la di da

so since cara tagged me for this blog game where you have to sum up your life (or something like that haha) in six words i thought...

GRAB THE BULL BY THE BALLS


i've always loved this phrase after hearing it in that cute drew barrymore movie "never been kissed." she speaks into her little tape recorder... "i can grab bulls balls, i can grab bulls balls" hahaha. basically it means that you have to take what you want. you can't wait for things to fall into your lap. for example, if there is a nice man you like, tell him. not telling him isn't going to get you anywhere. if you want a better job, brush up on your career skills and apply for one. if you want to lose weight, stop eating crap all the time and moaning about how you never seem to lose weight (this sounds like someone i know all too well... (me...)) so grab the bull by the balls and hang on tight. ;o)

last night i worked out after work for the first time in a while and it sucked. i didn't get down there until about 7:40 so i was pumping it until around 9 and really people, that's just too late for me. the problem was that it was insanely hot in the gym. so hot that when i got in there i noticed it right away. and i noticed that the one other guy on the bikes really stunk. pee yew! i could only run for 15 minutes and had to stop. in total i ran for 35 minutes (because that's what i usually do) but with all the walking and stopping starting in between it took me 60 minutes total. too bad i couldn't do it continuously but at least i did it and that's what counts. i also did some strength training. i was hungry when i went to bed which doesn't feel particularly good but so it goes. i ate all my points (including activity points) already so there you have it. actually i heated a cup of unsweetened almond joy with added sugar free caramel syrup (1 point for it all) and it curbed my hunger a little and tasted like heaven in liquid form.

this morning i was going to walk on the treadmill but didn't wake up until 7 so i switched my wednesday workout and went swimming for 45 minutes instead. it was a good workout. i also walked to work (2.3 miles). i am trying to get a lot of activity in this week to bring down my gain from last week (combo that with ridiculous amounts of easter eating).

today my menu is:

coffee (0)
source yogurt (1)
(1)

regular instant oatmeal with added ground flax (2)
coffee (0)
5 oz. strawberries (0.5)
(3.5)

source yogurt (1)
(4.5)

lean cuisine pizza (7)
leftover mixed veggies from last night (0)
(11.5)

5 oz. strawberries (0.5)
1 cup grapes (1)
source yogurt (1)
(14)

dinner...?

easter monday

nobody should have to work on easter monday! what's going on!? actually i think most people are working. and i'm happy to be back to work today because being at work really helps me stay on track with eating during the day. despite my gain on friday, i still ate like crap on the weekend. i went to a girl's sleepover on saturday night and on sunday went to easter brunch/lunch/dinner at both my boyfriend's parent's house and my parent's house. it could have been worse but it wasn't great. anyway, now is the time for action.

lately (the past month or so) i've been feeling really lethargic. maybe it's because it's STILL cold outside, and i just want to run outside and ride my bike to work again and that isn't happening yet, or maybe because i'm stressed about all of my home improvement projects that just seem to loom over my head all the time. i need to slap some sense into myself. and this is my plan.

1) count everything (points) during the week, and be sensible on the weekend. by sensible i mean not going overboard by drinking too much, not going to mcdonalds (not that i ever do that anyway haha), eating more healthful meals, etc.

2) get more sleep, especially during the week. i love staying up at night because it feels like my own personal quiet time. sleeping personal time is good too.

3) try to become less ocd about working out. run three times a week, and vary activities for the other days.

4) create a to-do list for home stuff and knock stuff off the list that way.

this morning i walked to work (2.3 miles) and after work i am going to get movie tickets for a saturday canadian film fest screening of spencer rice's new movie. spencer is spenny from that showcase show "kenny and spenny" which is really funny. he should be at the movie on saturday which is neat to the o.

and today i'm eating:

source yogurt (1)
(1)

regular oatmeal with added flax (2)
5 oz. strawberries (0.5)
(3.5)

source yogurt (1)
(4.5)

lean cuisine (6)
5 oz. strawberries (0.5)
(11)

source yogurt (1)
1 cup grapes (1)
(13)

dinner: ?

big fat gain

friday is weigh in day and i've gained... i feel crappy just writing this but i've gained 3.4 pounds. how is that even possible in one week? i can't say that i'm not bummed about it. i know that this journey is about health and not about numbers on the scale - i'm just bummed that now i'm going to have to be more diligent about points and counting everything for the next little while. i like maintenance because it cuts a little more slack than losing. but seriously, did i really overeat by 10,500 calories this week? doesn't that seem like a lot to you? the body works in mysterious ways people, mysterious ways!

that being said - i had a really active day yesterday, i counted points, and i felt really good about myself. i still do. for dinner i made a big fat omlet with egg beaters, egg whites, spinach, onion, leftover turkey meatballs, sundried tomatoes, chopped tomatoes, and 40g of light old cheddar. yum. it was SO big. it filled up my entire pan and i couldn't flip it, so i decided to broil the top in the oven. i took it out with an oven mit, and then when i went to put in on my plate i just grabbed the handle like a super-moron and burned my hand. i always do this!!! i never learn. i always carefully take something out of the oven, and then let my mind wander a bit, and then grab onto something ultra hot.

last night when i got home from work i had a little nap. i needed to because one of my girlfriends was coming over. i went to tap class, then came home and we went swimming in the pool. see? active! i even went running in the morning so it was a day of fitness! we also watched biggest loser and i was really sad to see who went home. remember last week when it was between brittany and maggie, but they pushed the elimination until the next week? well, my friend said they were showing commercials that gave away who got sent home, because the other person was getting a makeover and it was obvious. come on tv people, get with the program!

