Whew!

30 minutes step aerobics done while I watched Dancing with the Stars. Good show to step to, too, since there's lots of music to keep me moving! Faster on the fast songs, breathing a little more on the slower songs, moving the whole time! I even did jumping jacks during two of the commercials, and ran up and down the basement steps during two other commercials!

Sparkpeople says I burned 168 calories. I'll take it!

Broccoli-Wokly

Chicken and Stir Fry for Two

Chicken:
2 boneless skinless chicken breasts
2 T. soy sauce
1 T. sesame oil
1 T. pineapple juice
1 T. sesame seeds
1/2 stalk lemon grass
Garlic (fresh or powder)
Ginger

Stir Fry:
250 grams Kirkland Signature Stir Fry Vegetables
1 C pineapple tidbits
1 C frozen peas
1 C broccoli
1 T. sesame oil

For the chicken, mix all ingredients except chicken in a pan. Heat on medium/high heat until warmed through. Add cubed chicken and cook until chicken is done. Reduce heat and simmer while the stir fry cooks. Add sesame oil to a wok over medium/high heat. When hot, add vegetables and pineapple. Stir fry until all frozen vegetables are cooked. Add chicken and remaining sauce to vegetables and stir to mix. Serve immediately alone or over brown rice.

Nutrition information

Stir Fry:
245 calories
8 g. fat (7 from oil)
38 carbs
9 g. fiber
8 g. protein

Chicken:
216 calories
10 g. fat (7 from oil)
1 carb
.5 g. fiber
28 g protein

Monday, Monday...

Mmmm! I just had a HUGE plate of stir fry for dinner, and it was delicious! I'll post the recipe in a bit for future reference.

My stir fry was a huge amount of food, and included 4-5 servings of fruits and vegetables, which isn't half bad! If you include the grapefruit I had for breakfast and tomato soup I had for lunch, plus the 200 grams of carrots I had for a snack, that puts me at SEVEN servings of fruits and vegetables for today! I think it's a personal record! And the best part about my ginormous dinner? I'm feeling full, and I'm only at 900 calories for the day! That means I can treat myself to an ice cream cone or bowl of ice cream tonight, and maybe even another little snack.

On the water front, I have 8 oz to go and I will have had my 2 liters for the day. Yay!

And now for the exercise... we'll see if I get it in tonight or not. If I don't get it during the day, it's always a little iffy. But I will try to motivate myself to do something, even if it's stepping while I watch TV for a while. I've had a loooong day and a kiddo with no nap, so maybe some mindless TV is just what I need to wind down. If I can get some exercise in to burn off the stress and the calories while I'm at it, all the better.

First Pound Down

since I started calorie counting again! Yay! I'm officially at 120. Now if I can just do that 10 more times, I'll be in good shape!

Grapefruit for breakfast this morning. Now I've got to get Ellie dressed and get some lunch food together and we'll be off to Taylor's for the day!

12 Rules for Improved Nutrition

I borrowed the book Fertility, Cycles, & Nutrition by Marilyn M. Shannon from Erika a few months ago, but have been so discouraged in trying to conceive that I just didn't want to think about it anymore. So the book just sat on my bed stand until Erika asked if I'd read it the other night. I decided to pick it up and at least give it a try. I have only read the first chapter so far, but have been pleasantly surprised at how practical the information in the first chapter was, not only for those who have fertility issues they hope to resolve through diet changes, but for everyone who wants to be healthier. I will not follow everything she puts forth, but I think her 12 Rules for Improved Nutrition are a good place to start for healthier eating habits.

1. Eat more complex carbohydrates, less saturated fats, and adequate, not excessive, protein.

2. Substitute more nutritious ingredients for less nutritious ones.

She suggests limiting these foods:

• sugar
• white flour
• fruit juices
• soft drinks
• prepackaged foods
• fatty meats
• bacon, sausage, lunchmeats, ham
• shortening
• processed peanut butter
• artificial food additives, especially aspartame
• processed cheese
• margarine
• excessive or uniodized salt
• coffee
• chocolate
• caffeinated tea
• excessive dairy products
• coconut

And emphasizing these:

• fresh fruits
• fresh vegetables
• whole grain breads
• whole grain pasta
• brown rice
• millet
• whole grain flour
• dried beans
• natural peanut butter
• nuts and edible seeds
• olive, peanut, soy, and safflower oils
• lean meats
• poultry
• ocean fish
• milk (in moderation)
• yogurt
• eggs (in moderation)
• herbal teas

For the most part I already follow these, with the exception of margarine, soft drinks (working on that), and coffee.

