly easy 5 miles, all at a 2% incline, switching the speed up from 5.5 mph every 2 minutes, up until 6.3, then i ran 2 minutes at 7 mph and the cycle started again. my knees didn't hurt at all (which is amazing for running for 50 minutes) and my bum pain is pretty much gone. i am healed! phewf... i was worried for a bit. and now that my workout is over for today i feel grrrreeeeaaaat.
i am reading this book called "souvenir" by therese fowler... here it is... it's pretty good - i find myself thinking about it all of the time.
today on the menu is:
high fibre berry oatmeal
1/2 cup all bran
1 T flax
coffee with skim milk
1 cup plain 2% yogurt
1/2 cup pumpkin
1 cup strawberries
14 baby carrots (yes, 14!)
2 slices sprouted grains toast
shrimp pita sandwich =
high fibre pita
shrimps
spinach
mustard
tomatos
side of green, yellow beans and carrots
Friday, May 23, 2008
stupid stupid stupid
okay, i couldn't NOT post about this. i read celeb gossip for kicks and came across this piece of diet advice:
We could all learn something from Janet Jackson; replace the bad with the good.
Janet Jackson has stopped indulging in her favorite sweet treat: pancakes! "She always craves pancakes," says her nutritionist David Allen, who's also co-author of the singer's upcoming book about her weight struggles. Instead Ms. Jackson snacks on a mix of fresh blueberries and strawberries, which together have about 65 calories a cup. Compared to 520 calories for two pancakes with butter and syrup, there’s no need for guilt!
don't get me wrong, i love berries... but they are not a substitute for pancakes! that's stupid stupid stupid.
We could all learn something from Janet Jackson; replace the bad with the good.
Janet Jackson has stopped indulging in her favorite sweet treat: pancakes! "She always craves pancakes," says her nutritionist David Allen, who's also co-author of the singer's upcoming book about her weight struggles. Instead Ms. Jackson snacks on a mix of fresh blueberries and strawberries, which together have about 65 calories a cup. Compared to 520 calories for two pancakes with butter and syrup, there’s no need for guilt!
don't get me wrong, i love berries... but they are not a substitute for pancakes! that's stupid stupid stupid.
fantastic friday TEN
good morning everyone... here is a friday list.
1) friday... dreaded weigh-in day. 119.0 wahoo! that's 1.8 less than last week. and i'm sure i was more than 120.8 on tuesday morning. there is something to be said for taking care of business right away. now i am back in my maintenance range. PHEWF. hard work (exercising hardcore and counting calories) pays off.
2) it's so interesting to hear where people gain weight first. i would love to gain weight in my boobs! ;o) unfortunately that is not the case.
3) my groin pain is pretty much gone. thank the good lord above. my bum pain is very minimal. i didn't need to take a bath or use a heating pad last night and this morning i was a loose goose.
4) speaking of geese, i got this chinese proverb in my email from sparkpeople today: "Listen to all, plucking a feather from every passing goose, but follow no one absolutely." ooooohhhh kaaayyyyyy. i get it, but it doesn't really relate to healthy living. some opinions should not be plucked off the goose!
5) this morning i went to the gym and did a 5 mile run, using the 45-min running interval workout i posted earlier this week. after 40 mins (before the cool down), i ran for an extra 15 minutes to get to 5 miles. hard. core.
6) i am drinking a coffee from second cup (hazelnut) instead of office coffee today. normally i don't do this to save money, but sometimes office coffee is totally nast. and my office stopped buying milk so my options are a) black or b) coffeemate, both which appeal to me on a rare occasion but not today. yummmmm coffee.
7) i have a busy weekend lined up. tonight is my boyfriend's music and art event. his band is not playing, but some good ones are, and the artists he booked are really rad. there is one that draws "unflattering portraits." click on the link and check it out... it's really cool and i am going to have one done. then on saturday my boyfriend and i have dance class, and it's a friends birthday bbq at night. on sunday i am going to my cousin's wedding shower in dundas, ontario... that's far :o(... at least i only have to drive to my parent's house, and my mom will drive the rest of the way.
8) i got a free sample in the mail. it came with a powerbar and a little liquid packet of "gel" or something gross in strawberry banana flavour. all it is is 25g of sugar! i am never going to use this.... ever! the thought of it really grosses me out. i might try the powerbar but since it is 200 calories, i can't imagine eating more than 1/2 at one time.
9) this gets me thinking about fueling before a workout. some people really consume way more then they need to. before AND after a workout. you don't want to negate the effects of the workout by eating more than you burned! i'm talking regular workouts, not training for a marathon or anything crazy. i guess it's different for everyone. personally, when i workout in the morning i don't need to eat anything beforehand. if my stomach is growling before i go, then i'll eat something, but if it's not, i don't bother. if i get hungry 1/2 way through i just suck it up... food will come soon, it's not the end of the world. i usually plan my workouts to be before a meal, so i don't need to replenish anything with a snack... i just eat regularly. what do you do?
10) my boyfriend said he got me a present related to my "fitness hobby." i wonder what it could be. he went to a few different nutrition stores and most didn't carry this specific product. i am so intrigued... what could it be? he says that i don't know that this exists but i'm going to love it. hmmmmm.
anyway that's all. oh, here is today's menu:
2 cherries
coffee
more coffee
apple cinnamon oatmeal with
1 T flax
1/3 cup all bran
2 T pumpkin
small scoop of trail mix
fat free vanilla pear yogurt
2 fat free blueberry yogurts
1/2 cup pumpkin
1/2 cup raspberries
high fibre pita with
PB2 peanut butter
a banana :)
dinner... eating out with girlfriends before the really big shoe.
1) friday... dreaded weigh-in day. 119.0 wahoo! that's 1.8 less than last week. and i'm sure i was more than 120.8 on tuesday morning. there is something to be said for taking care of business right away. now i am back in my maintenance range. PHEWF. hard work (exercising hardcore and counting calories) pays off.
2) it's so interesting to hear where people gain weight first. i would love to gain weight in my boobs! ;o) unfortunately that is not the case.
3) my groin pain is pretty much gone. thank the good lord above. my bum pain is very minimal. i didn't need to take a bath or use a heating pad last night and this morning i was a loose goose.
4) speaking of geese, i got this chinese proverb in my email from sparkpeople today: "Listen to all, plucking a feather from every passing goose, but follow no one absolutely." ooooohhhh kaaayyyyyy. i get it, but it doesn't really relate to healthy living. some opinions should not be plucked off the goose!
5) this morning i went to the gym and did a 5 mile run, using the 45-min running interval workout i posted earlier this week. after 40 mins (before the cool down), i ran for an extra 15 minutes to get to 5 miles. hard. core.
6) i am drinking a coffee from second cup (hazelnut) instead of office coffee today. normally i don't do this to save money, but sometimes office coffee is totally nast. and my office stopped buying milk so my options are a) black or b) coffeemate, both which appeal to me on a rare occasion but not today. yummmmm coffee.
7) i have a busy weekend lined up. tonight is my boyfriend's music and art event. his band is not playing, but some good ones are, and the artists he booked are really rad. there is one that draws "unflattering portraits." click on the link and check it out... it's really cool and i am going to have one done. then on saturday my boyfriend and i have dance class, and it's a friends birthday bbq at night. on sunday i am going to my cousin's wedding shower in dundas, ontario... that's far :o(... at least i only have to drive to my parent's house, and my mom will drive the rest of the way.
8) i got a free sample in the mail. it came with a powerbar and a little liquid packet of "gel" or something gross in strawberry banana flavour. all it is is 25g of sugar! i am never going to use this.... ever! the thought of it really grosses me out. i might try the powerbar but since it is 200 calories, i can't imagine eating more than 1/2 at one time.
9) this gets me thinking about fueling before a workout. some people really consume way more then they need to. before AND after a workout. you don't want to negate the effects of the workout by eating more than you burned! i'm talking regular workouts, not training for a marathon or anything crazy. i guess it's different for everyone. personally, when i workout in the morning i don't need to eat anything beforehand. if my stomach is growling before i go, then i'll eat something, but if it's not, i don't bother. if i get hungry 1/2 way through i just suck it up... food will come soon, it's not the end of the world. i usually plan my workouts to be before a meal, so i don't need to replenish anything with a snack... i just eat regularly. what do you do?
10) my boyfriend said he got me a present related to my "fitness hobby." i wonder what it could be. he went to a few different nutrition stores and most didn't carry this specific product. i am so intrigued... what could it be? he says that i don't know that this exists but i'm going to love it. hmmmmm.
anyway that's all. oh, here is today's menu:
2 cherries
coffee
more coffee
apple cinnamon oatmeal with
1 T flax
1/3 cup all bran
2 T pumpkin
small scoop of trail mix
fat free vanilla pear yogurt
2 fat free blueberry yogurts
1/2 cup pumpkin
1/2 cup raspberries
high fibre pita with
PB2 peanut butter
a banana :)
dinner... eating out with girlfriends before the really big shoe.
