Day 59: Nothing to Write Home About

No exercise: Seem to be running around this week after work ALOT!
Tried to get up at 5:30am, but that didn't work.

Breakfast: 2 corn tortillas, 1 boiled egg, green tea
Snack: tons of cocoa powdered covered almonds from the librarian
Lunch: same soup from yesterday, almond butter sandwich
Snack: whole carrot, no sugar hot chocolate with vanilla soy milk

Dinner: About to go share chicken fajitas at a Mexican Restaurant

Day 58: Good Soup on a Chilly Day

 

Dinner. Tastes better than it looks!

                                                       

 Hearty Soup: lentils, quinoa, spinach leaves, green beans, corn, chicken. Spices: oregeno, basil, thyme, rosemary, marjoram, lots of cumin.

Once I put the cumin in, Vince didn't like it so use it sparingly. I love it.

Breakfast: 2 corn tortillas, boiled egg, green tea.

Snack: Apples, dove candy, small bag of bitesize oreos. Just didn't pack enough lunch.
Lunch: almond butter sandwich, frozen peaches
Snack: small orange
Snack later: few Ritz crackers
Starbucks hot chocolate
Dinner: soup
Wow! What a mix of foods and lots of extra calories.
No exercise today, but walked fast at work and walked fast in the mall while Christmas shopping.
Got to get to the gym soon!! Feeling heavy.

Had a major Ritz feast just now! Guess soup wasn't enough for dinner. Did I really need the butter on the crackers though?! I bought the crackers for teachers and look what happened. I've noticed that when I don't work out, I eat worse. Ugh.  

Day 57 Eating Great Again

No time for exercise: Christmas shopping!  Walked fast a lot at work all day long.

Breakfast: corn tortilla with boiled egg and spinach leaves, green tea
Snack: apple
Lunch: salmon, greenbeans, corn, sweet potatoes, water, small orange
Dinner: chicken breast with spices, corn, greenbeans, salad, water

Dinner

Day 56: Getting Back On Track After Turkey Day

Glad all that feasting is over. Would like to run at the park tomorrow, but I think my tendons or ligaments are a bit sore. Not going to run for a week, but plan to visit the gym a few times. The weather is so chilly anyway.

Breakfast: boiled egg only, green tea. Running late for church.
Snack: sugar free cocoa with vanilla soy milk
Lunch: almond butter sandwich and small orange
Snack at Fry's: gross chicken salad sandwich with way too much mayo
Late Dinner: salmon, greenbeans, corn, sweet potato, water

Day 55: Becky's Backyard Bootcamp!!!

My little Sis and her tortuous bootcamp!
Details later today! 

My sister, the real 20 something mile marathon runner, has her own backyard bootcamp. I woke up to sounds of bootcamp preparations. We did buttkicks, high knee lifts while running, crawled like a bear in the wet grass, jogged, 210 jumping jacks, weights, things I didn't know I could do with my abs and much more. Whew! Tired, but it was such a great visit. Then I ate more of her pumpkin spice cupcakes!

Day 54 Dallas With Brother & Sissy and Lots of Desserts!

Enjoyed 2 days in Dallas with my Brother and Sister. My sister is known for her delicious and unique desserts. I think she should have her own business!



 Breakfast: corn tortilla, boiled egg, green tea
Snack: pumpkin spice cupcake with cream cheese frosting.
Lunch: 2 biscuts with turkey meat, small side salad, water
Snack: hot tea from the mall.

Day 53 Turkey Trot & the "Not So" Thanksgiving Day Meal

The morning of my awaited 10K finally arrived! Excitement filled the air as we scurried around at 5:30am trying to get ready. Ate, stretched, and we were on our way to the Galleria area only 5 minutes away.

I love the energetic atmosphere when you first arrive! People warming up, everyone getting their workout APPS in start mode, smiles, crowds of people everywhere, booths of interesting food/drink items, challenges, the cold air blowing, positive thoughts of finishing the race....

Knowing I had only ran 4 miles once before, I had hopes I would finish the 6.5 race, but expected to walk several miles in the back of my mind. Arrived with only 15 minutes to spare and had to jog a ways to the starting point. Cold. Vince went to his 5K spot. I ran over to my 10K spot. Weasled my way into the 1000s of people already there. (sort of in the middle of the pack).

