Morning Workout - Elliptical trainer 60 minutes (628 calories burned. I find going forward first, then going backward for the last half burns many more calories).

Breakfast - Instant Folgers coffee with splenda; 1.5 packets of Quaker Cinnamon and Spice oatmeal

Lunch - I was supposed to go to a Chinese Restaurant for lunch, but it was moved to next Thursday. Thank goodness I thought to bring mine from home just in case. :) Mixed stir fried veggies (broccoli, mushrooms, water chestnuts) and cubed chicken breasts with satay sauce (2 tsp.) with Jasmine rice (about 1/2 cup).

Snack - small bowl of honey bunches of oats

Dinner - One "State Fair" corn dog, 4 potstickers and a small bowl of cereal. I could have had my chicken, but wanted something quick (as it was 8:45pm when I ate...I know. Very far after 7:00pm. I will get better). This will be my second night without hubby. I did not sleep well last night (he says he didn't sleep at all).

Morning Workout - 60 minutes Elliptical trainer (610 calories, no resistance)

Breakfast - 1 bowl (1 cup) fiber one cereal with coffemate. One cup of Folgers Instant with two teaspoons of splenda. (not much, I know. This turns out to be around 350 calories, 2 grams of fat, 82 carbs and 5 grams of protein)

Lunch - Budget Gourmet Spicy szchewan style noodles and veggies, 4 slices of Healthy ones deli-slice honey ham)




Goal Restructure:

So, back in April of this year (gosh, nearly 1/2 a year ago? Really?!), I'd hit a new goal and was elated! Vacation time helped in thwarting my progress back about eleven pounds, so now it's time to reset and get serious. Hubby's training has been helpful, but I need to get organized with me eating my way. The original goals would have been great to meet during the summer months (which were my plans). My perfume, which I've started wearing, is as lovely as I remember. Unfortunately, I bought the spray cologne, which seems to send my sinuses into overdrive. Next time, I'll be sure to order the perfume sans atomizer. The Mariposa store is going out of business, so I may pick up an item or two for the future. Which size should I buy? An eight, a six, a four? Wow! Too hopeful, I think. We'll see what they have left (I may shoot over there today after work to see what's around).

So, the goal by December? Thirty pounds. How will I do this? Limited calories during the weekdays, with one splurge day per week. If the splurge is picked during the middle of the week, no splurging on the weekend. I have a dinner this week with friends and my plan is to "keep it cool" even then. No eating after 7:00pm. That seems to do a world of good for me. Wine is okay any day of the week now (rather than just the weekends...I have a feeling I'm going to need it). Hard liquor is restricted to the weekends (if Amaretto is considered hard). Fat count around 30 to 40 grams per day. Carbs? No more than 170 (I'm still weight training, so I need them). Still drinking my gallon of water, which is great! That's a pat on the back that I can carry on through this new plan. I'm really proud of myself in this regard.

So with no further delay:

Starting weight now: 172 (weeks of work and no change from this blasted number...f.r.u.s.t.r.a.t.i.n.g)

• 5lbs (167) - Buy a movie from wish list (that's been on there for ages!)
• 10lbs (162)- Physician's Formula Lip glass (I love this stuff! It never seems to wear off...you get what you pay for)
• 15lbs (157)- New shoes! (Mary Jane's I'm still after...not necessarily the ones pictured here).
  
• 20lbs (152) - Lower Back Attack Massage and a Custom Facial
• 25lbs (147) - Hair Braided
  
• 30lbs (142) - Trip out of town (buy a new outfit to wear "there" in my new size) I would go to Vegas, but it's just too much to handle by myself.
  

Morning workout - 60 minutes (625 calories on the Elliptical trainer)

Breakfast - a John's Breakfast from Sills Cafe (includes a big-ass pancake and three slices of bacon) 16 ounces of OJ. I was in the mood for a real breakfast this morning. :)

Morning workout - 45 minutes (got to go to work early today, so couldn't workout the entire sixty minutes. I'll do a fifteen or twenty minute stint later).

Breakfast - 2 scrambled eggs, 2 thin slices of bacon and 1 slice whole wheat toast from Skool Lunch
(1 L-Carnitine 500 mg)

Mid morning snack - George Foreman grilled chicken breast (Southwest McCormick Marinade), mixed steamed veggies (Bird's Eye), Zatarain's Spanish rice (1/2 serving). 1/2 serving jiffy cornbread muffin.

Lunch - Kroger thin spaghetti (half serving), Prego Fresh Mushroom sauce (1/2 serving) with ground turkey, mixed veggies.