Thursday, May 22, 2008
quick one - and...
quick post today, because i am heading out of the office for a bit in a few minutes. yesterday (day two) was another success. except that i couldn't move all day. the pain/lack of movement was worse than ever. my bum pain turned into a groin pull or something. it was a nightmare. but anyway... i took a bath and used a heating pad and went to bed early and it already feels much better today. i am not gimpy mcgoo anymore which is a bonus.
this morning i went down to the gym, but running was not an option. i tried a bit of walking first, but even that started to aggravate my groin pain so i stopped. instead i did a bit of stationary biking, a bit of arm weights, and the elliptical. i hate the elliptical but a girls gotta do what she has to do - desperate times people, desperate times.
for the record i am only being so hardcore this week because i am trying to slim down before friday. it is my boyfriend's bimonthly pop and art event and i will be wearing a dress and don't want my pooch to be pooching out. and i know i gained a bit last week (and on the weekend) and i want to nip it in the bud as fast as possible, thus the extreme exercise (although not extreme today) and counting of calories, which i don't normally do.
when i gain weight, i gain it first in my stomach. stomach and upper thigh area. this is how i know i've gained. i don't have a naturally thin stomach. it will never be flat like some women's stomach. i am an apple. skinny arms and legs mean nothing to me... it's all about the stomach. where do you gain weight first?
today on the menu is:
a navel orange
1 packet weight control cinnamon oatmeal
1/2 cup all bran
1 T flax
1 source yogurt
2 T pumpkin
1/2 cup plain 2% yogurt
2 vanilla fat free yogurts
1/2 cup raspberries
14 carrots
1/4 cup salsa
1 high fibre tortilla
and for dinner not sure - maybe heaps of edamame. yummy! one more day until the weekend... and my dreaded weigh-in... yikes!
this morning i went down to the gym, but running was not an option. i tried a bit of walking first, but even that started to aggravate my groin pain so i stopped. instead i did a bit of stationary biking, a bit of arm weights, and the elliptical. i hate the elliptical but a girls gotta do what she has to do - desperate times people, desperate times.
for the record i am only being so hardcore this week because i am trying to slim down before friday. it is my boyfriend's bimonthly pop and art event and i will be wearing a dress and don't want my pooch to be pooching out. and i know i gained a bit last week (and on the weekend) and i want to nip it in the bud as fast as possible, thus the extreme exercise (although not extreme today) and counting of calories, which i don't normally do.
when i gain weight, i gain it first in my stomach. stomach and upper thigh area. this is how i know i've gained. i don't have a naturally thin stomach. it will never be flat like some women's stomach. i am an apple. skinny arms and legs mean nothing to me... it's all about the stomach. where do you gain weight first?
today on the menu is:
a navel orange
1 packet weight control cinnamon oatmeal
1/2 cup all bran
1 T flax
1 source yogurt
2 T pumpkin
1/2 cup plain 2% yogurt
2 vanilla fat free yogurts
1/2 cup raspberries
14 carrots
1/4 cup salsa
1 high fibre tortilla
and for dinner not sure - maybe heaps of edamame. yummy! one more day until the weekend... and my dreaded weigh-in... yikes!
Wednesday, May 21, 2008
one day success
i forgot how easy it is to stay motivated when you have one great day under your belt. yesterday i worked out, i didn't snack, i didn't eat anything after dinner, and i stuck to my meal plan. even though it was just one day and this is most likely psychological, i already feel better about myself, and i'm "excited"* to stay on plan today and tomorrow. *excited is obviously a relative term haha.
i was a bit hungry last night when i went to bed but i just sucked it up. i went to bed at 10pm which is unusual for me because i am always pushing it with sleep. i turned out the lights at 10:30 and slept until 6:30 and getting enough sleep truly is an amazing feeling. everytime i get 8 hours i love it, so why don't i make it a priority? do i think waking hours are more productive than sleeping ones? depends on your definition of productive i guess. a healthy body needs sleep so i'm going to start viewing sleep as something productive.
my bum still hurts today, but it's my own fault really. last night i soaked in the tub and it felt a bit better. this morning it felt the same (a bit better) and i went downstairs to the gym, which probably aggravated it again. mama mia! i could *not* work out, but i don't want to right now. exercise relaxes me. i did the 45 running workout that i did yesterday, as well as 15 extra running minutes on the end to make up 5 miles. also some arm strength training and sit-ups.
i am wearing my tight jeans today. they are still too tight, but i wanted to squeeze into them to remind me of what happens when i eat too many rainbow twizzlers. they aren't tight in the waist, i couldn't handle that, more like the thigh and bottom area... so it's not that annoying really.
here is my menu today:
1 packet high fibre berry medley quaker oatmeal
1/2 cup all bran mixed in
1 T ground flax mixed in
1 source yogurt
1 cup plain 2% yogurt
1/2 cup pure pumpkin
1/2 cup raspberries
1/2 cup baby tomatoes
28 baby carrots
1 high fibre pita
can of tuna
steamed cauliflower
2 slices sprouted grains toast
spinach salad with fat free caesar dressing
baby tomatoes
i was a bit hungry last night when i went to bed but i just sucked it up. i went to bed at 10pm which is unusual for me because i am always pushing it with sleep. i turned out the lights at 10:30 and slept until 6:30 and getting enough sleep truly is an amazing feeling. everytime i get 8 hours i love it, so why don't i make it a priority? do i think waking hours are more productive than sleeping ones? depends on your definition of productive i guess. a healthy body needs sleep so i'm going to start viewing sleep as something productive.
my bum still hurts today, but it's my own fault really. last night i soaked in the tub and it felt a bit better. this morning it felt the same (a bit better) and i went downstairs to the gym, which probably aggravated it again. mama mia! i could *not* work out, but i don't want to right now. exercise relaxes me. i did the 45 running workout that i did yesterday, as well as 15 extra running minutes on the end to make up 5 miles. also some arm strength training and sit-ups.
i am wearing my tight jeans today. they are still too tight, but i wanted to squeeze into them to remind me of what happens when i eat too many rainbow twizzlers. they aren't tight in the waist, i couldn't handle that, more like the thigh and bottom area... so it's not that annoying really.
here is my menu today:
1 packet high fibre berry medley quaker oatmeal
1/2 cup all bran mixed in
1 T ground flax mixed in
1 source yogurt
1 cup plain 2% yogurt
1/2 cup pure pumpkin
1/2 cup raspberries
1/2 cup baby tomatoes
28 baby carrots
1 high fibre pita
can of tuna
steamed cauliflower
2 slices sprouted grains toast
spinach salad with fat free caesar dressing
baby tomatoes
Tuesday, May 20, 2008
weekend is OVER
the weekend is finally over and not a moment too soon. i need to get my bumhoolio into gear. my jeans felt so tight all weekend... they are tight anyway but it's getting obscene. i really feel like a fatty mcbutterpants today. so... no sense whining about it... time to get moving. here is my plan.
1) exercise it up.
2) count calories.
3) no drinking booze.
4) no nighttime snacking.
5) water... a lot of it.
the situation isn't *that* out of control so i'm hoping that even a few days will make a big diff.
this morning i went down to the treadmill to run. normally i hate the dreadmill, but i was excited about it today because i found this 45-minute treadmill plan online. so i did that this morning, but instead of stopping at 45-min, i continued running until 55 minutes so i could reach 5-miles. it was a really good workout, especially with some of the crazy inclines.
that being said, my bum pain is out of control. it was fine all weekend and then this morning it hurt soooooo much. just at the beginning for walking, and cool down at the end of the workout. i guess during the run my endorphins are pumping through the pain. now i am gimping like gimpy magoo. i don't like it! i will sit in a bath tonight to make it feel better.
here is a picture of the dress:
it looks like i have three arms, don't you think? but such a great dress... i love it :o)
today on the menu is:
cinnamon weight control oatmeal
1/2 cup all bran
1 T flax
coffee
source yogurt
1 cup plain 2% yogurt
1/2 cup raspberries
2 T pumpkin
28 baby carrots
2 slices sprouted grains toast
breaded chicken breast
whole wheat pita
with lettuce, onions, tomato, mustard
side of greeny beanies
and hopefully i can stop there.
1) exercise it up.
2) count calories.
3) no drinking booze.
4) no nighttime snacking.