Buzzer sounded and race began! Started my music as I crossed the start line. Couldn't stop smiling! I was actually doing it! I was in a 10K race! 5 months ago I couldn't run 2 houses down without getting out of breath and stopping! Where will I be in 5 more months with more training?? : )

Passed mile 3 still running. Thought I was near the front of the pack. Quite humbling when I realized how many people were actually in front of me when they started turning back towards me and I had quite a ways to reach to the turn around.



All the people passing me. Funny how
I end up taking a pic right in front of
Whataburger. My burger radar was on!

 All of a sudden I found myself at mile 4 and still running. Part of me wanted to stop because I was worried I would be injured if I continued. I felt great though. It was even easier to keep running. Then the "Rocky Song" came on and I went faster! 

Kept running...mile 5. My knees started hurting. Became fearful and slowed down tremendously. Had to keep going since I was sooooo close! I was going to do it. I knew that now. Nothing would stop me. My hip began to hurt, but I ignored it. It stopped. At 1/2 a mile left I began what I thought was a sprint. Came to find later on my APP I was actually going quite slow. HA! All was good. I could see the finish line. Amazing feeling. Couldn't stop smiling! Ran through the finish line.

In my age group I was 139. LOL  Vince got 17th in his age group and he even stopped at the RR. Vince has run 22 miles before, but is just now getting back into running. Pics of the race when they come out online.


Vince enjoying the free goodies.






Relaxing after the race.

 

Day 52: Costco Samples

Exercise: Walked 3 miles at the park today. Didn't want to run right before the Turkey Trot for fear of getting injured.

Let the Thanksgiving goodies begin! Costco had EVERY type of decadent dessert out for hungry onlookers shopping for the Holidays. I endulged in a bit of taste testing myself...

...salted caramel chocolate bite candy, stuffed cheese and spinach bread thing, chocolate chunk candy bite, shortbread cookie only because the salesman made me, pumpkin cheesecake (super yummy)!

Did I mention I ate all this AFTER I ate a grilled chicken sandwich and fries from Whataburger? Yep. In the car on way to Costco. This is what being out and about on your day off during the Thanksgiving break does to a person. No control. Sheer utter chaos! Food frenzy. At least dinner was good.

 Almost time for the Turkey Trot!! The alarm is set for 5:30am!
WooHooo! I'm sooooo excited. I hope to run 4 miles and then walk the other 2.

My hubby made a nice dinner for us.
The hunk of meat is a meat patty.
Tired of salmon and need to go to the store
for some chicken. Can't bare to go to HEB
right before Thanksgiving!



Day 51: Baking Biscuts with Kindergarteners

Yes, I caved! Ate some sort of peach cobbler treat that was offered at work....and the desserts begin.
Really need to think twice before eating all the goodies!

Kiddos learning how to make butter just like the pilgrims did. Cool stuff. Kinder teachers are AMAZING!


The smell was captivating! I wanted to
shove 2 in my mouth at once.
Withstood the temptation to eat one!



 Breakfast: blueberry waffles with walnuts on top and a bit of blue agave, 1/2 a bannana.
Snack: an apple
Lunch: tuna sandwich on whole grain rounds, very few walnuts, lettuce and tomato salad with olive oil, the "bad" hot chocolate with sugar.
Snack: Darn peach cobbler thing and one dove chocolate bite
Dinner: Salmon, greenbeans, broccoli

Day 50: Three Days Until The 10K Turkey Trot!

Exercise: Barely did arm weights at home. Some stomach crunches. Nothing to write home about today!

Come on Thursday! Hurry Up! Turkey Trot here I come!!!
Bit nervous to run the 10K. Knee started bothering me yesterday. Is that my way of trying to sabotage the race?
I should load up on carbs. Vince has his pumpkin pie sitting in the fridge calling my name. Maybe.
I asked Vince if he wanted to wear some silly turkey thing on his head for the race, but he said no.

Breakfast: boiled egg in corn tortilla, green tea
Snack: 1/2 banana (even thought I hate them), no sugar hot chocolate with dark cocoa and soy milk.
Lunch: 1/2 almond butter sandwich, small orange, apple
Snack: 1 bite size dark chocolate dove candy...Ahhhhh!
Snack: another banana! Yuck. But I was so hungry today.
Dinner below.
Really wanting pumpkin pie now...may have to get a slice. OMG!