For dinner, 4 Tyson Southern Chicken Tenderloins and a big piece of cake. I had two Dove promises with hubby and a glass of Alice White Lexia. He stayed home again. My sadness was temporarily arrested...not sure for how long, though).

Morning workout - 60 minutes on the elliptical (I think I like having it all done at the start of the day, rather than splitting it up. We'll see how this goes. I've also taking to L-CArnitine again (this is day three) 500 mg. Burned 625 calories (no incline...my knees are screaming again).

Breakfast - Quaker Simple harvest oatmeal, Sara Lee Delightful bread (two slices) and 1 tbsp peanut butter for protein.

Lunch - Thin Kroger Spaghetti with meat sauce; one slice of fudge marble cake

Weight training (legs and a bit of back)

Dinner - George Foreman grilled chicken breast in McCormick Southwest marinade, Zatarain's Spanish rice with stewed tomatoes, a big-ass slice of marble fudge cake. (a ghiradelli dark chocolate with caramel right before bed with hubby). He stayed again last night. I think that was the last night. I'm very sad.

Morning Workout (doubled up again) - 60 minutes, 670 calories burned

Breakfast - Quaker Simple Harvest Hot Cereal (Maple Brown sugar)

Morning Snack - Quaker chewy raisin granola Bar

Lunch - Baked wild Alaskan salmon, turnip greens and a small jiffy cornbread muffin

(6 peanut M&Ms)

For dinner - Kroger thin spaghetti, Prego fresh mushroom pasta sauce, sauteed fresh mushrooms, and ground turkey. I made a Duncan Hines Fudge Marble cake with Pillsbury milk chocolate whipped icing. I had one slice of said cake that I shared with hubby. Later in the evening (when I bought the fourth installment of the Twilight Series, Breaking Dawn, I picked up a gigantic pretzel...strange because I wasn't even hungry). It was good!

Hubby gave me a 100 calorie Hershey Dark chocolate bar before bed. I think TOM is on the way (And I'm feeling extra bitchy).

Morning workout - 50 minutes (628 calories burned) Elliptical trainer

Breakfast - Natural Harvest (fru fru oatmeal that I've been eating from Quaker) Maple and Brown sugar

Mid morning snack - 1 slice of my homemade pepperoni and mushroom pizza

Lunch - Baked Salmon, Turnip greens (courtesy of my mother) and one pancake (needed a carb)

Weight trained on back and triceps with hubby (about 20 minutes with a five minute warm-up). Dinner consisted of asian dumplings and tyson honey bbq chicken tenders (1 small jiffy corn-bread muffin). For a night cap, hubby and I had a glass of $2 Chuck Chardonnay and 2 Dove dark chocolate promises. His move date has been moved to Wednesday. We're both having all sorts of issues (but the passion hasn't died...I think it might have increased). What's up with that?

Morning workout - Started out on the treadmill, then it started seizing up and acting crazy (after about 7 minutes at 3.8mph). I got off before it killed me and finished up on the elliptical for 20 more minutes (255 calories on the elliptical...about fifty on the treadmill)

Breakfast - Golden grahams cereal and two slices of oscar mayer turkey

Mid-morning snack - 1 slice of my homemade turkey sausage pizza

Lunch - another sandwich (like yesterday's) and some Stacks.

Morning Workout - 30 minutes treadmill (188 calories burned)

Breakfast - Quaker raisin oatmeal bar and 14 almonds

Lunch - Zatarain's Jambalaya with Turkey sausage

Afternoon meal - Zatarain's Jambalaya with Turkey sausage

Evening workout (elliptical) - 30 minutes 400 and some odd calories (I can't remember exactly, but I was booking!)

Dinner - Sara Lee Honey wheat, low carb bread, low-fat mayo, Oscar mayer turkey slices (2), 1 slice Cache Valley American cheese and a few Lay's Stacks (Salt and Vinegar) for dinner

1 glass of Alice White Lexia before bed and a ghiradelli chocolate caramel...yum!

Morning workout - 30 minutes on the elliptical (378 calories burned) Oh, and I'm 2 pounds up from last week. Is it water? (171.4) Why am I not loosing anymore?!

Breakfast - 1 packet natural hot cereal (maple brown sugar); 14 almonds
herbal tea

Asian noodles with veggies and chicken
1 small bowl of honey bunches of oats

Warm-up five minutes - Elliptical (around 50 calories burned)

Weight training (leg day...ugh!)

Elliptical 30 minutes (424 calories burned...3 resistance today)

1 serving Zatarains Jambalaya, 2 slices of homemade turkey sausage pizza, 2 bowls of Golden Grahams (yum!) 1 Black cherry Fresca

Morning Workout - Treadmill 30 minutes (188 calories burned)

Breakfast - Quaker Hot Cereal (the natural stuff. I can't ever remember the name); maple brown sugar and herbal tea.