5) water... a lot of it.
the situation isn't *that* out of control so i'm hoping that even a few days will make a big diff.
this morning i went down to the treadmill to run. normally i hate the dreadmill, but i was excited about it today because i found this 45-minute treadmill plan online. so i did that this morning, but instead of stopping at 45-min, i continued running until 55 minutes so i could reach 5-miles. it was a really good workout, especially with some of the crazy inclines.
that being said, my bum pain is out of control. it was fine all weekend and then this morning it hurt soooooo much. just at the beginning for walking, and cool down at the end of the workout. i guess during the run my endorphins are pumping through the pain. now i am gimping like gimpy magoo. i don't like it! i will sit in a bath tonight to make it feel better.
here is a picture of the dress:
it looks like i have three arms, don't you think? but such a great dress... i love it :o)
today on the menu is:
cinnamon weight control oatmeal
1/2 cup all bran
1 T flax
coffee
source yogurt
1 cup plain 2% yogurt
1/2 cup raspberries
2 T pumpkin
28 baby carrots
2 slices sprouted grains toast
breaded chicken breast
whole wheat pita
with lettuce, onions, tomato, mustard
side of greeny beanies
and hopefully i can stop there.
Friday, May 16, 2008
unlucky to lucky :)
well, my day turned into a great one! here is a friday list:
1) for those of you who gave away antm results on your blogs, that's fine with me. seriously, it is my opinion that if you really don't want to know who won things (be it reality tv shows, or sporting events, whatever) then you need to drop all contact with the outside world until you find out for yourself. :)
2) my breakfast yesterday (cinnamon spice oatmeal with pumpkin, nutmug, egg whites, shreddies... whatever else i said) was yummo. but too thick. i microwaved it at work after combining everything at home (including water) and it could have used more unsweetened almond breeze at work which i didn't have. but other than that, very delicious.
3) yes, i love my george foreman.
4) my pain still hurts... it's not that bad but annoying. it makes me feel old. it's only when i'm exercising (at the beginning) or changing positions after resting for awhile (like in bed) that it hurts. i'm going to give it some more time and then if it persists, do something about it.
5) i am working from home today, HA HA HA long weekend baby.
6) i had no cavities at the dentist.
7) my dentist is in my old neighbourhood, which has this video store where you can rent the entire season of one show at once, for cheap ($6...) as opposed to blockbuster where you only get episodes 1-4 for the same price. i got season three of kenny vs. spenny since it's my bf's favourite show... and i am going to surprise him tonight with a relaxing evening chez moi.
8) he has been away all week at camp with his students and is coming home tonight. :)
9) i got the hottest dress of all time from h & m. it looks like something stacey london would wear. i am going to wear it on saturday night (dancing) and then i will show you all how wonderful it is.
10) did i mention i'm at home?
11) today i'm going to clean up my apartment to get ready for the weekend, do an anti-boredom workout downstairs, go shopping again, and grocery shopping maybe, and then relax... and work a bit too actually.
12) no menu today... long weekend. except i'm sure i will have oatmeal at some point ;). hooray! happy long weekend everyone. i am sooooooo excited.
13) i forgot to weigh-in until this second. 120.8 UGH which is 0.8 gain (not much) but over my range. but it's ok. i really don't care this week. actually i'm happy about it because i'm always hovering right at the top of my range and it takes going over to actually get serious about getting it back down to the middle. :) (next week of course)
1) for those of you who gave away antm results on your blogs, that's fine with me. seriously, it is my opinion that if you really don't want to know who won things (be it reality tv shows, or sporting events, whatever) then you need to drop all contact with the outside world until you find out for yourself. :)
2) my breakfast yesterday (cinnamon spice oatmeal with pumpkin, nutmug, egg whites, shreddies... whatever else i said) was yummo. but too thick. i microwaved it at work after combining everything at home (including water) and it could have used more unsweetened almond breeze at work which i didn't have. but other than that, very delicious.
3) yes, i love my george foreman.
4) my pain still hurts... it's not that bad but annoying. it makes me feel old. it's only when i'm exercising (at the beginning) or changing positions after resting for awhile (like in bed) that it hurts. i'm going to give it some more time and then if it persists, do something about it.
5) i am working from home today, HA HA HA long weekend baby.
6) i had no cavities at the dentist.
7) my dentist is in my old neighbourhood, which has this video store where you can rent the entire season of one show at once, for cheap ($6...) as opposed to blockbuster where you only get episodes 1-4 for the same price. i got season three of kenny vs. spenny since it's my bf's favourite show... and i am going to surprise him tonight with a relaxing evening chez moi.
8) he has been away all week at camp with his students and is coming home tonight. :)
9) i got the hottest dress of all time from h & m. it looks like something stacey london would wear. i am going to wear it on saturday night (dancing) and then i will show you all how wonderful it is.
10) did i mention i'm at home?
11) today i'm going to clean up my apartment to get ready for the weekend, do an anti-boredom workout downstairs, go shopping again, and grocery shopping maybe, and then relax... and work a bit too actually.
12) no menu today... long weekend. except i'm sure i will have oatmeal at some point ;). hooray! happy long weekend everyone. i am sooooooo excited.
13) i forgot to weigh-in until this second. 120.8 UGH which is 0.8 gain (not much) but over my range. but it's ok. i really don't care this week. actually i'm happy about it because i'm always hovering right at the top of my range and it takes going over to actually get serious about getting it back down to the middle. :) (next week of course)
Thursday, May 15, 2008
unlucky day?
so - what did everyone think of the antm finale? i won't mention who won because i hate spoiley sarahs, and i remember during the biggest loser reading on blogs who got voted off before i watched my tape and it was a real bummer. i will say, that i was surprised, but not disappointed, because i wasn't thrilled with the top three anyway. i don't care who wins these shows... reality tv, biggest loser, antm. i like to watch the process of it all, but find the finale episodes boring and painful. just say who won already, ya know? i actually liked katarzyna but she got the boot a few weeks ago.
last night for dinner i made a simple red lentil curry. i love curries and i love the idea of meatless meals. i like meat as next as the much guy (next as the much guy? did i just write that?) but i don't really like cooking with meat and i don't miss it when it isn't there. i got the recipe from jenna at eat live run. that second link is to the recipe. her food blog is really great—check it out.
here is the recipe, which i doubled to make one portion for dinner and one leftover portion for lunch today:
1/4 cup dry red lentils
1 cup water (or veggie broth)
about 2 tbsp diced yellow onion
1 clove garlic, minced
1/2 tsp curry powder
dash of salt
1/4 tsp tumeric
combine everything in a small saucepan. boil then reduce heat and simmer. cover and let simmer for about 15 minutes til’ the lentils are soft and mushy. serve. i served mine on a bed of 1 cup brown long grain rice. yummy. and i also had a scoop of plain yogurt on the side. and a spinach salad too.
today is unlucky for me. i went running (4 miles) and i'm having this weird bum pain. it's like in the bone part of my bum that connects to my back. hard to explain. then i came back to my building and my pass card wouldn't work so i couldn't get into the building. wtf. i took it to the concierge and he said sometimes they break and there is nothing you can do. they are only covered by warranty if there are no scratches or marks. well, it's a giant white rectangle card that is attached to my keys and thrown into my purse, so of course there are scratches. i had the option of buying a new card for $50 or a smaller gray circle pass thing for $75. i chose the more expensive option because it's more convenient than that annoying large card. THEN i went to unlock my bike and realized that i forgot my wallet on my desk (i needed to use a cheque), and had to go up and get it. *grumble grumble* and then this afternoon i have to go to the dentist! it's like one blow after another! POW! bum pain. BAM! pass card. WHAM! dentist. haha i'm exaggerating... it's not so bad.
for breakfast today i made a weird concoction of cinnamon spice oatmeal, pumpkin, egg whites, splenda, shreddies, cinnamon, nutmug, baking powder, and a splash of unsweetened almond breeze. i still have to heat it up and eat it.
for lunch is 1 cup brown rice with 1 serving of red lentil curry and 1/2 cup of plain yogurt. dinner - maybe a spinach salad with chicken on the george foreman. tonight i'm going to clean up and get ready for the weekend. the LONG weekend.... yabba dabba do!
last night for dinner i made a simple red lentil curry. i love curries and i love the idea of meatless meals. i like meat as next as the much guy (next as the much guy? did i just write that?) but i don't really like cooking with meat and i don't miss it when it isn't there. i got the recipe from jenna at eat live run. that second link is to the recipe. her food blog is really great—check it out.
here is the recipe, which i doubled to make one portion for dinner and one leftover portion for lunch today:
1/4 cup dry red lentils
1 cup water (or veggie broth)
about 2 tbsp diced yellow onion
1 clove garlic, minced
1/2 tsp curry powder
dash of salt
1/4 tsp tumeric
combine everything in a small saucepan. boil then reduce heat and simmer. cover and let simmer for about 15 minutes til’ the lentils are soft and mushy. serve. i served mine on a bed of 1 cup brown long grain rice. yummy. and i also had a scoop of plain yogurt on the side. and a spinach salad too.
today is unlucky for me. i went running (4 miles) and i'm having this weird bum pain. it's like in the bone part of my bum that connects to my back. hard to explain. then i came back to my building and my pass card wouldn't work so i couldn't get into the building. wtf. i took it to the concierge and he said sometimes they break and there is nothing you can do. they are only covered by warranty if there are no scratches or marks. well, it's a giant white rectangle card that is attached to my keys and thrown into my purse, so of course there are scratches. i had the option of buying a new card for $50 or a smaller gray circle pass thing for $75. i chose the more expensive option because it's more convenient than that annoying large card. THEN i went to unlock my bike and realized that i forgot my wallet on my desk (i needed to use a cheque), and had to go up and get it. *grumble grumble* and then this afternoon i have to go to the dentist! it's like one blow after another! POW! bum pain. BAM! pass card. WHAM! dentist. haha i'm exaggerating... it's not so bad.
for breakfast today i made a weird concoction of cinnamon spice oatmeal, pumpkin, egg whites, splenda, shreddies, cinnamon, nutmug, baking powder, and a splash of unsweetened almond breeze. i still have to heat it up and eat it.
for lunch is 1 cup brown rice with 1 serving of red lentil curry and 1/2 cup of plain yogurt. dinner - maybe a spinach salad with chicken on the george foreman. tonight i'm going to clean up and get ready for the weekend. the LONG weekend.... yabba dabba do!