Kiwi for desset

Salmon patty salad with little veggies.
Didn't eat the quinoa.

Day 49: Water Fountains, DOGS, and Tattoo Man

Ever wondered about the water fountains you drink out of? We all learned as children not to put our mouths on the spout. No one wants other peoples' germs. What about DOG germs!?! That's right...DOGS.

My husband and I were minding our own business resting on a bench. A very muscular man bearing numerous tattoos walked up to the water fountain with his huge dog. Mr. Tattoo allowed his dog to slurp its tongue all over the fountain that people drink out of. I was in shock at the horrific scene unfolding in front of my eyes. Was this really happening? Vince reminded tattoo man that people drink out of there and dogs are to use the fountain below. Tattoo man had some choice words and continued to allow the disturbing scenario to play out. His last words were, "My dog will drink out of any fountain I want him to whenever I want him to." Think twice before drinking from a water fountain!

Bottom Fountain is for the Dogs!

Beware of the fountains!

Breakfast: Boiled Egg Sandwich with spinach leaves, green tea

Lunch: Salad with Salmon Patty on top, small orange, water

Snack: (out and about) 2 spoonfuls of ice-cream testing at Krogers, 1 green tea, potato and leek soup

Dinner: chicken and butter sandwich. (strange), small orange, water

Great Salad: lettuce, spinach leaves, asparagus,
carrots, walnuts, fetta cheese, tomatoes, salmon,
salt, spices

Potato and Leek Soup and Pomagranate
Green Tea

Day 48: Olive Garden Celebration

No Exercise today...tummy upset

Breakfast: boiled egg, corn tortilla, spinach leaves, green tea
Snack: almond butter sandwich, vanilla soy milk ( 1 cup)
Lunch: OLIVE GARDEN. Late Lunch.
Dinner: Vince and I went to Starbucks. Got a soy tall hot chocolate and a couple bite's of Vince's banana bread (even though I hate bannanas!) Popcorn. Not hungry tonight.


We shared the pizza. Mushrooms,
onions, Italian sausage, tomato



2 breadstick, salad with no dressing,
but olive oil on the side.



Not in the mood for dessert at all, but
ate it since it was my very belated
birthday celebration.

 Vince usually makes popcorn on the stove and adds great
spices, but we actually bought some "packaged" popcorn
for once. Yikes! Didn't like it.

Evening snack while watching a
movie with my hubby.

Day 47 Ragin Cajin Meal for Staff



Exercise: Ran almost 3 miles at Memorial Park and LOVED
the weather. Listening to music really motivates me to run faster!

Breakfast: The usual.                                                          
Lunch: Parents provided a nice meal for the staff lunch today!
Got a bit carried away and had to servings and 2 cornbreads with ice-tea.

Red beans, white rice, corn bread, salad with dressing



Day 46 Bosses B-Day Celebration & Ladder Exercise Video

Video below showing exercises today while painting the townhome.
Exercise: made it to the park late in evening today. Walked/jogged only 2 miles.

Celebrated my Principal's birthday. Cooked enchiladas that were NOT healthy at all, but they were good. Scrumptious chocolate cupcake with chocolate chunks!

 Left: At rehab property. Latest photo of me fitting into "old" clothes I wore 6 years ago! Thank goodness I didn't give ALL my clothes to Goodwill.

Dinner

Right: Dinner. Wasn't hungry for the salmon we made. Very late...ate at 9pm!

Chocolate Cupcakes

The enchiladas were great. Used Campbell's Nacho Cheese Soup and 1/2 cup milk as the sauce on top. Mixed chicken with cup of Picante sauce as the filling. Rolled that into FLOUR tortillas. Added shredded cheese on top along with diced tomatoes, avacados, and olives. Top with a little sour cream and picante on top.

Day 45 New App: My Fitness Pal

My sister told me about a great App called My Fitness Pal and it is free. I LOVE it! Not only can you type in the food you eat to see the calories, but you can also hold your phone up to the barcode on the package and it will tell you the calories of the item. You don't even have to type anything!
It also keeps tracks of calories and much more that I haven't discovered yet.


Exercise: Ran almost 3 miles at Memorial Park and walked a few steps.

