June 2010Monthly Archives

Journal Challenge Finale & Weigh In

Yesterday brought an end to my one week journal absolutely everything challenge. I have to admit that knowing I was going to be posting my journals here each day definitely kept me on track more than I anticipated. The result? I was down 4 pounds this morning at my Weight Watchers meeting.

Given how successful I was this past week, the question is whether or not to continue posting my journals here. I definitely plan to stick with my journal challenge, but I’m just not sure about posting them here every day. So, this is where you come in, dear readers (I assume you are still out there, right?). Please leave a comment and let know what you think. Do you have any interest in seeing my daily food journals or not? If the majority is interested, then I’ll keep posting them. Otherwise, I’ll just keep them to myself.

To officially close out my journal challenge for last week, here is my journal for yesterday:

Breakfast:

Fresh strawberries – 1

Lunch:

Grilled ham & cheese sandwich – 6
Baked Tostitos Scoops – 4
Grape tomatoes – 0
Baby carrots – 0

Snack:

Dreyer’s Pomegranate fruit bar – 1

Dinner:

Trader Joe’s apple chardonnay sausage – 6.5
Trader Joe’s quinoa & vegetable melange – 4
Steamed squash – 0
Pudding – 2.5

Snack:

Nonfat milk – 3.5
Z-bars – 5

Total Points: 33.5
Exercise: Walking – 1 AP
WPA Balance: 33.5
AP Balance: 8
Liquids: 80 oz

Until next time …

20 June 2010

Challenges, Weigh In

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Food Journal, Weigh In

Still Journaling …

Not that you can tell by my blog, but I have been keeping up with my journal challenge this week. I’ve been writing everything down, but I’ve just been really busy and haven’t had a chance to post them to my blog.

I have to admit that this challenge has been really good for me. It’s definitely helped keep me focused and on track with my eating plan. Maybe there’s something to this whole food journal thing after all. Who knew?!

Here’s a little journal motivation that my Weight Watchers leader left us with at the end of our meeting last Sunday:

If you bite it, write it.
If you snack it, track it.
If you nibble it, scribble it.
If you drink it, ink it.
Grab your pencil before your utensil.

I’ve done ALL of these things this week, so I’m hopeful for a nice loss at my meeting on Sunday. I’ll leave you now with my journals for the past few days (most recent first).

Friday, June 18:

Breakfast:

Bagel Thins – 1
WW cream cheese – 1

Lunch:

Shrimp w/cocktail sauce – 6
Big salad w/light dressing – 1
Dreyer’s Pomegranate fruit bar – 1

Snack:

Clementines – 1
Tapioca pudding – 3.5

Late afternoon cocktail:

Jack Sour – 2
(made with 1 oz. Jack Daniels & 3 oz. Baja Bob’s sugar-free sour mix)

Dinner:

Egg Beaters veggie omelette w/2% cheese – 2
1 tsp. canola oil – 1
Whole wheat toast – 2
Turkey sausage – 3

Snack:

Nonfat milk – 3.5
Z-bars – 5

Total Points: 33
Exercise: Walking – 1 AP
WPA Balance: 34
AP Balance: 7
Liquids: 80 oz

Thursday, June 17:

Breakfast:

Nonfat iced coffee – 2
Banana – 2

Lunch:

Turkey & provolone sandwich on rye bread – 8
Lettuce, tomato, onion, and dill pickle – 0
Popchips – 2
Grape tomatoes – 0

Snack:

WW giant fudge bar – 1

Dinner:

Morningstar Farms Grillers Chick’n – 3
Sweet potato – 3
1/2 carton Chobani nonfat Greek vanilla yogurt – 1 (VERY tasty on potato)
Chocolate pudding – 2.5

Snack:

Nonfat milk – 3.5
Z-bars – 5

Total Points: 33
Exercise: None – worked 11.5 hour day
WPA Balance: 34
AP Balance: 6
Liquids: 96 oz

Wednesday, June 16:

Breakfast:

Nonfat iced coffee – 2
Oatmeal – 2
Dried fruit – 2

Lunch:

Chicken tostada salad (no shell) – 10

Snack:

Popchips – 2

Dinner:

Trader Joe’s Reduced Fat Southwest Salad w/dressing – 3
Wheat crackers – 2
Fresh strawberries – 1
WW giant fudge bar – 1

Snack:

Nonfat milk – 3.5
Z-bars – 5

Total Points: 33.5
Exercise: Walking – 1 AP
WPA Balance: 34
AP Balance: 6
Liquids: 80 oz

Until next time …

19 June 2010

Uncategorized

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Baja Bob, Cocktails, Food Journal, Inspiration

Rock 'n Roll San Diego Race Report

Ok, ok, so I know it’s been a week and a half since the half marathon down in San Diego. I had all sorts of good intentions of getting my race report posted as soon as I was back from San Diego, but it just didn’t happen. Better late than never, right …. RIGHT?

First and foremost, I was to thank each of you who so generously supported my fundraising efforts for the Leukemia & Lymphoma Society (LLS). For those who weren’t able to help financially, I still want to say thank you for your moral support and tremendous encouragement during my training. I just simply can’t thank you all enough!

Now, on to the report … My race training plan didn’t go exactly as planned. I battled a couple of minor injuries early on in the training, but the real kicker came when I developed a pinched nerve in my back about a month ago which dramatically affected my ability to train. Despite the injury, I decided I still wanted to go ahead and attempt the race since I’d put in all the months of training and fundraising.