Wednesday, May 14, 2008
finale tonight
so last night was my book club. it was alright—only three people showed up which is kind of a bummer. i really make an effort to read the book and come to the book club night and it bothers me that some people don't. i understand that *some people* may have busier lives than moi, but still. i am kind of a loner so i tend not to make that many commitments.
yesterday i started reading sisters, and i am already 3/4 done. it's good. not a romance novel, instead a nice story about four sisters who have to deal with a family tragedy. nice and light. for those of you who haven't read any danielle steel... don't make assumptions based on what you have heard. they aren't all seedy romance novels. my favourite book of all time is called jewels by danielle steel. i have read it at least ten times. oh i love epic family sagas. did anyone read this when they were young?
today is wednesday but it's not date night. my boyfriend is away for the week - at camp (with cabins, not tents) with his students. but tonight is the antm season finale. who is excited? i am!
this morning i woke up early and did the anti-boredom workout again in the gym. i really don't like the elliptical machine, but it's only ten minutes so i pushed through it. i burned more calories than last time i did the same workout. maybe i have to push myself harder in the morning? who knows. it will forever remain a mystery to me.
on the menu today is:
yogurt with berries
1.5 oatmeal packets with flax, pumpkin, 1/2 banana, 5 blackberries
more yogurt with strawberries this time
some sort of veg
maybe a spinach salad - yes, that sounds nice. something else later too. maybe more yogurt - i love yogurt. oh, yesterday i bought plain (not flavoured) 1% mf yogurt. it's more filling that fat free yogurt, and thicker. and so bitter tasting. tart... i love it. yog it up.
yesterday i started reading sisters, and i am already 3/4 done. it's good. not a romance novel, instead a nice story about four sisters who have to deal with a family tragedy. nice and light. for those of you who haven't read any danielle steel... don't make assumptions based on what you have heard. they aren't all seedy romance novels. my favourite book of all time is called jewels by danielle steel. i have read it at least ten times. oh i love epic family sagas. did anyone read this when they were young?
today is wednesday but it's not date night. my boyfriend is away for the week - at camp (with cabins, not tents) with his students. but tonight is the antm season finale. who is excited? i am!
this morning i woke up early and did the anti-boredom workout again in the gym. i really don't like the elliptical machine, but it's only ten minutes so i pushed through it. i burned more calories than last time i did the same workout. maybe i have to push myself harder in the morning? who knows. it will forever remain a mystery to me.
on the menu today is:
yogurt with berries
1.5 oatmeal packets with flax, pumpkin, 1/2 banana, 5 blackberries
more yogurt with strawberries this time
some sort of veg
maybe a spinach salad - yes, that sounds nice. something else later too. maybe more yogurt - i love yogurt. oh, yesterday i bought plain (not flavoured) 1% mf yogurt. it's more filling that fat free yogurt, and thicker. and so bitter tasting. tart... i love it. yog it up.
Tuesday, May 13, 2008
anti-boredom workout
it is so beautiful outside today. the sun is shining and the breeze is warm and there are lots of police on bicycles. i went for a five mile run this morning and i could really feel that spring is in the air. i was crying. not joking. but not out of happiness... from allergies. yee-gads! some years i am affected by allergies and some years i am not. it's hit or miss. those trees with the white flowers are blooming all of a sudden and it's really making me tear up.
i think it's these flowers, they smell really nice:
last night i hit the gym and didn't know what to do. i was kind of tired because it was monday so i looked online and found fitness magazine's anti-boredom workout. it says it will burn 400 calories. it didn't for me (about 300) but it was still a good workout. i pushed it to the max and here is what i did. RPE = rate of perceived exertion, measured on a scale of 1-10.
BIKE
0:00-5:00: warm-up, RPE 5
5:00-7:00: 85 rpm (rotations per minute) level 10, RPE 5-7
7:00-8:00: 100 rpm level 10, RPE 7-9
repeat minutes 5:00-8:00 two more times
14:00-15:00 recover (relaxed pedal), RPE 5
(in between machines i did some free weights)
ELLIPTICAL
15:00-18:00: moderate (level 6-9), RPE 5-7
18:00-20:00 increase (level 16), RPE 7-9
20:00-25:00 repeat
(more free weights)
TREADMILL
25:00-27:00 5.8 mph, RPE 5-7
27:00-29:00 7.0 mph, RPE 7-9
29:00-33:00 repeat
33:00-35:00 5.8 mph, RPE 5-7
35:00-40:00 4.5 mph, RPE 4
(then i did some situps and stretches). definitely an anti-boredom workout. :)
tonight is book club and we are discussing lullabies for little criminals which was amazing and i recommend it to everyone! i wish i knew i could buy it for so cheap instead of paying $17 in the bookstore. that's cheap cheap (like a little bird.)
today on the menu is some oatmeal, banana, strawberries, yogurts, clementines, etc. same old same old.
i think it's these flowers, they smell really nice:
last night i hit the gym and didn't know what to do. i was kind of tired because it was monday so i looked online and found fitness magazine's anti-boredom workout. it says it will burn 400 calories. it didn't for me (about 300) but it was still a good workout. i pushed it to the max and here is what i did. RPE = rate of perceived exertion, measured on a scale of 1-10.
BIKE
0:00-5:00: warm-up, RPE 5
5:00-7:00: 85 rpm (rotations per minute) level 10, RPE 5-7
7:00-8:00: 100 rpm level 10, RPE 7-9
repeat minutes 5:00-8:00 two more times
14:00-15:00 recover (relaxed pedal), RPE 5
(in between machines i did some free weights)
ELLIPTICAL
15:00-18:00: moderate (level 6-9), RPE 5-7
18:00-20:00 increase (level 16), RPE 7-9
20:00-25:00 repeat
(more free weights)
TREADMILL
25:00-27:00 5.8 mph, RPE 5-7
27:00-29:00 7.0 mph, RPE 7-9
29:00-33:00 repeat
33:00-35:00 5.8 mph, RPE 5-7
35:00-40:00 4.5 mph, RPE 4
(then i did some situps and stretches). definitely an anti-boredom workout. :)
tonight is book club and we are discussing lullabies for little criminals which was amazing and i recommend it to everyone! i wish i knew i could buy it for so cheap instead of paying $17 in the bookstore. that's cheap cheap (like a little bird.)
today on the menu is some oatmeal, banana, strawberries, yogurts, clementines, etc. same old same old.
Monday, May 12, 2008
monday whoopah
i need this week to recover from the weekend. on saturday night i didn't go to bed until 5am and then slept until 1pm on sunday. what am i, a teenager? i mean, come on. i am really enjoying coffee this morning. other than that things are pretty good.
so my summer challenge week two vegetable was... eggplant. i have had eggplant before but haven't cooked with it. i don't even know if i can say i "cooked" with it. i cut it into slices, brushed it with oil, and then bbq'd the slices. not the most exciting. i probably wouldn't make it again. it was chewy and not in a good way, although the taste is nice. i've heard of eggplant parm, and once i had eggplant stuffed peppers which was quite nice as well. did i mention i charred them a little? oops. it was my first time using the condo bbq and it wasn't the best time i ever had.
so onto this week. for breakfast today i made "overnight muesli" which is: 1/3 cup oats, 2 x 100g fat free yogurts, 1/4 cup skim milk, 1/2 chopped banana, 4 blackberries, and 1T slivered almonds, all stirred up and covered with plastic wrap overnight. then this morning i chowed down. it was cool and refreshing. i missed hot oatmeal a little but it's good to switch it up. variety is the spice of life. i ate really crappily all weekend—not overdoing it, but not healthy and poor nutrition choices—so this week i want to do a detox of crap, if it can be avoided.