Morning Snack - Herb marinated chicken breast, 1/2 serving Kraft mac (low-fat preparation).

Lunch - Herb marinated chicken breast 1/2 serving Kraft mac (low-fat preparation...the last of it). I don't think I'll make three boxes at once again. I thought we'd never finish this stuff.

No evening workout, and I felt guilty. I was helping with oodles of homework and cooking. I could have worked out while the girls were eating but honestly, I was just exhausted.

I made Asian noodles with 1 pound of diced chicken for dinner (I also baked three pounds of chicken in Spicy Caribbean marinade for tomorrow's lunches). I had one serving and a small bowl of Honey bunches of oats. Hubby shared Ghiradelli Chocolate caramels with me as well (before and after our argument and night of passion...in that order).

1 gallon of water as well, today.

Over the weekend, I was off to myself in the mountains. Before you get any ideas, I was in a hotel (not on some desolate camp ground with a can of beans and beef jerky). I ate pretty much what I wanted, but I didn't go too overboard. On Saturday afternoon, I had pretzel bites from the pretzel factory and tofu lo mein from my favorite Vietnamese place for dinner. I received a free appetizer (crab wontons) drank a coke zero, a Jack Daniels Downhome punch and a caramello for desert. I was completely stuffed!

Yesterday, I had a Pancake combo meal from IHOP that I totally didn't finish (so unlike me) and Pad Thai for lunch. I didn't eat dinner, but had a nice glass of wine instead (Alice White Lexia).

Here's today's journal entry:

Morning workout - 30 minutes treadimll at 3.7 mph (190 calories...I'm working harder)

Breakfast, chicken (Fried...I know, but good protein) with hot sauce, mixed veggies and 1 Pillsbury biscuit (100 calories and 4 fat grams for the pastry).

Lunch: Kraft mac (low-fat preparation), Hillshire farm Chicken slices, light mayo and a toasted bun. Plain cheerios afterwards

Afternoon workout - 5 minute warm-up on elliptical (around 50 calories burned), weight training, 30 minute elliptical workout (372 calories burned)

Dinner - Baked herb marinated chicken breast, mixed veggies (peas, carrots and corn), Rice-a-Roni (low-fate prepared version), Honey bunches of oats for dessert. Herbal tea

1 gallon of water today. Only peed about three times (I'm retaining again. Ugh!)

1 ghiradellli chocolate caramel square with hubby.

Morning workout - 30 minutes elliptical trainer (376 calories burned)

Quaker hot cereal (the natural stuff, can't think of the name) Maple and brown sugar
14 almonds

1 cup herbal tea

Morning snack - George Foreman grilled chicken breast (1/2) in ginger teriyaki seasoning, Kraft mac and cheese (low-fat preparation), Mixed veggies.

Lunch - Half Manwich (made with lean ground turkey), mixed veggies and bowl of honey nut cheerios.

Morning workout - Treadmill (185 calories at 3.7 mph) 30 minutes

Breakfast - Quaker oatmeal and raisin bar with 12 almonds

Morning snack - 1/2 George Foreman grilled chicken breast with Ginger Teryaki seasoning, Steamed asian veggies (snap peas, water chestnuts, mushrooms, carrots, peas and onions), Kraft Mac and cheese (low-fat preparation)

Lunch - half chicken cordon bleu leftovers from Apple Spice Junction, wild rice, teeny-tiny salad with raspberry vinagrette and a chocolate chip cookie.

Workout (PM) - 30 minutes on the elliptical (burned 382 calories and an incline of 2)
Drank my gallon of water

Dinner will be Manwhich sloppy joes with lean ground turkey instead of beef. Haven't determined a side yet. Will add it here tomorrow.

Still blue about my impending separation. Talked to a friend today who left her husband because he was doing the drinking and drugs (cocaine...heavy stuff). They can't really talk to each other and, he blames the whole break-up on her. She's really hurt and betrayed, so I suppose I should be grateful. I may need her as a shoulder when this is all said and done. Too bad she moved to Arizona to be closer to her family. I wish she were still here (despite her divorce).

I'm still around, but my life is a shambles. I'm in the midst of a separation from my hubby and it was totally not what I thought my September would be for 2008. He's still training me through all this madness and I've not deviated too much for my eating plan (even though I'm not documenting like I was). I've been interviewing and in the midst of crazy work stuff, so blogging has been put on hold. I'll try to keep a better tab on this site, however.