3. Eat more raw foods, and cook other foods gently.

4. Eat a greater variety of foods.

5. Sharply limit sugar and caffeine.

6. Chew your food thoroughly.

7. Store natural foods carefully to minimize nutrient loss and spoilage.

8. Beware of eating out.

9. Obtain pure drinking water if possible.

10. Prepare your meals thoughtfully.

11. Enlist your family's cooperation.

12. Use the 80-20 rule. (80% ideal diet, 20% imperfect)

Bold rules are ones I want to work on more.

Meal Planning...

It's Sunday, and the start of a new week. Tomorrow and Tuesday I will be at Taylor's house all day helping her with the new babies, so will need something simple to make for dinner. Today was day 2 on the menu planner,

... so it looks like tomorrow is fruit for breakfast and oriental for dinner. Hmmm... what fruit do we have? We have fresh strawberries, but I was really hoping to make strawberry spinach salad with them. Well, maybe (if I actually get up and get myself going in time) I could make a fruit smoothie! That would be good! We have frozen strawberries and blueberries. Nah, too time consuming. Ummm... Okay, now I have to go look and see what fruit we actually have so I can decide what I want for breakfast. It would be so much easier if I just ate a packet of oatmeal. But the schedule says fruit, so fruit it is.

Oh, look! We have grapefruit that I forgot about and need to eat soon before they go bad! Now I've got one on the counter in a bowl, ready to be cut and eaten for breakfast tomorrow! Yippee! Ellie can have the remainder of her fruit cocktail in the fridge and we will be good to go! Quick, easy, and delicious.

We'll have stir fry for dinner. That's easy. Everything else on the list takes more work than just dumping some frozen vegetables into the wok and frying them up. Plus it guarantees me another serving of vegetables. I'll add in a cup of pineapple, too, and have an additional serving of fruit. That will be good.

Tuesday it looks like toast for breakfast and breaded fish for dinner. Another Costco frozen quickie. I don't usually like fish, but we'll see how I do with the breaded cod. Leif says it's good with balsamic vinegar, so I will give it a try.

Well, that's a good start, so we'll see if I can't just plan out the whole week's worth of menus to simplify the rest of the week. I ought to make a habit of planning out meals again, just to make sure I am getting a good balance and think through what we're having for dinner instead of just making the first quick thing that comes to mind. So this week we'll have...

Monday - Stir fry (with added peas and pineapple)
Tuesday - Breaded cod and broccoli
Wednesday - Vinegar Grilled Chicken and Spinach Craisin salad
Thursday - Spaghetti and green beans
Friday - Enchiladas (I think I have some already frozen) and corn?

I'll buy groceries at Costco on Thursday, so we'll see what fruits and vegetables I can pick up then for next week.

Now THAT'S the way I like it!

Today was a GREAT day in food land. I've been struggling with it, and today I hit my groove. We'll see if I'm still in my groove tomorrow, but one day at a time. Today I:

• Drank 2 liters of water - my daily goal!
• Ate 1298 calories - within my ideal daily goal of 1200-1300!
• Had 5 servings of fruits and vegetables!

And to top it off I even got to enjoy an ice cream cone after dinner. Now THAT'S a good day!

I didn't get any exercise in, which is fine. My goal right now is 20 minutes 3x a week, usually MWF. Unless we exercise as a family, I take the weekend off. Tomorrow I'll be at Taylor's all day helping her with the twins, so we'll see if I get the exercise in, but if I don't get it in tomorrow or Tuesday (I'll be there Tuesday, too) I will do it WThF instead. I WILL get at least 20 minutes in 3x this week.

The results are in...

... and I survived the day intact. Despite two doughnuts, a piece of pizza, and two pieces of chocolate, I ended my day under 1500 calories. And that is something to be thankful for.