my menu today is:
breakfast:
overnight muesli described above
snack:
1 string cheese
1 royal gala apple
lunch:
lean cuisine chicken cacciatore
snack:
1/2 cup baby carrots
1/2 cup baby tomatoes
1T hummus
1/2 banana
dinner:
not sure yet actually.
today i wore my heart rate monitor on the bike ride to work. from leaving the door to my apartment, to coming in the door at work, it took 25 minutes, 0 minutes in the optimal heart rate zone (not surprising), 91 bpm average, 116 max bpm, and 61 calories burned. how interesting is that. i will wear it again on the way home. today was a really pleasant ride - no wind, nothing weird. fun times. su
so my summer challenge week two vegetable was... eggplant. i have had eggplant before but haven't cooked with it. i don't even know if i can say i "cooked" with it. i cut it into slices, brushed it with oil, and then bbq'd the slices. not the most exciting. i probably wouldn't make it again. it was chewy and not in a good way, although the taste is nice. i've heard of eggplant parm, and once i had eggplant stuffed peppers which was quite nice as well. did i mention i charred them a little? oops. it was my first time using the condo bbq and it wasn't the best time i ever had.
so onto this week. for breakfast today i made "overnight muesli" which is: 1/3 cup oats, 2 x 100g fat free yogurts, 1/4 cup skim milk, 1/2 chopped banana, 4 blackberries, and 1T slivered almonds, all stirred up and covered with plastic wrap overnight. then this morning i chowed down. it was cool and refreshing. i missed hot oatmeal a little but it's good to switch it up. variety is the spice of life. i ate really crappily all weekend—not overdoing it, but not healthy and poor nutrition choices—so this week i want to do a detox of crap, if it can be avoided.
my menu today is:
breakfast:
overnight muesli described above
snack:
1 string cheese
1 royal gala apple
lunch:
lean cuisine chicken cacciatore
snack:
1/2 cup baby carrots
1/2 cup baby tomatoes
1T hummus
1/2 banana
dinner:
not sure yet actually.
today i wore my heart rate monitor on the bike ride to work. from leaving the door to my apartment, to coming in the door at work, it took 25 minutes, 0 minutes in the optimal heart rate zone (not surprising), 91 bpm average, 116 max bpm, and 61 calories burned. how interesting is that. i will wear it again on the way home. today was a really pleasant ride - no wind, nothing weird. fun times. su
Saturday, May 10, 2008
summer challenge
5 miles today completing this week's runs.
and 5 miles from start to finish - from my condo, walking 5 minutes, stretching a bit at the end, and running up 10 flights of stairs, took 59 minutes, burned 453 calories, and put my in my optimum heart rate zone for 49 minutes. :) i even went above 165 (my max.) on some hills. yipadeedooda!
and 5 miles from start to finish - from my condo, walking 5 minutes, stretching a bit at the end, and running up 10 flights of stairs, took 59 minutes, burned 453 calories, and put my in my optimum heart rate zone for 49 minutes. :) i even went above 165 (my max.) on some hills. yipadeedooda!
Friday, May 9, 2008
the cold, hard truth
first things first: friday weigh-in... 120.0 pounds, gain of 1.2. that isn't a big gain, but it puts me at the top of my desired maintenance range. so this weekend i will have to watch it, sort of. what does that mean? i don't know... smaller portions maybe? or stopping when satisfied, not full.
secondly, i FINALLY got my polar F4 heart rate monitor in the mail and i have to say it's awesome. although the cold, hard truth has shown its hideous face to me. i can't decide if i like this hideous face or not.
this is what it looks like (i got this pretty cherry colour):
here is what i've learned so far:
1) last night i wore the monitor for 1/2 an hour, just to set it up and test it out. in 30 minutes of pretty much doing nothing, i burned 25 calories. i did the math and that's 1200 calories burned a day when i'm doing nothing. sleeping is probably less. obviously "living" is more, but not sitting at my desk at work.
2) my regular heart rate is between 56-58 beats per minute. i checked online what was normal, and the average resting heart rate for a woman, aged 26-35 is 73 to 76 beats per minute. at first i was worried, until i found this chart, which tells that i am not going to die, but instead, am better than excellent, have the heart rate of an ATHLETE, otherwise known as being HARDCORE.
3) i went downstairs to the gymbo this morning and tried it out. sometimes when i go to the gym, as opposed to running outside, i like to do an incline walk on the treadmill. i usually walk at 4 mph, at an incline of 4.5% or so, for 60-75 minutes. when i put in my weight, the treadmill tells me i burned between 600-615 calories for this time period. the treadmill is a LIAR!
walking at 4 mph at 4.5% didn't even put me into my target heart rate zone (126-165 beats per minute). i upped the incline to 5.5% and the speed to 4.2 mph and still my heart rate wasn't in my target zone. 4.2 mph is a really, really, REALLY speedy walk people. in about 40 minutes i burned 200 calories, maybe 5-10 more. that's the cold, hard truth.
4) moving on. after the treadmill i did a bit of free-weights, then tried out the elliptical. normally i don't use the elliptical, because the ones at my gym really poop me out. but i went on, and my heart rate rose, up to 155-160 which is pretty amazing. and of course when your heart rate is higher, you burn more calories. so i stayed on for about 11 minutes, which took me up to 300 calories burned. for the record - i'm sure i always won't pay so much attention to the amount of calories i'm burning... right now i am a supernerd with a new toy.
5) continuing... i did a few more free weights and then got on the stationary bike. i kept my heart rate around 130 bpm, and i really had to focus to keep it there. i went up to 400 calories burned on the bike. then i did some sit-ups and stretches which brought me up to 425 calories burned.
6) i was at the gym for 1 hour and 20 minutes, and none of this time was slacking off at all. here is what i learned: a) i really have to push myself in a major way to get into my target zone. b) gym machines over-estimate calories burned big time and c) ok i only learned two things. but aren't they interesting? i am excited to see what my heart rate stats are during an outdoor run.
in non HRM news, it's friday! HOORAY! things are still weird at my office (with the roof caving in), so i might go home after or at lunch. tomorrow i am going for a run, and then my boyfriend and i have a dance lesson at the new dance studio near my pad. so far we have learned swing, rumba, tango, waltz, and foxtrot. by learned i mean we can do the basic steps and forget most of it every time we walk out the door. actually we practice swing the most and have learned some pretty rad moves that we put into action last saturday night. on saturday night we are inviting some friends over, then going back to the dance studio for the grand opening party. there will be champagne and some food, and the 3-time canadian dance champions are performing. ooh la la. and then after it will be early still so we'll go out somewhere else. time to par-tay!
today the menu is:
1/2 fibre source bar
instant regular oatmeal
2 fat free yogurts with frozen berries
and then i don't know... i didn't bring a lunch which is unlike me. happy weekend!
secondly, i FINALLY got my polar F4 heart rate monitor in the mail and i have to say it's awesome. although the cold, hard truth has shown its hideous face to me. i can't decide if i like this hideous face or not.
this is what it looks like (i got this pretty cherry colour):
here is what i've learned so far:
1) last night i wore the monitor for 1/2 an hour, just to set it up and test it out. in 30 minutes of pretty much doing nothing, i burned 25 calories. i did the math and that's 1200 calories burned a day when i'm doing nothing. sleeping is probably less. obviously "living" is more, but not sitting at my desk at work.
2) my regular heart rate is between 56-58 beats per minute. i checked online what was normal, and the average resting heart rate for a woman, aged 26-35 is 73 to 76 beats per minute. at first i was worried, until i found this chart, which tells that i am not going to die, but instead, am better than excellent, have the heart rate of an ATHLETE, otherwise known as being HARDCORE.
3) i went downstairs to the gymbo this morning and tried it out. sometimes when i go to the gym, as opposed to running outside, i like to do an incline walk on the treadmill. i usually walk at 4 mph, at an incline of 4.5% or so, for 60-75 minutes. when i put in my weight, the treadmill tells me i burned between 600-615 calories for this time period. the treadmill is a LIAR!
walking at 4 mph at 4.5% didn't even put me into my target heart rate zone (126-165 beats per minute). i upped the incline to 5.5% and the speed to 4.2 mph and still my heart rate wasn't in my target zone. 4.2 mph is a really, really, REALLY speedy walk people. in about 40 minutes i burned 200 calories, maybe 5-10 more. that's the cold, hard truth.
4) moving on. after the treadmill i did a bit of free-weights, then tried out the elliptical. normally i don't use the elliptical, because the ones at my gym really poop me out. but i went on, and my heart rate rose, up to 155-160 which is pretty amazing. and of course when your heart rate is higher, you burn more calories. so i stayed on for about 11 minutes, which took me up to 300 calories burned. for the record - i'm sure i always won't pay so much attention to the amount of calories i'm burning... right now i am a supernerd with a new toy.
5) continuing... i did a few more free weights and then got on the stationary bike. i kept my heart rate around 130 bpm, and i really had to focus to keep it there. i went up to 400 calories burned on the bike. then i did some sit-ups and stretches which brought me up to 425 calories burned.