Breakfast: 2 boiled eggs and 2 corn tortillas, green tea
Snack: 1/2 apple and one bitesize dove chocolate candy
Lunch: 1/2 salmon, broccoli and corn, almond butter sandwich
Snack: 1/2 carrot and soy vanilla milk


Dinner: Salmon salad: lettuce, tomato, avacado, red onion, spices



Day 44 Feeling Blue

Feel a little blue today. Seem to not have time to make creative recipes or workout. Beginning to feel the difference in my energy level. Need to take time to get organized again. Plan to hit the gym at least for 30 minutes tomorrow. Can't wait! So much to do tomorrow though. Stressing a bit.

Breakfast: boiled egg, 2 corn tortillas, green tea, 2 apple slices.
Snack: part of an apple, small bag of M&Ms. (I notice i make bad choices in food when I stop exercising).
Lunch: quinoa, 1/2 salmon, mixed veggies, water
Dinner: homemade chicken soup, broccoli, quinoa, water, hot chocolate with no sugar, raspberries with yogurt for dessert.

Day 43

Painted again until late night. Barely had time for dinner.
No Exercise! Really missing running at the park!!

Breakfast: blueberry waffles with walnuts and a touch of blue agave (doesn't raise blood sugar).
Snack: small orange, small bitesize dove chcolate candy. I've got to get that candy out of my office! I should have healthy snacks for people!

Lunch: salmon, broccoli (don't remember what else I had yesterday)

Dinner: Salmon, quinoa, mixed veggies, water
Raspberries for dessert.

Day 42: Painting All Day: No Time To Cook



Packing Lunch For Work.

 Painted away from home just about all day! Just getting home and scarfing down a salad. Not the best day for good meals.

Breaksfast: (ran out of eggs!) 1/2 almond butter sandwich, green tea
Lunch: (ran to Costco) salad with chicken, tomatos and cheese. No dressing,
           one big slice of pizza and 2 gross bites of a hotdog, COKE. Yep...
           you don't see that one often! I think it has been 10 years since I've had
           a coke. 
Dinner: Salad with salmon.

Day 41: FRIED FOOD FRENZY!! Great Cuban Restaurant.

Exercise: ran 2 miles at the park and walked 1 mile.

Skipped the eating healthy dinner and tried a new Cuban restaurant: Bocudos. Had a really great coupon from restaurant.com. Gotta eat out sometime, right?

So delicious and worth the pound I gained!  

Fajitas were good, but pretty much the same as any
other place. The beans and rice were amazing!

We would have been fine sharing the first platter, but we had the special coupon. Here's the deal: It cost $2.00 to purchase the coupon. You must spend $35 worth of food, BUT the coupon is $25 off.
If you don't spend much more than $35 you get an amazing deal! We usually end up spending about $20 because we tend to go over 4 or 5 dollars. We also usually get waters. Drinks are not included.

Breakfast: 2 blueberry waffles with agave, green tea.
Snack: small orange, few hazelnuts
Lunch: beef stew from yesterday
Snack: my no sugar hot chocolate and some walnuts.
Dinner: See above. YIKES! Loved it.  : )

Day 40: Beef Stew Anyone? See Video Recipe

The cool weather brought about the desire for beef stew. I don't usually cook red meat at home. For me, there is too much cholesterol in red meat. A couple years ago my cholesterol was borderline high. I need to be aware of eating too much red meat.

     .

Breakfast: 2 scrambled eggs with spinach leaves.

Snack: almond butter sandwich

Snack:  2 dark chocolate dove bite size candies. RATS!

Lunch: broccoli, asparagus, corn, salmon patty, frozen peach slices

Dinner: still waiting for our beef stew to be ready. Starving!

 

Exercise Today: Not much. I walk around the school a great deal all day long so I walked as
fast as I could. Painted right after work. No time to exercise.

         



    

.

Day 39 Yummy Tuna Salad

Exercise: Wonderful 2 mile run at Memorial Park this evening. Nice cool, crisp air. Loving the cold front. It was about 65 degrees. Amazing to think we were at 108 degrees this August. What a change!