What I look like these days

This is me at 121 lbs. It was taken Easter day.

What I like:
my smile
my hair

What I don't:
my legs

So there you have it. This is me.

The ABCs of Vegetables.

I would be happy as a clam if I never had to eat vegetables. I just think they're yucky. But aside from my desire to be healthier, I am also married to a man who loves them. When I ask what he wants for dinner, Leif will often reply, "How about a big bowl of spinach and broccoli?" or "I don't know... vegetables sound good." And I'm usually thinking that pasta sounds good. So in attempt to become healthier and make vegetables for my husband I have been trying to find vegetables that I like and ways that I like them prepared. So far, here's what I think about the vegetables I've tried:

Asparagus - We had this once at Sam and Catherine's house and I really liked it! But it was cooked in butter and wrapped in bacon, so I'm pretty sure the redeeming qualities of the vegetable were overridden. Haven't found another way that I like it yet.
*Bean Sprouts - I really like these when they're mixed with eggs and made into pancakes. My mom used to make them and they were really good. They go well with Asian food. I've only ever made them with canned sprouts, though.
*Bell Peppers - I don't like them crunchy and raw, but stir fried or in fajitas or in chili I like them a lot.
*Broccoli - Steamed broccoli is good, especially if it has a little cheese melted over top. It's also good in baked things, like a creamy chicken dish or a quiche.
*Cabbage - Gross. I really don't like cabbage at all, though I did have some ramen salad once that was okay with it, and I made a thai chicken dish (a menu mailer recipe) that was served over a bed of cabbage and that was good, so maybe there is hope for cabbage in my life yet.
*Carrots - I love cooked carrots with a roast. And carrots are good to munch on if they are served with ranch dip. I'm a personal fan of the Hidden Valley ranch packet stirred into sour cream. Carrots in soup are good, too.
*Cauliflower - Really nasty. Not only does it taste bad, but it gives my husband digestive woes, so it's banned from our house forever.
Celery - Celery is a good snack item with a little peanut butter. Emphasis on the word LITTLE.
Corn - I LOVE corn on the cob in the summer, slathered with butter and salt. But it turns out that corn is more starch than anything and when you add the butter and salt, well, this isn't the best vegetable choice. Good for once or twice a year and that's about it. Canned corn I like in chili.
Cucumbers - I like eating cucumbers. They're a good munchy food. Not a lot of calories, but one cucumber cut into spears will keep my mouth busy for a good while until the munchy urge is gone.
Eggplant - I've only had eggplant one way that I like it, and that is breaded and fried in eggplant parmesan. Pretty sure it loses all vegetable value at that point.
*Garlic - I've never really thought of garlic as a vegetable, but I suppose it is. It's a good flavor to add to a lot of things, especially italian food. I should use more fresh garlic and less of the powdered.
Green Beans - I eat canned green beans. I know they're full of salt, but I like them. I especially like them mixed with some roasted almonds. I don't really like fresh bean.
*Green Onions - About the only way I really like green onions is in soup. There they add a wonderful flavor.
*Green Peas - I like peas. We buy the frozen peas and all I add to them is salt.
Kidney Beans - A chili staple.
*Lettuce (Romaine) - I like romaine lettuce in a salad with apples, feta, and oil and vinegar dressing. That's a good salad.
Lettuce (Iceberg) - It tastes fine (if it does indeed taste, that is... I don't get much flavor off of it.) but has very little nutritional value. We don't buy it, and substitute Romaine for Iceberg any chance we get.
Mushrooms - I detest mushrooms. Enough said.
*Onions - I like cooked onions, if they are cooked to the point that they are no longer crunchy. I have texture issues with crunchy onions. I like the flavor, though.
Potatoes - I love potatoes! I love them in pretty much any form... baked, fries, scalloped, roasted... Turns out they don't have much nutritional value as a vegetable, but they're still a good option for lunch (or eating at Wendy's).
*Pumpkin - I love pumpkin bread, but I'm not so fond of it by itself. I've heard pumpkin soup is really good, so maybe I'll try that some time.
*Soy beans - Edamame soybeans are really good in stir fry. They store in the freezer, so you don't have to worry about them going bad, either.
*Spinach - We buy the tub of organic baby spinach leaves from Costco. It's perfect for salad. My favorite salads with Spinach are Mandarin Almond Salad and Spinach Craisin Salad. Now that it's getting to be summer we can start enjoying Strawberry Spinach Salad again, too.
*Sweet Potato - My favorite way to eat sweet potatoes is my mom's Thanksgiving yambake. It's basically butter, brown sugar, pecans, and yams. MMMMMmmm. Sound healthy? Yeah, it's not. But Costco does sell some french-fry cut sweet potatoes that are really good if you spray them with olive oil and sprinkle them with cajun seasoning, then bake until crispy. Those ARE healthy, but good like french fries!
*Tomato - I like tomato a lot of ways. I'm a big fan of fresh tomatoes and grape tomatoes, but Leif doesn't like them, so a lot of times our tomatoes come in the form of spaghetti sauce or in dishes like chili.
Water Chestnuts - Not really any nutritional value, but they're pretty good in stir fry.
Zucchini - I really like breaded fried zucchini dipped in ranch. I'm not saying it's good for me, I just like it. I also really like zucchini bread.

