Life Is Grand!

Today was incredible – it was one of the best days I can remember! I finally got to celebrate my birthday with family (with one last party to come tomorrow with yet another group) and it was just a wonderful day all around. I am so, so blessed!!!

FOOD & BEVERAGES:
- 8 glasses of water
- 1 banana
- 2 egg omelet with cheese and mushrooms
- 2 slices whole grain toast with butter and strawberry jam
- 1 bite French toast on white bread with butter and maple syrup
- 1 toasted cheese bagel with low fat herb and garlic cream cheese
- 4 yam fries with spicy mayonnaise
- 2 cups Caesar salad with Parmesan and croutons
- 7 jumbo shrimp
- 6 oz steak
- 1/2 baked potato with sour cream, bacon, and green onion
- 1/2 chocolate brownie dessert with ice cream, whipped cream, chocolate sauce, and sprinkles
- 1 homemade lemon tart
- 4 homemade cookies

EXERCISE:
- 10 squats

Somewhere Along The Way This Ramble Got Philosophical

Okay, I am starting to feel like I am getting this eating thing more and more in control. I am having fewer sweets and when I do indulge it is with lower fat options. I am having greater success with turning down temptations and with talking myself out of cravings. I am even slowly starting to work a few servings of produce back into my menus.

I know that I need to tackle portions. I am often making healthier choices yet am consuming too much of a good thing, so to speak. I also need to increase those fruits and vegetables from the token helpings to a higher majority within my eating regimen. My water intake, too, is getting much, much better, but – again – there is a lot of room for improvement. I am not as consistent as I would like to be with getting all the H2O my body needs.

I have been working hard at improving my habits and at leaving the temporary regression I went through in the past. I am moving forward, but – most importantly, I think – I am allowing myself the understanding that I would offer to any other human being in these circumstances.

I am not perfect. I had a great streak – an amazingly, nearly unbelievable one, in fact – but it came to a screeching halt a few months ago. I don’t know what the trigger was or if there even was one. I don’t know if I just got careless or if it could happen again. What I am sure of is that what I have done does not define what I will do. If it did, I never would have lost a hundred plus pounds in the first place after years and years of struggling with obesity.

The truth is that this journey is worth it, but it can also be heartbreaking in some ways. Living up to the expectations we set out for ourselves is a tricky business. We need to find the balance between challenge and trial. We can’t achieve what we personally define as success without trying to be more than we think we are, but we also can’t weigh down our hearts and minds and bodies with the effort of driving ourselves towards some ideal accomplished with utterly unblemished progress.

Perfection always has been and always will be the impossible goal… and thank goodness for that! To push ourselves towards betterment is one of the best things about being alive, but I can’t imagine how boring and stale life would suddenly become if we ever achieved absolutely everything we ever wanted. I forget that sometimes.

FOOD & BEVERAGES:
- 9 glasses of water
- 1 banana
- 1 1/4 cups vanilla yogurt with 1 cup wheat flake granola cereal
- 1 toasted whole wheat English muffin with cheese
- 1 cup pasta with garlic Alfredo sauce
- 1 apple
- 1 cup meatballs in mushroom sauce
- 1 cup steamed broccoli with margarine
- 1/2 cup seasoned basmati rice
- 1 cheese bagel with low fat herb and garlic cream cheese
- 3 1/2 warm low fat banana and chocolate chip muffins

EXERCISE:
- 10 squats

Beddy Bye

I am so tired. I just had to turn down gourmet baked goods too. Sigh… It’s time for bed.

FOOD & BEVERAGES:
- 8 glasses of water
- 1 toasted whole wheat English muffin with cheese
- 10 large wheat crackers with 2 light Laughing Cow wedges and hot pepper jelly
- 1 pumpkin pie fruit and grain bar
- 9 cheese crackers with cheese
- 2 Mandarin oranges
- 1 heated wrap on a soft tortilla shell with chicken, cheese, dried cranberries, spinach, fat free Miracle Whip, mustard, and pepper
- 3 1/2 warm low fat oatmeal and butterscotch chip muffins with margarine
- 4 cups popcorn with margarine

EXERCISE:
- 30 minutes of walking completed in 2 outings (both 15 minutes long)

On Hold

Wow, it got late quick! I am way too tired to even focus right now, so the lists will have to wait until I can edit them into this post tomorrow...