6) i was at the gym for 1 hour and 20 minutes, and none of this time was slacking off at all. here is what i learned: a) i really have to push myself in a major way to get into my target zone. b) gym machines over-estimate calories burned big time and c) ok i only learned two things. but aren't they interesting? i am excited to see what my heart rate stats are during an outdoor run.
in non HRM news, it's friday! HOORAY! things are still weird at my office (with the roof caving in), so i might go home after or at lunch. tomorrow i am going for a run, and then my boyfriend and i have a dance lesson at the new dance studio near my pad. so far we have learned swing, rumba, tango, waltz, and foxtrot. by learned i mean we can do the basic steps and forget most of it every time we walk out the door. actually we practice swing the most and have learned some pretty rad moves that we put into action last saturday night. on saturday night we are inviting some friends over, then going back to the dance studio for the grand opening party. there will be champagne and some food, and the 3-time canadian dance champions are performing. ooh la la. and then after it will be early still so we'll go out somewhere else. time to par-tay!
today the menu is:
1/2 fibre source bar
instant regular oatmeal
2 fat free yogurts with frozen berries
and then i don't know... i didn't bring a lunch which is unlike me. happy weekend!
Thursday, May 8, 2008
thursday, back at work - and book reviews
hello. it's thursday and i'm back at work. i don't technically *have* to come in, but i want to. why? because my heart rate monitor is here! i have it in my hands - finally! it's been so long. now i have to read the thousand page instruction booklet it came with. and i wanted to come in because a) i don't have any more work at home to do and b) yesterday i didn't leave my building once and that's depressing. i am a person that can easily become a hermit.
first things first - here is my haircut. it actually looks cute in these pictures. i think i look a little like a shakespearean boy who is playing a female in a play, but that's probably ridiculous. it sounds ridiculous! anyway, now i'm more cool with the length... it flips under my chin if i don't straighten it which i hate so i'll just have to straighten it... every day. and my bangs are too short but they will grow so fast.
and now for some book reviews:
1) Making the Cut: The 30-Day Diet and Fitness Plan for the Strongest, Sexiest You by Jillian Michaels.
my review: this book is interesting. it's for people who really want to shape up and lose that last 0-20 pounds and get a really defined, toned, strong body. the idea is good, except it's too rigid. you have to follow a specific exercise program and meal plan, right down to the recipe. and it's mostly about strength training, not cardio. i like strength training but i really like cardio. so all in all, i think this book is good for advice, and i'm going to copy some fitness moves and recipes, but there is no way in hell i would follow a plan like this for 30 days. maybe if i lived alone on top of a mountain and had a personal chef and didn't have to interact with any other humans... then and only then would this plan work for me. and there is no booze allowed. :o(
2) How Not to Look Fat by Danica Lo
my review: this book is supercute. personally, i think the title is eye-catching and hilarious but i think some people may be turned off by it. i showed this book to my sister and she looked at me in disgust and said, "you do not look fat, why are you reading that?" but then, after she flipped through the book, she was really into it. i didn't pick this book up because i think i look fat. i don't. this book is a funny guidebook for women. it wants you to accept and embrace the shape you have and then accentuate your best assets by wearing things that flatter you the best. it talks about underwear, suits, shoes, bathing suits, jeans, shirts... everything. for example, did you know that a three-quarter length sleeve is the most flattering for all women? it's true. even my boyfriend liked the idea of this book (i left it in the bathroom). he said the illustrations were really cute. and they are. a worthwhile read and nice classic style guide in my opinion.
this morning i ran 5 miles bringing me to 10/15 for the summer challenge (this week). i still need a vegetable. today on the menu is:
all bran bar (2)
astro yogurt (1)
shreddied shoved in my mouth (1)
(4)
apple cinnamon oatmeal (2)
added flax and pumpkin (1)
added shreddies (2)
2 clementines (1)
(10)
pc blue menu lasagna (6)
carrots and hummus (1)
(17)
apple (1)
source yogurt (1)
(19)
peas (1)
veggie burger on pita (3)
(23)
first things first - here is my haircut. it actually looks cute in these pictures. i think i look a little like a shakespearean boy who is playing a female in a play, but that's probably ridiculous. it sounds ridiculous! anyway, now i'm more cool with the length... it flips under my chin if i don't straighten it which i hate so i'll just have to straighten it... every day. and my bangs are too short but they will grow so fast.
and now for some book reviews:
1) Making the Cut: The 30-Day Diet and Fitness Plan for the Strongest, Sexiest You by Jillian Michaels.
my review: this book is interesting. it's for people who really want to shape up and lose that last 0-20 pounds and get a really defined, toned, strong body. the idea is good, except it's too rigid. you have to follow a specific exercise program and meal plan, right down to the recipe. and it's mostly about strength training, not cardio. i like strength training but i really like cardio. so all in all, i think this book is good for advice, and i'm going to copy some fitness moves and recipes, but there is no way in hell i would follow a plan like this for 30 days. maybe if i lived alone on top of a mountain and had a personal chef and didn't have to interact with any other humans... then and only then would this plan work for me. and there is no booze allowed. :o(
2) How Not to Look Fat by Danica Lo
my review: this book is supercute. personally, i think the title is eye-catching and hilarious but i think some people may be turned off by it. i showed this book to my sister and she looked at me in disgust and said, "you do not look fat, why are you reading that?" but then, after she flipped through the book, she was really into it. i didn't pick this book up because i think i look fat. i don't. this book is a funny guidebook for women. it wants you to accept and embrace the shape you have and then accentuate your best assets by wearing things that flatter you the best. it talks about underwear, suits, shoes, bathing suits, jeans, shirts... everything. for example, did you know that a three-quarter length sleeve is the most flattering for all women? it's true. even my boyfriend liked the idea of this book (i left it in the bathroom). he said the illustrations were really cute. and they are. a worthwhile read and nice classic style guide in my opinion.
this morning i ran 5 miles bringing me to 10/15 for the summer challenge (this week). i still need a vegetable. today on the menu is:
all bran bar (2)
astro yogurt (1)
shreddied shoved in my mouth (1)
(4)
apple cinnamon oatmeal (2)
added flax and pumpkin (1)
added shreddies (2)
2 clementines (1)
(10)
pc blue menu lasagna (6)
carrots and hummus (1)
(17)
apple (1)
source yogurt (1)
(19)
peas (1)
veggie burger on pita (3)
(23)
Wednesday, May 7, 2008
hair postpone
i'm supposed to post a photo of my new hair today but i'm not going to. why? i just don't feel very cute today. maybe it's because i just put on the tightest jeans of all time and can barely breathe. i shouldn't complain - they always have been tight, and i just washed them. they are black guess jeans i got from the junior department in winners. hot stuff. but damn, so friggin' tight. i worked up a sweat doing those stretch-your-tight-ass-pants lunges that all girls do, unless you are sensible enough to buy jeans that fit properly of course.
i woke up at 9:30 after 10.5 hours (!!!) of sleep and had to start working (at my kitchen table) right away so i could courier something out.
i didn't shower until about an hour ago and my hair is... ok. before straightening it's all poufy and going in all directions and not the best. after straightening it's a bit better.
i am going back to work tomorrow (for sure) and my computer at work has a built in camera so i will take a photo then. right now i want to vacuum before my bf gets here for date night. i wanted to do some reading with a coffee, but between showering, and laundry, and going to the gym, and vacuuming, there just isn't time. wah wah wah.
today i went to the gym around 2pm and did 30 minutes incline walking on the treadmill, and 4 miles (about 12 minutes) on the bike. i just wasn't feeling the long workout today. i wanted to be feeling it, but my body said, "take a break buddy" and i said, "ok." speaking of work outs my heart rate monitor is DEFINITELY at my office right now so i'll have it tomorrow. about friggin' time! i've said "friggin'" twice in this post. weird, because i don't say it in real life. i don't swear really either so i don't know where i got "friggin'" from. anyhoo.
today on the menu is:
1/3 cup red river cereal
2 clementines
1 fat free astro yogurt (yes, i'm switching up the source)
1 source yogurt with unsweetened almond breeze, an equal sweetener, and chopped strawberries
pita sandwich with:
one pita
tomato paste
mustard
lean deli chicken
1 slice swiss
lettuce
tomato
shredded carrots
and carrot chips and garlic hummus on the side. that reminds me, i better brush my teeth. see you tomorrow for a better post, promise!
i woke up at 9:30 after 10.5 hours (!!!) of sleep and had to start working (at my kitchen table) right away so i could courier something out.
i didn't shower until about an hour ago and my hair is... ok. before straightening it's all poufy and going in all directions and not the best. after straightening it's a bit better.
i am going back to work tomorrow (for sure) and my computer at work has a built in camera so i will take a photo then. right now i want to vacuum before my bf gets here for date night. i wanted to do some reading with a coffee, but between showering, and laundry, and going to the gym, and vacuuming, there just isn't time. wah wah wah.
today i went to the gym around 2pm and did 30 minutes incline walking on the treadmill, and 4 miles (about 12 minutes) on the bike. i just wasn't feeling the long workout today. i wanted to be feeling it, but my body said, "take a break buddy" and i said, "ok." speaking of work outs my heart rate monitor is DEFINITELY at my office right now so i'll have it tomorrow. about friggin' time! i've said "friggin'" twice in this post. weird, because i don't say it in real life. i don't swear really either so i don't know where i got "friggin'" from. anyhoo.
today on the menu is:
1/3 cup red river cereal
2 clementines
1 fat free astro yogurt (yes, i'm switching up the source)
1 source yogurt with unsweetened almond breeze, an equal sweetener, and chopped strawberries
pita sandwich with:
one pita
tomato paste
mustard
lean deli chicken
1 slice swiss
lettuce
tomato
shredded carrots
and carrot chips and garlic hummus on the side. that reminds me, i better brush my teeth. see you tomorrow for a better post, promise!