So there you have it. My thoughts on vegetables, from A to Z. The ones with asterisks next to them have the highest nutritional value according to this website. Those are the ones I should make a point to eat the most of.

The Quest for Aspartame Free Pop

I had no idea when I swore off Aspartame that it would be so hard to find a diet soda sweetened with sucralose (Splenda) instead. I swore I saw some Sprite or 7 Up last summer that was aspartame free. But it looks like my choices are not so plentiful. There's Diet Coke with Splenda, which tastes NASTY and isn't carried at our Walmart or Costco, the two places we usually buy our groceries. And then there's Hansen's.

I am very excited about Hansen's Diet Soda. It's more expensive, for sure, at about $0.50 a can (at least at Albertsons, where we found it last night) but they have 8 flavors (at least on their website - we'll see how many we can actually get here in the valley) and they're all calorie free and aspartame free. WOOHOOO! Now we just have to see if Costco carries the diet Hansen's (we know they carry the regular) and if Walmart does. Then we can see where to get them the cheapest. I'll still be trying to wean myself off pop for the most part, but at least now I won't feel like I'm killing myself while I drink it.

Of course, in 5 years they may say Splenda causes all sorts of problems, too, but I will live in blissful ignorance until then.

It's the Weekend!

Well, it's the weekend. So we'll see how I do on the calorie front. Weekends tend to be hard for me when it comes to eating well, especially when we have company in town. There is always the temptation to go out to eat or, like this morning, have doughnuts for breakfast. So we'll see how it pans out, but so far so good. I'm under 400 calories so far today, so if I have a light lunch I should be able to have a decent dinner and still stay under 1500 for the day. I may even be able to keep it closer to 1200-1300. That's my hope at least. We'll see how it goes.

Yesterday was good. I ended the day right around 1200 calories (sort of iffy on the exact amount since I had some punch and I have no idea what the water/juice ratio was. It tasted pretty watery, so I think it was under 100 calories for 8 oz.) and I even got a walk in. I didn't figure up how much water I had, but I'm mostly chugging cranberry juice (mixed with Sprite today because I think cranberry juice is gross!) until this bladder infection goes away. Yes, I have a bladder infection. Turns out it wasn't the dandelion tea drink that made me so uncomfortable after all. But in a few days I should be off the antibiotics and off the cranberry juice and back to drinking water, water, water.

You know you've started off on the wrong foot...

... when breakfast is a ding dong. I raided the secret stash that, until today, hasn't been a temptation. But today started with it and didn't get much better in the food department. I started counting calories, but forgot to measure and record after lunch, so we'll just call it a wash and do better tomorrow.

It's 3:00 in the morning...

... what am I doing awake??!!

Every time I have to lay down, I have an urgent need to pee. But it's happened so many times and I've gotten up to go so many times, that there just isn't anything in my bladder any more. Ugh. I'm blaming that on the dandelion root tea. MILD diuretic. Yeah. Whatever. We'll see if I decide to drink it tomorrow. Not if I have to feel like this again!