FOOD & BEVERAGES:
- 5 glasses of water
- 1 toasted whole wheat English muffin with cheese
- 1 pumpkin pie fruit and grain bar
- 24 large wheat crackers with 4 light Laughing Cow wedges and hot pepper jelly
- 2 grilled cheese sandwiches on whole wheat bread with margarine
- 1 cup red peppers
- 12 inch sun on a white bun with steak, cheese, mushrooms, onion, and zesty sauce
- 2 large glasses ginger ale
- 1 piece heated homemade apple crumble
- 4 thin mint cookies

EXERCISE:
- 15 minute walk

Calling It

I held it together today in the face of chocolate, an apple fritter, homemade apple crumble and the offer to visit one of my favourite bakeries. I’m going to call it a good day and call it a night.

FOOD & BEVERAGES:
- 10 glasses of water
- 1 banana
- 1 toasted English muffin with cheese
- 2 crab wraps on soft tortilla shells with imitation crab meat, spinach, fat free mayonnaise, mustard, and pepper
- 3 cups Caesar salad with croutons and bacon bits
- 1 slice garlic toast on white bread
- 1 cup cheesy scalloped potatoes
- 3 slice ham with mustard
- 48 small wheat crackers with 2 light Laughing Cow wedges and hot pepper jelly
- 1 pumpkin pie fruit and grain bar

EXERCISE:
- 30 minute of walking completed in 2 outings (both 15 minutes long)

No Birthday Bumps

I had the most fantastic, amazing, and wonderful day I have had in ages!!! It was my birthday today and my incredible husband arranged for a fun filled day packed with loved ones, treats, and activities! I had the best time!!! I have to say that – eating be damned – today it was worth every calorie. Tomorrow I will be back at it harder than ever thanks to this rejuvenating lift! Besides, we finished off the day with a nice evening stroll to burn off a few of those extras!

What a day!!!

FOOD & BEVERAGES:
- 3 glasses of water
- 2 toasted English muffins with eggs, bacon, cheese, and butter
- 1 individual banana and chocolate pie
- 1 mug pumpkin spice steamed skim milk
- 1 sour cream glazed doughnut
- 1/2 apple fritter
- 1 extra large glass piña colada slushy drink
- 4 bites peanut butter and toffee chocolate bar ice cream blend
- 1 glass lime slushy drink
- 8 inch personal pizza with ham, shrimp, cheese, pineapple, and tomato sauce
- 2 glasses root beer
- 2 chocolate cupcakes with chocolate icing and sprinkles
- 2 cups popcorn with butter
- 1/2 cup chocolate covered peanut butter candies

EXERCISE:
- 30 minute walk

Irresistible

Most people who have been following this blog for some time now know that I have been absolutely awful for responding to comments, questions, etc. for the past several months. It has been something I have felt that I had to drastically reduce (and, let’s be honest, practically eliminate altogether) in order to continue this online journal with any degree of success whatsoever. Even recently, with me finally building up a tiny bit of progress again, I have just not been able to bring myself to be there more fully for the online community when I am struggling so much to keep my own head above the water. I know how horrible that sounds. I’m just doing the best that I can…

But every once in a while something reaches me – there’s no rhyme or reason to what it is; I think it more depends on my mood du jour than anything else. Today was one of those days.

So thank you very, very much Kristi for the award. I don’t really feel like I deserve it, and I am hoping that this minor baring of the soul will serve in place of a more formal cooperation with the rules of ‘tell five of my guilty pleasures’, yet it means a lot that people out there still get a little something from my writing. This journey is so worth it, and this was exactly what I needed today to remember that.

FOOD & BEVERAGES:
- 5 glasses of water
- 2 slices cheese toast on white bread
- 3/4 cup strawberry yogurt with 1 cup wheat flake granola cereal
- 35 small wheat crackers with 2 light Laughing Cow wedges and hot pepper jelly
- 12 inch sub on a white bun with egg salad, lettuce, and butter
- 1 extra large glass piña colada slushy drink
- 2 1/2 cups fettuccine Alfredo
- 1 garlic toast wedge
- 1 heated bacon and cheese biscuit with butter

EXERCISE:
- 10 squats

New Year’s Resolution

I did pretty well again today. I am feeling better and better about the decisions I have been making food wise lately. I know that I am not fully back into the healthy swing of things by any means, but what I am consuming has improved by leaps and bounds compared to what I was eating in December. I hope the rest of the month sees the continuation of this trend!

FOOD & BEVERAGES:
- 6 glasses of water
- 3/4 cup fat free lemon chiffon yogurt with 1 cup wheat flake granola cereal
- 2 pieces cheese toast on white bread
- 12 large crackers with hot pepper jelly and 2 light Laughing Cow cheese wedges
- 1 cup blueberry yogurt
- 1 banana
- 12 inch sub on a white bun with steak, cheese, onions, and peppercorn sauce
- 1 large piña colada slushy drink
- 1 glass pomegranate cherry juice
- 1 sunflower seed

EXERCISE:
- 15 minute walk

Why So Glum, Chum?