Tuesday, May 6, 2008
hair cuts and product reviews
today i got a haircut. since i am a lady of leisure i should take care of these things while i can. actually, scratch the leisure part. i need the structure of going to work everyday to avoid going mental.
last night i stayed up really late finishing my work. i had to courier it (it's book proofs that we are checking for errors before sending to the printers) this morning to my boss. now i am waiting for more work. EDIT: i just got a call from the courier and it won't be here until 8pm... hmmmm... that isn't very leisurely!) after couriering it i went on a five mile run. woohoo. it was long and not the easiest but it felt good to do it. then i had the fastest shower humanly possible, scarfed down some instant oats and rode my bike to the hairdresser. i didn't really know what i wanted, but he said he liked the length so wouldn't chop that much off. i have a pretty specific way that i want my bangs cut and i thought i explained it pretty well. apparently not.
this is what my hair used to look like (this is last sat):
i straightened it before going out but it was so hot in the dance place it went a bit wavy. it's alright, but the ends are gross.
now it is quite a bit shorter. and the bangs are SO SHORT. i feel a bit ridiculous actually. i can't take a picture now and show it. why? because i just watched a scrubs episode on dvd and one of the nurses died and i was blubbering like a whale. ah, vanity. tomorrow i'll try.
last night i bought a new hair straightener/flat iron on ebay. if you don't have one of these you are seriously missing out. i had a nice red chi but it broke :o(. i bought a karmin brand one this time because it has "tourmaline" ceramic plates, instead of just ceramic ones. it wasn't more expensive or anything.
after my hair appointment i rode to my office to see if my heart rate monitor had arrived because it finally said "out for delivery in toronto" on the canadapost website. it's true, i still don't have it. it wasn't there yet (at work) and i didn't want to hang around in the danger zone so i just came home.
here are my product reviews for today:
ONE: special k satisfaction cereal
description from the website: Special K* Satisfaction* is a delicious cereal with a great blend of wheat bran flakes, crispy rice puffs, rice-soy squares and crunchy oat clusters that is a source of food energy. It is a good source of protein and high source of fibre, with one gram of fat per serving.
my review: this cereal is quite delicious, but it didn't keep me "satisfied" for very long. in the commercial there is this woman who can pass muffins at the mid-morning meeting because she's "just not hungry." well, i'd be hungry. next!
TWO: pita gourmet high protein pita pockets
click here and then click on "pita pocket: whole wheat" in the yellow category, then click on "high protein: 284g"
my review: yum yum and healthy too. each pita has 140 calories, 1g of fat, 10g fibre, and 10g protein. they are a pretty decent size and while i wouldn't advise breaking them open and stuffing them, they are great to make a folded taco-style sandwich. they are thick like real pitas. :) i found them in longos. yesterday i had the above mentioned sandwich and today made a pita pizza.
today's menu:
all bran bar (2)
oats with mango (3)
(5)
5 pickles (0.5)
(5.5)
pita pizza:
pita (2)
1/4 avocado (2)
2 slices ff cheese (1)
spinach (0)
sun dried tomato (0)
tomato paste (0)
(10.5)
2 source yogurts (1)
strawberries (0.5)
special k satisfaction (1)
(13)
dinner: ?
last night i stayed up really late finishing my work. i had to courier it (it's book proofs that we are checking for errors before sending to the printers) this morning to my boss. now i am waiting for more work. EDIT: i just got a call from the courier and it won't be here until 8pm... hmmmm... that isn't very leisurely!) after couriering it i went on a five mile run. woohoo. it was long and not the easiest but it felt good to do it. then i had the fastest shower humanly possible, scarfed down some instant oats and rode my bike to the hairdresser. i didn't really know what i wanted, but he said he liked the length so wouldn't chop that much off. i have a pretty specific way that i want my bangs cut and i thought i explained it pretty well. apparently not.
this is what my hair used to look like (this is last sat):
i straightened it before going out but it was so hot in the dance place it went a bit wavy. it's alright, but the ends are gross.
now it is quite a bit shorter. and the bangs are SO SHORT. i feel a bit ridiculous actually. i can't take a picture now and show it. why? because i just watched a scrubs episode on dvd and one of the nurses died and i was blubbering like a whale. ah, vanity. tomorrow i'll try.
last night i bought a new hair straightener/flat iron on ebay. if you don't have one of these you are seriously missing out. i had a nice red chi but it broke :o(. i bought a karmin brand one this time because it has "tourmaline" ceramic plates, instead of just ceramic ones. it wasn't more expensive or anything.
after my hair appointment i rode to my office to see if my heart rate monitor had arrived because it finally said "out for delivery in toronto" on the canadapost website. it's true, i still don't have it. it wasn't there yet (at work) and i didn't want to hang around in the danger zone so i just came home.
here are my product reviews for today:
ONE: special k satisfaction cereal
description from the website: Special K* Satisfaction* is a delicious cereal with a great blend of wheat bran flakes, crispy rice puffs, rice-soy squares and crunchy oat clusters that is a source of food energy. It is a good source of protein and high source of fibre, with one gram of fat per serving.
my review: this cereal is quite delicious, but it didn't keep me "satisfied" for very long. in the commercial there is this woman who can pass muffins at the mid-morning meeting because she's "just not hungry." well, i'd be hungry. next!
TWO: pita gourmet high protein pita pockets
click here and then click on "pita pocket: whole wheat" in the yellow category, then click on "high protein: 284g"
my review: yum yum and healthy too. each pita has 140 calories, 1g of fat, 10g fibre, and 10g protein. they are a pretty decent size and while i wouldn't advise breaking them open and stuffing them, they are great to make a folded taco-style sandwich. they are thick like real pitas. :) i found them in longos. yesterday i had the above mentioned sandwich and today made a pita pizza.
today's menu:
all bran bar (2)
oats with mango (3)
(5)
5 pickles (0.5)
(5.5)
pita pizza:
pita (2)
1/4 avocado (2)
2 slices ff cheese (1)
spinach (0)
sun dried tomato (0)
tomato paste (0)
(10.5)
2 source yogurts (1)
strawberries (0.5)
special k satisfaction (1)
(13)
dinner: ?
Monday, May 5, 2008
hello monday
well - it's monday and i feel pretty good today. but only because i forced myself to get into bed at midnight, and slept until 7:45am, skipping morning exercise. i am going to workout later.
i am at home right now. i was at work for a bit. on friday at about 3pm the roof in the hallway collapsed from the rain, and big pieces of black mold and ceiling and the lighting fixtures and wires all crashed down to the ground. i work in an old building... really old. it used to be a shipping dock when the waters of lake ontario came further up the shore. part of my building is an historic site that can't be destroyed, but part of it (my part) can. they are trying to sell it to build condos, but somebody along the lines is having trouble with permits... anyway, they refuse to do any maintenance on the building because they want to sell it and tear it down. so our hallway has been flooding and small pieces of the roof has come down and finally it really came down.
so we sent some "samples" of the mold to a mold detection company, so see if it's safe or whatever, and until we know, we are working from home. i couriered myself a bunch of stuff so i'll actually be working. but it's good because now i feel like a lady of leisure.
summer challenge:
i finished up 15 miles for week one. it wasn't easy. 15 miles is a lot. it's three, five mile runs, or four shorter runs. but i prefer not to run on consecutive days so something has got to give. i think i'll aim for three longer runs, but if it's not possible, then i'll just do more.
my week one new veggie is a total cop out. i looked in the grocery store but all the new veggies looked so weird to me... i would have no idea how to prepare any of them. i'm going to have to pre-plan this stuff and come up with a recipe beforehand. so my week one veggie is BOK CHOY. i had it in a beef chow mein dish in a chinese food restaurant in china town. it was wilty and gross. i'm sure if i prepared it myself it would be better. that is why it's a cop out haha.