I'm also spotting for no apparent reason, here smack dab in the middle of my cycle. A week from now I'd call it implantation bleeding. Two weeks from now I'd call it the onset of AF. But right now? I don't normally spot when I ovulate, and it's clotty, so I think I'll call the doctor in the morning. I checked and checked and checked online, and I don't think it's related to the tea.

But here it is, 3:00 in the morning and I'm still awake. Argh.

Dandelion Root Tea: Day 1

Weight: 121

Today was weigh day, so I figured I might as well start the dandelion tea regimen and see how it goes. Supposedly by next Wednesday I should be down to 116. That would be great! That would put me where I was back in September, before the holiday weight. Woohoo!

So today I went to Town and Country and got some Dandelion Root Tea (marketed as PMS tea, LOL!) and some 100% unsweetened cranberry juice (that stuff is expensive!) and made up a batch of the drink. I wouldn't go so far as to say that it tastes good, but it could be much worse. I drank 2 liters of it this afternoon.

I figure if nothing else I drank 2 liters of water. Actually, I drank more than that today because I'd already had some of my water for the day when I started drinking the weight loss drink (WLD). So it should still be good for me, even if it doesn't do wonders. But I am, of course, hoping it will do wonders. =D

On the calorie front, I kept myself to 1300 calories. Woohoo! One day at a time, and today was good.

Today.

Not enough water.

Just enough calories. (I had to eat some candy to bump myself up over 1200! Ha ha!)

Overall a good day.

According to Jillian...

via Lauren, who is living proof that it works,

To drop 5 lbs. in a week:

60 oz. distilled water
1 tablespoon of sugar free cranberry juice
1 dandelion root tea bag
2 tablespoons of lemon juice

Drink it all every day for a week.

Over on calories today.

Waaaaaaaay over.

A new day.

Today is a new day.

Today I am going to take control.
Today I am going to eat well.
Today I am going to record what I eat.
Today I am going to exercise.
Today I am going to work on picking up the house.
Today I am going to do my Bible Study.
Today I am going to smile.
Today I am going to live.

Because today is a new day and I am free.

Easter Cheat Day!

Today I have been planning as a cheat day. All week I've been being good, telling myself that I could hold out for today - Easter. So I've been holding out, planning to eat Easter candy today and not worry. I wasn't going to track calories at all. But then I decided that it's too hard for me to come back to recording after not doing it at all, so I'd record, but not count calories and limit myself. And you know what? I stayed under 1500 calories! Woohoo! That even includes a couple cupcakes and some Easter candy. So I'm doing good. And tomorrow starts a new week....

Date Night!!

Leif's parents are in town for Easter, so they watched Ellie tonight so we could go on a rare date! It was SO nice to get out and just spend some time together. We went to I-Ho's for some Korean food and I actually ordered something slightly different than I normally do! I usually get Yaki Soba noodles with a double order of wings. This time I got Yaki Soba with a single of wings and an order of chicken and veggies. I ate about 1/3 of it and brought the rest home for later. I did eat all the wings, though. =D About halfway through dinner we noticed there was a new item on the menu... dessert! Cheesecake wontons drizzled with chocolate sauce and served with ice cream. Mmmm. We had to. It was a small dessert perfect for sharing, so I didn't feel that it was overly indulgent, but it was excellent. And in my attempt to stop consuming aspartame, I got "real" pop instead of the Diet Pepsi I normally get. 7up was the drink of choice tonight and it was good, but I definitely think twice before drinking it since I have to count the calories. I had about 8 oz and that was it. I also had some water.

After dinner we decided to take a walk downtown, so we parked at the west end and made our way east. We stopped into Wild Joe's for some coffee and stayed a good while listening to the live music they had playing. It was a folksy blue grass group and they were really good! I stuck with black coffee so as not to add to the calorie count today. About 9:00 we headed out and walked the rest of the main street loop. It was wonderful! We talked and laughed and just enjoyed ourselves. It was nice.

Thanks to a heavy breakfast, pizza for lunch, and eating out for dinner (including dessert!) I went over on my calories today. I clocked in at 1800 calories, which is about 250 over my range for the day. But yesterday I only got 980ish calories in, which is about 250 under my range, so it evens out in the end.

Dinner with friends...