for breakfast this morning i made myself a big smoothie. i used 1 cup of frozen berries (1), ice, a vanilla activia yogurt (1.5), 1/2 a banana (1), a cup of unsweetened almond joy (1), and 2 tablespoons of PB2 peanut butter (1). yum yum. i had half and am saving the other half for later. i also cleaned behind the fridge and stove, and vacuumed, which i have been meaning to do for awhile. now i am going to paint the tv unit (i primed it last weekend) and then go for a walk on the treadmill. i have to lock my cat up in the bathroom but really, it's for his own good. no more paint paw marks. lately he has taken to sitting on the fridge, and taking swipes at all the photos and magnets on the fridge. he's a naughty boy but what can i do about it? i spray him with water when he jumps on the kitchen counter. now when he sees the spray bottle he runs away, but that doesn't stop him from going there when i'm not looking. in one of my old houses, one of my roommates kept a water cooler in the kitchen, and my cat used to push the lever for fun and spill the water all over the floor. see? naughty! what can i say... "don't do that!" he's a cat!

happy friday everyone - tonight is my boyfriend's rock show and tomorrow i am going to an all girls sleepover. sunday is easter at my boyfriend's parents and monday back to work. :o)

thursday - end of week

tomorrow is a holiday - good friday... good that i don't have to work haha. i feel like i have gained weight this week. i haven't been that careful counting points and i've been snacking even when not really hungry. i guess we shall see the damage tomorrow. it might be nothing but i doubt it. today i'm going to switch up my menu slightly and try to get in a lot of activity.

this morning i ran 4 miles on the treadmill. for the last 5 minutes i played with the inclines for each minute - 2 then 3 then 4 then 3 then 2 again - it was tough but satisfying. tonight i have tap. also my friend is coming over and we might go for a swim. i am kind of sick of tap actually. i like it but i have to drive there and i hate driving... and trying to find a parking spot... and putting money in the meter... etc. all of those things.

i don't mind pushing it today since tomorrow i can sleep in. i plan on hitting up the gym and painting some furniture. we'll see how that goes. at night it is my boyfriend's bimonthly indie rock/art event at the rivoli. if you live in the toronto area you should definitely check it out. i will be there dancing in the front row of course, like a good groupie girlfriend ;o)


today i'm eating:

dried apricots
frozen berries
oatmeal with added ground flax and all bran

spaghetti squash
leftover lean cuisine skillet sensation
english muffin

grapes and yogurt
veggies and hummus

omlet with sun dried tomatoes, spinach, turkey meatballs, real tomatoes

organic brands

in addition to today's post (below), check out which major food companies own your favourite organic brands.

swimming

good morning everyone. another rainy day in the city! last night my book club went to the movies - to see the other boleyn girl... it was alright but i was not that impressed. it was really different from the book, which is always the case. i should see the movie before reading the book.

one of my friends in the club leant me the boleyn inheritance so i am looking forward to reading that after i finish eat pray love.

last night after the movie we went out for drinks and dinner. i ordered a personal pizza. red curry sauce on thin crust with zucchini, apples, and goat cheese. it was so good and hard to stop at just half (but i did). i didn't get home until 11:30 though - taking the transit home late at night in the cold wet rain really is the pits.

on the way to book club i walked to canadian tire to get more paint brushes. they had packs of five brushes on for 75% off ($2.50). i can't pass up a deal like that. and now after i paint i can just throw out the brush and not wash it out (i hate that - it never gets clean enough and takes so long). i also got new swimming goggles. i actually just got a pair of $10 speedos but returned them because they really hurt my face. i looked like a victim of abuse. so i spent $20 and got a pair of speedo vanquisher for women googles. i had this kind before and it is superior to all other brands and types i've had in the past. i used to have blue but this time i got pink. seriously people it's the best.


i also found this sugar-free caramel syrup for coffee. yes, at canadian tire. they had more flavours but only sugar-free in caramel which really i'm not complaining about. :o) i forget the brand but it was there.

this morning i went swimming for about 45 minutes. i'm not sure about the distance because i don't know how long the pool is. i'm looking into it though! it was fun.

today i'm eating:

banana bread oatmeal and frozen berries

yogurt and grapes and carrots and baby tomatoes with hummus
cheese sandwich

lean cuisine skillet sensations for dinner
and probably popcorn too

good day today

today is going to be a good day. why? because tonight is my book club meeting and since we read the other bolelyn girl, we are meeting early to see the movie, and then having drinks afterward to discuss the book. i love going to the movies but i don't seem to go that often... i have a short attention span and fall asleep in the theatre about half the time. weird? maybe!

this morning i was going to get up early and work out, but i fell back asleep after my alarm went off. i headed down at about 7:20, and ran for 3.5 miles (30 minutes running, 5-6 minutes walking) and used the stationary bike for another 10-15 minutes. i thought i would be late but i just had a really fast shower and made it to work for my regular time.

f.y.i. on hungry girl today they have a recipe for 1 point chocolate chip cookies. the best part of this recipe is that it only makes 8 cookies, so you don't feel overwhelmed by having a thousand delicious cookies staring at you through every tupperware container in your house.

today i'm eating:

1/2 granola bar (1)

pc blue menu oatmeal (3)
with flax and pumpkin (1)
banana (1)
blueberries (0)

yogurt (1.5)
strawberries (0)
oatmeal (2)
grapes (1)

and for dinner? probably going out to eat. :)