I am feeling blue. I don’t really have a specific reason – it just is what it is. I guess with still being sick and having had such an emotional week and feeling very tired too it was all bound to catch up to me. Hopefully tomorrow is better…

FOOD & BEVERAGES:
- 6 glasses of water
- 1 golden delicious apple
- 1/2 cup sunflower seeds
- 1 piece quiche
- 2 pieces cheese toast on white bread
- 1 1/2 cups small cheese flavoured crackers and dried cranberries
- 1 small Spartan apple
- 2 pan-fried banana and light peanut butter wraps on soft tortilla shells
- 1 cup fat free strawberry yogurt with 1 cup wheat flake granola cereal

EXERCISE:
- 30 minute walk

A Sweet Victory

It was a high carbohydrate day today but I did manage to avoid the sweets, which is especially good considering I was craving them pretty heavily this evening. All in all the day was so-so with the food list, but I suppose rather victorious given all the junk that I kept on thinking about eating.

FOOD & BEVERAGES:
- 7 glasses of water
- 2 small Mandarin oranges
- 1 toasted English muffin with light peanut butter
- 3/4 cup low fat piña colada yogurt with 1 cup Rice Krispies cereal
- 2 slices cheese toast on white bread
- 1 cup chicken noodle soup
- 1/2 cup carrots
- 2 slices of ham quiche
- 1 1/2 pieces of garlic bread with Parmesan
- 3/4 cup fat free strawberry yogurt with 1 cup cranberry almond wheat flake granola cereal

EXERCISE:
- 45 minutes of walking completed in 3 outings (all 15 minutes long)

Fuzzy Logic

We took our cat in to be cremated today. Considering how emotional this has been, I am shocked that I haven’t gone off the deep end more with my eating. I miss her…

FOOD & BEVERAGES:
- 4 glasses of water
- 1 toasted English muffin with light peanut butter
- 3/4 cup fat free black cherry yogurt with 1 cup Rice Krispies cereal
- 2 rice cakes with cream cheese
- 1 cup celery with hummus
- 1 cup spicy rice with corn
- 6 meatballs in gravy
- 2 cups strawberry peanut butter and toffee chocolate bar ice cream blend

EXERCISE:
- 1 hour and 5 minutes of walking completed in 3 outings (15 minutes long, 15 minutes long, and 35 minutes long)

Farewell

One of my cats passed away this evening. She – as is my other one – was eighteen. We knew it was coming, but it was still incredibly hard to say goodbye. It’s hard to hold back the tears even now…

FOOD & BEVERAGES:
- 6 glasses of water
- 1 golden delicious apple
- 3/4 cup fat free spiced apple yogurt with 1 cup wheat flake granola cereal
- 1 toasted English muffin with light peanut butter
- 1 1/2 rolled soft tortilla shells with hummus
- 1 cup broccoli with hummus
- 1 baked potato with margarine and sour cream
- 1 cup meatloaf with ketchup
- 1 slice of a caramel apple cinnamon pudding ring

EXERCISE:
- 30 minutes of walking completed in 2 outings (both 15 minutes long)

Three Times A Charm

I’m still doing pretty well! I can’t help but feel like I should continue holding my breath waiting for this to deteriorate, but so far so good. I even took a peak online for new food ideas and menu planning today. Here’s hoping for more forward motion!

FOOD & BEVERAGES:
- 5 glasses of water
- 1 toasted whole wheat English muffin with light peanut butter and light strawberry jam
- 1 banana
- 1 glass cranberry cocktail juice
- 12 inch sub on a white bun with steak, cheese, onion, and peppercorn sauce
- 2 bites of a yam sushi roll
- 1 bite of a pork dumpling with sauce
- 3/4 cup low fat piña colada yogurt with 1 cup almond wheat flake granola cereal
- 1 cheese sandwich on a brown bun with spinach, fat free mayonnaise, and mustard
- 3/4 cup low fat strawberry banana yogurt with 1/2 cup sunflower seeds

EXERCISE:
- 10 squats

Two Days Down…

Okay, this is going pretty well… I am feeling a little gun shy because of how quickly any progress seems to be crumbling lately, but this is the second day in a row where I feel like my eating was much more controlled and healthy. Considering that today was a very, very emotional day for me I am actually counting this as a rather large success!

FOOD & BEVERAGES:
- 6 glasses of water
- 1 banana
- 1 toasted whole wheat English muffin with light peanut butter and light strawberry jam
- 1 glass pineapple coconut juice
- 12 inch sub on a white bun with steak, cheese, onion, mushrooms, barbecue sauce, and zesty sauce
- 1 glass lemonade

EXERCISE:
- 10 squats