We had Ben and Cathy over for dinner tonight and they brought dinner. I saved plenty of calories for dinner (700-1000) since I didn't know what we were having. They brought all the fixin's for really good fajitas, including grilled chicken. Mmmm! I limited myself to one fajita, filled with chicken, peppers, refried beans, rice, and cheese. It was delicious! But it wasn't as many calories as I thought it would be, so here I am at midnight, laying in bed hungry. I'm low on calories for today (980-ish) but I got all my water in for the first time this week! WOOHOOO! We'll see if I can get both right tomorrow. I don't feel too badly about the low calories, though, given the Easter candy I know I will consume this weekend. I will try to be moderate, though. I will try.

Jillian Says...

According to Jillian Michaels, here's what will help me lose weight:

Based on your answers: I've calculated where you are today, and where you want to be. Next, I'm going to help you get there. We can do this together. Ready? Weight: 121 pounds Activity Level: Low	Your Reasonable Weight: 97-123 lbs Your Target Weight: 105 pounds Activity Level: Active Flexibility: Flexible

Your customized weight loss plan:

Based on your answers, here's my triple-threat plan for you. Losing weight is simple — 33% exercise, 33% diet, and 33% behavioral.

You're an Apple — but you can pare down!

Like all apples, you tend to store fat in your mid-section and upper body, so you're probably carrying extra weight around your belly and chest. Anyone can be an apple, but this shape is more common among men, and studies actually show that people who store fat in the upper body are more prone to cardiac disease. This should provide you with even more incentive to lose weight!

That's where I come in! I have exercises that will target your specific fat storage areas. My personalized program will help you alter your apple shape. But you got to get a grip — you can only win against genetics up to a certain point. Once you understand this, you can let go of unreachable goals and replace them with real ones.

I'll create your personalized exercise program based on the days you prefer to work out, the goals you set for yourself, and the exercises you enjoy. After all, if you enjoy your workout, it's easier to stick to.

I'll encourage you to:

Have fun aerobic dancing! Depending on intensity, you could burn 500 calories an hour.

Power walk. You can do it anywhere, and at 4 mph, you’ll be burning at least 250 calories an hour.

Run indoors or out. All you need are good running shoes. And at 5 mph, you’ll burn over 400 calories an hour.

You're a balanced oxidizer.

Because you crave fruit and bread as well as salty foods, cheeses, and meats, you may be a balanced oxidizer. This is the fancy term for your metabolic rate. It simply means that you need equal proportions of protein, carbs, and fat to process the nutrients in your food optimally, and to produce and use the resulting energy. Lucky you — your diet is the easiest to follow! You feel your best on a diet that incorporates a wide range of foods, and your ideal macronutrient ratio is 40% carbs, 30% protein, and 30% fat. But the bottom line is, you have to burn more calories than you take in. That's it. And to really do this successfully, you have to eat the ideal diet for your body and metabolism. Believe me — I've struggled with this myself. And I've done a lot of research and work to figure out my ideal diet. And now I want to share my findings with you. I have recipes and snacks that will help you eat better for your body type. And I have secrets and tricks to make it easier. (I didn't say "easy.")

My 7 steps to behavioral modification

Lots of so-called "experts" talk about willpower. Well, I say screw willpower — there's no such thing! Sure, we all have fleeting moments of bravado. But that virtue comes and goes. I'm going to teach you some basic techniques to change your habits and program yourself against failure!

You are going to have to do the work, though. I don't want to hear that you don't have the time. If that's your excuse, then get back to me when you're ready. I'll be here.

Ready? Okay, good. Let's make some changes together:

1. Avoid dangerous situations. STOP driving by the doughnut shop on your way to work. When you go out to dinner, ask the waiter not to bring bread to your table.

2. Get a hobby. Start taking your dog on longer walks. Fix up your attic. By focusing on positive activities, you'll find yourself becoming more relaxed, happier, and thinner!

3. Curb mindless eating. Don't eat while standing up, and don't skip meals. Brush your teeth after every meal and snack. Food never seems as appealing when you have that toothpaste taste in your mouth.

Doing GREAT!

On my calories today, that is! I need a few more calories today to bump up over 1200, but I'm within range on everything! Even a little over on fiber for the day (41 grams!) which is fine since I was under a bit yesterday. So I'm doing good!!