Breakfast: running late...boiled egg, green tea
Snack: green apple
Snack: one bite size hershey candy with almonds. Bummer.
Lunch: 1/2 sweet pototo, 1/2 salmon, frozen broccoli
Snack: almond butter sandwich
Dinner: Tuna Salad: red onion in the tuna, tomato, mixed greens, asparagus, carrots, olive oil, salt, pepper, basil, oregano.

Day 38: Totally Sabataged Reaching My Goal Weight

I don't get it...I'm one pound from my goal weight and I have junk food cravings AND act on them.
I blame my principal! I walked into her office and there she is enjoying a burger from McDonalds. The library assistant was also partaking in her own McDonalds feast. A teacher in the lounge was munching away on McDonalds. I was trying to picture the lunch I packed today: salmon, sweet potato, broccoli. Just didn't want it. Could smell the Micky D's all around me. Went for it. Here is is:

A sad, sad day. Didn't even taste good! It was
as if someone poured an entire container of pepper on it
and beyond too much mustard. YUCK!





Took over some yogurt chocolate/vanilla swirl treats to
our painting destination. Just sat there on my phone eating
and never even painted. Waste.

EXERCISE: Ballys for one hour. WooHoo! Ran only 1 mile, but did lots of weights. I'm sure I won't

be able to move very well tomorrow. LOL Good to get back into working out again.



Dinner: Chicken salad with egg.

Day 38: One Pound Away From My Goal & Near Kitchen Fire!

I was so surprised when I got on the scale today and it read )_&*%*^!! Yep, it was a weight I handn't seen since I first got married 3 years ago. I was so excited.

You would think that would deter me from eating a hot dog from the school cafe today, but it didn't. It has motivated me to not snack on the never-ending snacks that come my way in the teacher's lounge!

After eating my healthy lunch today I was really still hungry...hence the hotdog!

Near kitchen fire...I grabbed wax paper instead of contact paper this morning while heating my blueberry waffles. After blow-drying my hair for some time, I noticed a tremendous amount of smoke coming from the kitchen. Wax paper was the culprit. Saved just in time.

EXERCISE: Finally made it to the park! Ran almost 2 miles. There was some thunder, lightening and a light sprinkle so I headed back. Bummer! I think I'll be helping my hubby paint tomorrow after work so no time for exercise. : ( We also really need to go to the grocery store. I want to start making new recipes again. I'm about the throw the sweet potatoes out the window!


Breakfast



FIRST Lunch: Salmon patty, broccoli (not shown),
baked sweet potato (didn't eat the oranges)



SECOND lunch! What's with that! (didn't eat the apple)

Dinner: salmon with spices, broccoli, baked sweet potato AGAIN, water, and a butter sandwich later.



Day 37

Breakfast: 2 corn tortillas with boiled egg and spinach leaves, green tea, some green apple slices.
Snack: rest of green apple slices
Lunch: chicken, broccoli, 1/2 sweet potato, water
Snack: almond butter sandwich
Candy: one tiny dove dark chocolate square
Late Dinner and no time to cook: 2 corn tortillas with egg again and mixed greens, water

Day 36: Georgia's Farm to Market: LOVE IT

LOVE eating at Georgia's (off I 10 just after Dairy Ashford going East). Check it out!
http://www.georgiasmarket.com/


Amazing Produce!



Great sit down area with lots of food to
choose from. Salad bar, omlette area,
hot foods, soups, breads, desserts,
drinks.

 

Xylitol is a natural sweetner  that
even protects your teeth.
http://www.xylitol.org/



After church we scurried off to eat at
Georgia's. It is one of my hubby's favorite places.
They promote healthy foods and have an area
where you can eat all the great foods in a buffet
setting. I had to have a little macaroni!



We LOVE the different teas. Someone brings
different teas on a cart to your table and makes
the tea for you. It is made in the large container.
Then you put that container over your glass and it
pours the tea for you. Very cool and fun.



They even have live music there at lunch time. 
Old timey type of music.




Haven't been exercising lately due to a cough,
but did a bit of ladder climbing that I may be able
to count as exercise. We start painting tomorrow
after work. That will be my exercise during the week.



There are lots of bins with oatmeal and other healthy snacks.
My husband never wants to be in my blog, so I shot a
secret photo of him.   : )

 



 














Can't wait to get back into the gym or jog at the park. Maybe in a few days I'll have time for that again. Plan to really watch my eating this week since I'm not burning too many calories.