Things started off pretty well. I was feeling strong and was maintaining a decent pace. Unfortunately, I started having back spasms about 2.25 miles into the course. I finally had to call Uncle and stop at the medical tent at mile 3.5, but said they weren’t really equipped to do much at that point in the race. It seemed like they were pretty much handling smaller things like people who forget sunscreen or were having allergy issues, etc.

The next stop for me was at the medical tent at mile 7 where I was checked over by the sports medicine guy there. At that point, he told me I was pretty done for the day and put me on a shuttle that took me to the main medical facility at the finish line area. Once there, I was given some Tylenol and hooked up with a massage therapist who gave me a sports massage to loosen up my back which helped tremendously. Even though I didn’t “officially” finish the race, I still got a medal which was really nice. (Thank you, and you know who you are. )

Even though I wasn’t able to finish the full 13.1 miles, I was still pleased that I got out there and gave it a try despite my back issues. The Team in Training experience was absolutely amazing, and I’m so thankful that I did this. I really can’t say enough wonderful things about this organization. If you have ever thought about participating, just do it!!! It’s worth every bit of training and fundraising effort.

Speaking of fundraising, between the 13 of us on Team Shrinking Jeans, we raised $43,695 for LLS. Overall, the approximate 4000 Team in Training participants at the San Diego race raised over $12 million for LLS!

Here are a few of my favorite pics from race day that I thought you might enjoy seeing:

At the Inspiration Dinner with Coach Joe

At the starting line yelling “Goooooooo TEAM!”

Starting line madness – it was over an hour before my corral started

A sea of purple Team in Training shirts

My motivation – my dad & coach John, one of the local TNT coaches

Everyone’s motivation – the Mission Mile of honor boards

At the finish line showing off our bling

Thanks again so much for your support! Until next time …

16 June 2010

Uncategorized

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Half Marathon, Races, Team in Training, Team Shrinking Jeans

Rock ‘n Roll San Diego Race Report

Here are a few of my favorite pics from race day that I thought you might enjoy seeing:

At the Inspiration Dinner with Coach Joe

At the starting line yelling “Goooooooo TEAM!”

Starting line madness – it was over an hour before my corral started

A sea of purple Team in Training shirts

My motivation – my dad & coach John, one of the local TNT coaches

Everyone’s motivation – the Mission Mile of honor boards

At the finish line showing off our bling

Thanks again so much for your support! Until next time …

16 June 2010

Misc.

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Half Marathon, Race Report, Team in Training, Team Shrinking Jeans

My New Mantra

I’ve come up with a new mantra for myself. I think it pretty much speaks for itself, so I’ll just leave you with this for today followed by my food journal.

My time is NOW. I decide. I commit. I ACT!

Breakfast:

Chobani vanilla nonfat Greek yogurt – 2
Banana – 2

Lunch:

Trader Joe’s Roasted Vegetable Enchiladas – 6
Baked Scoops – 4
Salsa – 0
Sugar-free Tapioca – 1

Snack:

Vitalicious Muffin Top – 1

Dinner:

Grilled ham & cheese sandwich – 5
Vegetable soup – 0
Fresh strawberries – 1
Sugar-free pudding – 2.5

Snack:

Nonfat milk – 3.5
Z-bars – 5

Total Points: 33
Exercise: Walking – 1 AP
WPA Balance: 34.5
AP Balance: 5
Liquids: 96 oz

Until next time …

15 June 2010

Misc.

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Food Journal, Inspiration

Weight Watchers Punch DVD Review

You may have noticed in my journal yesterday that I mentioned doing the Weight Watchers Punch boxing DVD for my workout. This is a new workout kit they started offering recently at the centers for $25. I purchased one to add a little more variety into my workout options, so I thought I would give a review of it as well.**

Here are a couple of pics that show the box as well as the contents:

Since I’ve still been battling my back issue, I stuck with the beginner workout. I have to say that I really enjoyed it! I really liked having the weighted gloves because it gave the workout that extra little punch (pardon the pun). Don’t worry though, they aren’t super heavy with each glove coming in at around a pound. If you didn’t want to use the gloves, the workout would still be very good without them.

As for the workout itself, I thought the prompts from the instructor were very good. She would gradually introduce new moves into the workout which would all build together into repeating sets which made it easy to follow along. All in all, I give this workout two thumbs up and will definitely be doing it again.

I also wanted to let you all know about a fantastic giveaway taking place over at The Sisterhood of the Shrinking Jeans. All week they will be reviewing some of the swimsuits available from Lands’ End. They will be showcasing two different suits each day. Readers will also have the opportunity to enter a drawing that will take place on Friday where they will be giving away a free Lands’ End swimsuit to EIGHT lucky winners!! You can go here for all the details and a chance to win. Good luck!

I’ll close out again today with my food journal. This is day 2 of my Food Journal Challenge for this week.

Breakfast:

Chobani vanilla nonfat Greek yogurt – 2 (my fave yogurt!)
Fresh strawberries – 1

Lunch:

Turkey meatloaf – 6
Mashed potatoes – 3
Green beans w/2 tsp olive oil – 2

Snack:

Kashi TLC oatmeal dark chocolate cookies – 5

Dinner:

Stuffed peppers – 6

Snack:

Nonfat milk – 3.5
Z-bars – 5

Total Points: 33.5
Exercise: Walking – 1 AP
WPA Balance: 34.5
AP Balance: 4
Liquids: 80 oz

Until next time …

**Disclosure: This product was purchased using my own funds. I received no complimentary products or monetary compensation for this review. As always, the opinion expressed is my own.