Food Splurge ($$, not calories)

I did something that seemed crazy to me at the time, and still seems crazy. (Hmm, maybe I overstated the first line, the punchline is going to be anti-climactic.)

I paid $6.99 for a jar of pickles. They are all natural, made the old fashioned way (don't ask me what that means) bread and butter pickles. I couldn't resist. I grew up B&B pickles. My Grandma made them. The first time I had a dill pickle, I was not impressed. That was *not* what pickles were supposed to taste like. I've become a little obsessed with them, lately, and the grocery store doesn't have any that don't have high fructose corn syrup. (well, not the grocery store that is not Whole Foods) So, when I saw a huge jar of them, I just couldn't stop myself.....even the outlandish price did not stop me.

So, what about you? What food items have you splurged on?

(And the pickles are delicious, by the way)

I said "no" to cake? wha?

Today is my father in law's 63rd birthday.  Jim calls and tells me his mom made a cake and we should go over to their house.  Well, I had a doctors appointment today at 4:20pm, then off to Target to get my medicine (which took forever because they kept messing it up!)  so I had to call and find out ahead of time to see if there was going to be actual "food".  I cannot leave my doctor's office and have cake for dinner.   But alas, there were a few hot dogs, brats, salad, mac & cheese.  So I had 1 brat, a big salad, and a helping of Kraft mac & cheese.  So then cake/ice cream time comes around.  It's Pineapple Upside Down cake - my FIL's favorite.   Luckily, I'm not a huge fan of pineapple so it wasn't horrible to say no.  Now if it would have been chocolate cake - this story would have a different ending.  This is going to sound cheesy but my hubby brought me a Dr Pepper 10 (DELICIOUS) right before the passing out of the cake and and that really satisfied my sweet craving.  Soon I will start sounding like the commercial and saying Dr Pepper is for dessert.  LOL!

I ate so well today. I've only eaten 1254 calories today.  I want a snack right now but don't know what to eat.  Who wants to eat veggies at 10:30 at night?  I should just chug some water and go to bed.  *sigh*

My diet and I have been on vacay!

Geesh - could I LET anymore time pass between my initial post and this one? Could this holiday BE a worse day for my diet?!?!? First, BEER, and green beer - I LOVE BEER. I am such an Irish girl. Second, corned beef, potatoes, cabbage, soda bread with lots of Irish butter - need I go on? Worst of all though - those damn Shamrock Shakes! They are my favorite, and I've only allowed myself one so far this season.....even though I've wanted many, many more.

Life has unfortunately gotten in the way of everything else lately. First it was the stress of work, then it was travel for work, then it was travel to the lake last weekend, now it's St. Patty's Day. I'm finding that an excuse to eat poorly is right around every corner. Pretty frustrating actually! Sadly, before last week began, I was down 13 whole pounds, the best I've done in YEARS, and now with all the eating out last week and this weekend, I'm back up 3. It sucks, I haven't worked out the last two nights because of feeling lousy, and I'm seeing the negative results! Still, I can't be frustrated, 10 pounds in 2 months is a great accomplishment, and I should stop COMPLAINING!

I just need to get back on the band wagon. Today I had my Smart One ravioli for lunch (270 calories) and a Kashi bar for a snack (130 calories) and a mini-cheddar cheese snack (90 calories), so far today - 490 Calories - nothing else until I hit the gym later tonight. Then sadly, we have a corned beef and cabbage cooking in beer in the crock pot at home, and Ray and I are allowing ourselves some Boulevard tonight too. That little crapper is down 20 pounds already and counting, I hate men and their speedy metabolism!! Sorry, this truly sounds like me just griping, and it's kind of because I am! I'm hoping to get back into the swing of things tonight with the gym, and am really looking to hit that 15 pound mark in the next month or so. Once I do that, then the 20, and 25 pound mark aren't so scary any more or nearly as daunting!!

I just hope we all can continue to push one another, I know this weekend is going to be another BAD weekend. It's Devin's birthday coming up, and we're going out to Bucca di Beppo to celebrate - AND she has requested my homemade dark chocolate cake with butter cream frosting - so we're all in trouble. :) Guess I'll probably be working out twice on Saturday and Sunday!! YIKES!

Still, as long as I keep seeing reward in the form of the scale continuing to go down, I feel like I am doing something. I just have to keep watching the calories and eating as healthy as I can - a slip up every now and then is allowed - right??? Well, here's to the slip up, because tonight's beer and corned beef is definitely going to be one! Happy St. Patrick's Day!

I am dressed for the gym!

Hallelujah!  I am dressed to go to the gym!  I'm making an new mix workout on the Ipod---- drinking my very first "Green Monster" shake...and its delicious!

Have a great day everyone!!!!!

The Floor Is On Fire

Songs like this are why I injure myself at aerobics class. This song was played in a zumba class that I took. I love it. My problem is when the adrenaline starts pumping, I either don't notice or completely ignore my feet starting to hurt. So, I overdue it, and then can hardly walk for a few days.

I got some new shoe inserts, though. So, that has been really helping. I went for a walk last night and tried running a little bit. I wouldn't let myself push it a whole lot, but it was nice. When it comes to exercise, I like to push it. I *like* that feeling of sweating profusely, breathing hard, and pushing yourself past what you think you can do. I just have to be aware that I can't go from 0-60 and not expect to hurt myself.

End of a long week....

Right now I'm so tired of thinking about food.  The right food.  The wrong food.  How much to eat.  When to eat it.  Ugh.  I look at recipes all the time and I'm suddenly struck with the exhaustion of it. I don't wanna anymore. <sigh> Life is so unfair.  The medication I'm on has made me gain some weight this last month - not too thrilled about this development.  I'm too depressed right now to even think positively about anything right this second.  But Journey just came up on my I-Tunes and Journey always makes be happy....and interestingly enough the song is "Be Good To Yourself".  Is God listening to me right now?  Now, it's Michael Jackson "Beat It".  Weird and oddly good timing.

Didn't make a good dinner choice.  Breakfast has now become the standard SF Apple & Cinnamon Oatmeal.  Lunch was Phad Thai, but I didn't really eat much of it.  So I was STARVING at 6:00 (still at work) and the hubby tells me the KU game is on tonight (which means I don't get to go out to dinner).  So I order some pizza and pick it up on he way home.  Once again another dinner gone to hell.

Tomorrow I'm looking forward to doing something fun that isn't part of an errand, or cleaning the house, or anything that remotely looks like I "have" to do it. Well, except for some laundry.  Jim and I are supposed to be having a "date day"  We'll see how that goes.  Another KU game on.  I love KU, but I'm really ready for the college basketball season to be over.

I'm finally going to make the Green Machine drink tomorrow morning. I'll post a picture of the results.  

Well, I'm going to go snuggle in bed with a book for a while.  Good night my friends.

Goals and Choices

I'd say my ultimate goal in terms of my health would be to naturally make good choices *most* of the time. I want to be one of those people that puts the fork down when I start feeling full. I want to not have a cookie, just because it's there. I want to order a sandwich with a side salad and not feel sad that I'm not getting the french fries. (I ♥ french fries) I could go on and on.

This week, I've been doing that... for the most part. I've been making good choices, and honestly not thinking about it very much. I've had some stressful days, and yet still managed to come home and make vegetables, as opposed to using that as an excuse to over indulge. Don't ask me how I'm doing this, because it's not my natural nature. I'm just hoping it continues.