today's menu is:
1/2 cup mixed berries (0.5)
1 serving special k satisfaction cereal (3)
1 cup light silk soy milk (1)
coffee (0)
(4.5)
1/2 piece rye bread (0.5)
source yogurt with pumpkin and fibre sprinkles (2)
(7)
pita (2)
lean chicken (1)
cheese (1)
avocado (1)
honey mustard (0.5)
lettuce (0)
tomato (0)
(12.5)
source yogurt (1)
oatmeal (2)
(15.5)
big salad with lettuce (0)
poppyseed dressing (2)
peas (1)
veggie burger (2)
almonds (2)
(22.5)
i am at home right now. i was at work for a bit. on friday at about 3pm the roof in the hallway collapsed from the rain, and big pieces of black mold and ceiling and the lighting fixtures and wires all crashed down to the ground. i work in an old building... really old. it used to be a shipping dock when the waters of lake ontario came further up the shore. part of my building is an historic site that can't be destroyed, but part of it (my part) can. they are trying to sell it to build condos, but somebody along the lines is having trouble with permits... anyway, they refuse to do any maintenance on the building because they want to sell it and tear it down. so our hallway has been flooding and small pieces of the roof has come down and finally it really came down.
so we sent some "samples" of the mold to a mold detection company, so see if it's safe or whatever, and until we know, we are working from home. i couriered myself a bunch of stuff so i'll actually be working. but it's good because now i feel like a lady of leisure.
summer challenge:
i finished up 15 miles for week one. it wasn't easy. 15 miles is a lot. it's three, five mile runs, or four shorter runs. but i prefer not to run on consecutive days so something has got to give. i think i'll aim for three longer runs, but if it's not possible, then i'll just do more.
my week one new veggie is a total cop out. i looked in the grocery store but all the new veggies looked so weird to me... i would have no idea how to prepare any of them. i'm going to have to pre-plan this stuff and come up with a recipe beforehand. so my week one veggie is BOK CHOY. i had it in a beef chow mein dish in a chinese food restaurant in china town. it was wilty and gross. i'm sure if i prepared it myself it would be better. that is why it's a cop out haha.
today's menu is:
1/2 cup mixed berries (0.5)
1 serving special k satisfaction cereal (3)
1 cup light silk soy milk (1)
coffee (0)
(4.5)
1/2 piece rye bread (0.5)
source yogurt with pumpkin and fibre sprinkles (2)
(7)
pita (2)
lean chicken (1)
cheese (1)
avocado (1)
honey mustard (0.5)
lettuce (0)
tomato (0)
(12.5)
source yogurt (1)
oatmeal (2)
(15.5)
big salad with lettuce (0)
poppyseed dressing (2)
peas (1)
veggie burger (2)
almonds (2)
(22.5)
Sunday, May 4, 2008
week one summer challenge
3 more miles today to make it 15/15. i really didn't want to run but the challenge pushed me to do it... so that's good :)
i will post about my new veg tomorrow. (it's not that exciting)
i will post about my new veg tomorrow. (it's not that exciting)
Saturday, May 3, 2008
ugh
3 more miles on the DREADMILL (it was raining all day) for the summer challenge. :)
3 more tomorrow to finish up 15 for the week.
3 more tomorrow to finish up 15 for the week.
Friday, May 2, 2008
friday weigh-in
i gained a WHOPPING 0.2 so now i'm 118.8
which is a beautiful maintain for me. i really thought i would gain since i bought vanilla shreddies and can't control myself around cereal, but no! :o)
see my regular friday post below.
which is a beautiful maintain for me. i really thought i would gain since i bought vanilla shreddies and can't control myself around cereal, but no! :o)
see my regular friday post below.
rain rain go away
i was feeling better by lunch yesterday so i walked on the treadmill for a while and then my bf's mom picked me up and we drove to his school for a TALENT SHOW! oh yeah! he made two bands in his class, one girls and one boys, and played guitar with each of the bands. it was so cute. we left halfway through because it was soooo long.
my hummus was a huge hit last night. i guess the power of the secret worked! and now i am back at work. joy! it's not that bad, because my job is the best and i like the routine of being here and not at home where i can get into trouble. tonight i am going with my friend to this exclaim magazine party. one of my friends sometimes writes music reviews for them and asked me to come along. it's free food (yes!) and drinks (yes!!) from 6-8 and then tokyo police club is playing. i haven't listened to them before but they are popular... or so it seems.
today i took a day off from exercise since i am still feeling a bit off. not sick, but mentally exhausted or something. i need to relax. good thing the weekend starts in... 6 hours.
the new book i am reading is: the constant princess by philippa gregory. she also wrote the other boleyn girl and the boleyn inheritance. this book is about catherine of aragon, the spanish princess who was betrothed to prince arthur of england when they were both toddlers. so she married him and then he died, and she married his brother henry. so she's the spanish queen (of england) who henry kicked off the throne (basically changing the religion of england to do so) in order to bring in anne boleyn. interesting? oh yes - you couldn't make up stories this good!
anyhoo, today on the menu is:
pc blue menu multigrain oatmeal with flax and pumpkin
mixed berries
coffee
leftover tomato meatball soup
kashi crackers
source yogurts with grapes and mixed berries
and then dinner at the partay!
my hummus was a huge hit last night. i guess the power of the secret worked! and now i am back at work. joy! it's not that bad, because my job is the best and i like the routine of being here and not at home where i can get into trouble. tonight i am going with my friend to this exclaim magazine party. one of my friends sometimes writes music reviews for them and asked me to come along. it's free food (yes!) and drinks (yes!!) from 6-8 and then tokyo police club is playing. i haven't listened to them before but they are popular... or so it seems.
today i took a day off from exercise since i am still feeling a bit off. not sick, but mentally exhausted or something. i need to relax. good thing the weekend starts in... 6 hours.
the new book i am reading is: the constant princess by philippa gregory. she also wrote the other boleyn girl and the boleyn inheritance. this book is about catherine of aragon, the spanish princess who was betrothed to prince arthur of england when they were both toddlers. so she married him and then he died, and she married his brother henry. so she's the spanish queen (of england) who henry kicked off the throne (basically changing the religion of england to do so) in order to bring in anne boleyn. interesting? oh yes - you couldn't make up stories this good!
anyhoo, today on the menu is:
pc blue menu multigrain oatmeal with flax and pumpkin
mixed berries
coffee
leftover tomato meatball soup
kashi crackers
source yogurts with grapes and mixed berries
and then dinner at the partay!
Thursday, May 1, 2008
not at work
i am not at work today so my schedule is a bit off.
in the comments of my last post, veggie gal asked about fibre source bars - you can find information about them here. i couldn't put a direct link but they are at the far right of the granola bars. they are pretty tasty and not that bad for you, but they do contain HFCS which as we all know is made in HELL. i wasn't aware of this when i purchased a GIANT BOX of them from costco haha, so i'm still going to eat them when i need something quick.
i wasn't feeling so hot last night, so i called in sick today. but now i'm feeling much better after a really great sleep.
today on the menu:
1/4 cup plain yogurt
1/4 cup cheerios
1/2 cup strawberries
1 slice sprouted grains toast
1 high fibre blueberry waffle, plain
steel cut oats
and tonight i am supposed to go to a "tv party" - girls only of course and it's a potluck. i made my own hummus (although it tastes weird to moi) and and bringing pita chips. i think the hummus tastes weird because i looked up "healthy hummus" online and found one without tahini... some people don't like tahini so i wanted to make it accessible... and now it tastes weird. ay carumba! i'm just going to act like it's the best thing since sliced bread and the power of the secret will work for me hahaha. i hope there are no more sausage links popping out of stomachs on grey's anatomy... gross.
have a nice thursday. :)
in the comments of my last post, veggie gal asked about fibre source bars - you can find information about them here. i couldn't put a direct link but they are at the far right of the granola bars. they are pretty tasty and not that bad for you, but they do contain HFCS which as we all know is made in HELL. i wasn't aware of this when i purchased a GIANT BOX of them from costco haha, so i'm still going to eat them when i need something quick.
i wasn't feeling so hot last night, so i called in sick today. but now i'm feeling much better after a really great sleep.
today on the menu:
1/4 cup plain yogurt
1/4 cup cheerios
1/2 cup strawberries
1 slice sprouted grains toast
1 high fibre blueberry waffle, plain
steel cut oats
and tonight i am supposed to go to a "tv party" - girls only of course and it's a potluck. i made my own hummus (although it tastes weird to moi) and and bringing pita chips. i think the hummus tastes weird because i looked up "healthy hummus" online and found one without tahini... some people don't like tahini so i wanted to make it accessible... and now it tastes weird. ay carumba! i'm just going to act like it's the best thing since sliced bread and the power of the secret will work for me hahaha. i hope there are no more sausage links popping out of stomachs on grey's anatomy... gross.
have a nice thursday. :)
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