Through the turmoil, I did have a lost. Not sure if it was the water weight disappearing once TOM left or my lack of appetite due to depression. Whatever it is, I'm back in the 160s (at least, for now). {169.4}

AM Work out - Treadmill 30 minutes (184 calories burned)

Breakfast - Quaker Simple Harvest Multi-grain Hot cereal (Maple Brown Sugar), almonds

Herbal tea

George Foreman grilled chicken breast with southwest marinade, corn and bean medley and Tostito crumbs (end of the bag)

Afternoon workout - 10 minute warm up (100 or so calories burned), weight training "Leg" day, then 30 minutes cardio (elliptical). Calories burned? 371

Dinner - George Foreman grilled chicken breast with southwest marinade, Kraft mac and cheese (low-fat preparation and about two servings) 1/2 glass Peach, Beachaven wine (I needed it, after the day I had). Two Harry and David Chocolate covered cherries. (I needed these too!)

Oh! And one gallon of water. I have kept pretty consistent with the water drinking for the past week.

TOM is here. Ugh! I look like I'm about three months preggers. The weight is still the same, too. (I gotta stop looking at that scale. I was doing well at only looking at it once a week, but I've become week).

Morning Workout - Treadmill 30 minutes (184 calories burned) 3.5 mph

Breakfast - Tofu with peanut sauce (low-fat coconut milk), baked beans
1 cup of herbal tea

Morning Snack -Baked halibut and Asian noodles with veggies and shrimp

Workout AM - over slept, which means I'll have to be on the Elliptical for 60 minutes this afternoon, rather than 30 (my day off...ha!)

Breakfast - Baked herb chicken, corn on the cob and my "famous" pasta salad (yum!)
1 cup herbal tea

Lunch - Tofu, Peanut sauce with low-fat coconut milk, Asian pictsweet veggies and brown rice

Afternoon snack - grilled salmon and 1 full ear (corn on the cob)

60 minutes on Elliptical - 640 calories

Dinner: Halibut (baked) and Asian noodles with veggies and shrimp

Weight Watchers Strawberry Shortcake (1 Ghiradelli chocolate square/Citrus)

Ugh! It was weigh day and nothing changed {172.4}. I feel like I'm training for a marathon, but there was no loss to be found. What gives?! I do feel better and I suppose that should make me feel better. Huh! Not so much. I really need to see the numbers moving, you know what I mean? I suppose it could be the thirty pounds of water I feel like I'm carrying. Do you know, I drank nearly a gallon of water yesterday and only peed three times? Yeah...something's up. Anyway, for what it's worth (and if I care several weeks from now), here's what happened today:

Morning Workout - 30 minutes on the treadmill at 3.5 mph (a measly 183 calories burned...this is why I avoid the treadmill)

Breakfast - Instant brown rice, Asian pictsweet veggies, tofu and peanut sauce (with low-fat coconut milk)
1 cup of herbal tea

Lunch - Salmon, corn on the cobs and baked beans

Almonds (around 20)

Dinner - 1 grilled turkey dog (no bun or condiments), sun chips, baked beans, Tostios bean and cheese dip

Today, I drank the entire gallon of water. Phew! I lived in the bathroom.

I worked out over the weekend and ate fairly well, but didn't document. I will get better about documenting weekend activities (but it certainly wasn't at the forefront of my mind during the holidays). Here's what's happening today:

Morning Workout - 30 minutes Elliptical (363 calories)

1 cup tea (1 8 ounce glass of water).

Breakfast - Small piece of herb and garlic grilled chicken, 1/2 ear corn and brown rice (with a bit of soy sauce for flavor...couldn't find the salt).

drank some water

lunch - Grilled salmon, 1/2 ear of corn, brown rice (with a bit of soy sauce). I'm feeling kind of poorly. Wonder if being out in the rainstorm this weekend has me coming down with something. My nose is twitching and my eyes are burning a bit. We'll see.

9/3/08 update =

Got home and took my temperature. I was running a slight fever (99) and felt a little achy. I pushed past this and helped the Babe with her homework. After which, I hopped on the elliptical fr 45 minutes (478 calories burned). Before this, I had the following:

at home snack: Asian, pictsweet veggies, baked beans 3 bites of herb baked chicken

Dinner - brown rice, tofu, Asian pictsweet veggies, peanut sauce (made with low-fat coconut milk), 1 Lynn Wilson, thin-styled tortilla. One Ghiradelli Intense Dark Citrus Sunset (60% Cacao). One Godiva Chocoiste, 72% dark chocolate with almonds (I know, naughty, naughty! Talk to the PMS, 'kay?)