I should drink some more water. I've had liquids today, but not actual water. Yes, that means I drank more aspartame-laden diet Dr. Pepper. But once it's gone, it's gone, so I won't kick myself too much about it right now! =D

Still going....

I'm sitting here eating a tomato. That's good, right? Especially since I REALLY want to be eating the candy I know is in the snack drawer? Yes, I am exercising moderation. I figure I always quit tracking calories after the second day, so I'm sticking with it today. Even though I really just wanted today to be a junk food day. *sigh* I had two oatmeal cookies for breakfast. Susan Beth brought them. They were good. For lunch I finished off the carrots and ate a tomato. I'll probably eat more, but for right now I'm good. And I'm at 400 calories so far today. I should start thinking NOW about what I want for dinner, and how to squeeze as many vegetables into it as possible. Hmmmm....

I stayed under 1500 calories yesterday, but still only got about half my water in. I, again, was aiming for about 1300 calories, but then I had some candy with Leif while we watched a show. Mmmm... candy. It's a downfall of mine unless I build it in to my calorie count.

Okay... off to clean a bit and think about what's for dinner!

Day two and counting....

We ended up having Costco pizza last night. Leif brought it home and I was thankful not to have to make dinner with the headache I had. He also brought home Frappuccino since I needed the carton to make a template for my class tonight. And we all know what that mean.... I drank one. So I didn't stay under 1300 calories like I'd planned, but I did stay under 1500 calories, and that is still within my range (1200-1550) set by Spark People. So I'm okay with that. I didn't get all my water in, but I did drink a liter, and that's better than nothing, which is how much water I was drinking before. I did get 5 servings of fruits and vegetables in yesterday, though!

Today is day two. I hope to stay under 1500 calories again and drink ALL my water today. So far I've had a frappuccino for breakfast (hey - I need the empty bottles for class tonight!) and that's it. But whatever this illness I have is seems to have an upset stomach phase to it, too, and that hit this morning. Greaaaat. Now I'm hungry again but need to figure out what to eat that won't make things worse. Hmmm... We'll see.

Sick

The calorie counting is going so far so good today. It even warmed up enough that I could have taken Ellie on a walk. Unfortunately, my temp is back up to 101 and the headache has settled in. So we didn't go on a walk. Ergh. I would just like to get better.

Now... what for dinner? So far it's 4:30 in the afternoon and I'm at 400 calories, leaving me with 800 for dinner. So... what for dinner?

Day 1. Again.

I think it's time that I admit that I can't lose weight without counting calories. And I can't count calories in my head. And so I am back to Spark People. Again.

I hate that I start and stop, start and stop... I'd just like to stick with it and get rid of the weight. I've been fighting with the same 5 lbs since January. Up and down, up and down. Just like a yo-yo. It's frustrating.

Today the sun is shining and I'd love to go for a walk. But it's supposed to be in the 30's all day and I've been sick. I've had a fever since Saturday. It was 103 Sunday. Yesterday it wavered between 100 and 102. Today it is 100 again so far. So I don't think it's a good idea to go for a walk in the cold. Probably not a good idea to go for a walk at all. I should take it easy. But I will record my calories starting today. Because today is Day 1. Again.

Aspartame...

Right now I am drinking a Diet Dr. Pepper. Mmmm. The taste of Dr. Pepper without the calories. It's glorious. And it's all because of aspartame. Actually, most of my "diet" foods contain aspartame. That South Beach drink mix with fiber I bought? Sweetened with aspartame. My sugar free jello? Aspartame. Fat free / sugar free pudding? Yup, aspartame. It's what keeps me eating the "cheater" foods I like without cheating on my calories. It's what gets me through my diet.

And then I read this.

WOW. That might just convince me to quit consuming aspartame. Maybe it's worth the extra calories to eat the sugared pudding and jello. Maybe it's worth adding my own fiber powder to our standard drink mix instead of using the South Beach stuff. Maybe it's worth changing my tastes to drink a diet drink sweetened with Splenda instead of aspartame.

And maybe it's worth being a little more careful about what I put on my daughter's plate, my husband's plate, and my own.