New Lunch Box and Cycling Class

Here is a picture of my "New" lunch box I got for Christmas. I just love it and it helps so much keeping my portions in control. Tomorrow for lunch I will have brown rice topped with black beans and salsa. Snack will be cottage cheese and a cut up apple.

Well I took the plunge and joined LA Fitness. I have heard a lot about cycling classes and I thought I would give it a go. Wow! I was sweating up a storm and I think I could have even pushed it a little bit harder. I didn't go all out because I knew it was an hour class and I had no idea how I was going to be able to handle it. I really like it and it was very challenging right up my alley. This could be a regular Sunday things for me.

I had difficult with my eating yesterday but I am back on track today. Last night I got my notebook out and wrote down all my meals for the whole week. This is very time consuming but it helps SO much. I wrote all the meals and then made up a grocery list and hubby and I got the groceries. What do they say, "Fail to plan, Plan to fail"

I am looking forward to my new week at the new gym and changing things up. I think it is exactly what I need. I have schedule a free personal training session for Wednesday night. I wish so much that I could have a personal trainer again and I am hoping when things change around for us that I can. So I will probably do upper body tomorrow since I took the cycling class today, want to give my legs some rest. I will do cardio on Tuesday and then Wednesday I will have the session with the trainer.

Off to make my dinner: Taco Salad.....

Daily Goals

96-128 ounces of water Done I had 128 ounces today
- 5 serving of fruits and vegetables (2 fruits, 3 vegetables) Done, I had 3 fruits and 3 vegetables
- 30 grams of fiber Done I had 55g of fiber today
- Lower body workout Done
- 1600- 1800 calories- journal all my food Done 1,660 calories today

It great to see the progress I made today. Tomorrow I will have the same goals but I will be doing upper body and cardio tomorrow.

I also went over to LA Fitness today and look at the gym. I was very disappointed with my gym today and this may be a nice change for me. I have a free session tomorrow but it looks like I will be making the shift to the new gym. I am excited about all the wonderful things they offer there. mmm.. spinning class, yoga, pool, sauna. I was a little unsure if we could swing it with our financial situation but I talked about it with my husband and he was so supportive and helped me look at making the decision.

Tomorrow morning I will go over to my current gym do my cardio session and give them my written cancellation letter.

I think 2010 is already looking up!

2010

It is 10:38 on December 31st. I have eaten more food than I wanted to and I am yet again wondering if I will ever get it.
I have thought about what I want to accomplish in 2010. I want to find a peace around food and exercise. I know that I can find it but it will take committment and dedication. I am looking forward to this challenge and I am hopeful that I will find it.
I will not let the slip ups defeat me. I will learn from each one of them. I will pick myself up, wipe myself off and try again.
I have SO enjoyed the blog world and learning from each and everyone one of these extraordinary women. Although many of them don't even know that I read they have all touched me in some way or another.
I would like to return to blogging on a more regular bases and begin taking pictures again. I truly enjoyed it when I did it and I felt like it helps me to look back at all the wonderful food I have eaten along the way. I have yet to find a routine with returning back to work and now finding another job seems to make it difficult. I know many of these women in the blog world work full time and still have time to blog so I do not want it to be an excuse for me not to try to do it.
Goals for the tomorrow (one day at a time)

- 96-128 ounces of water
- 5 serving of fruits and vegetables (2 fruits, 3 vegetables)
- 30 grams of fiber
- Lower body workout
- 1600- 1800 calories
- journal all my food (enter in fitday)

Just writing these small goals tomorrow helps me feel in control again and ready to push
forward.
I look forward to the weeks ahead of this new year with hope and determination to make it the best year yet!

Long term goal:

Return to a health weight range 148-153

Other goals:

write a book
recipe book?
get more client with my personal chef business
reduce our spending
travel
help someone in need

There are so many wonderful opportunities out in the world and I would love to have to opportunity to make a small impact some where some how. It very excited to think about.

Here is to a wonderful 2010!!

Stay Focused

Thank you to everyone who made a comment about yesterday I really appreciate the support and input.
I went to the gym this morning and did 35 minutes on the ellipitcal had a nice good sweat and it felt good. I have been solid to day so far but have had moment of wanting to give in but so far I am staying focused.
I made two batches of almond butter and a batch of cookies today and no samples... I some times don't understand myself at times I can have will power of steel and other times I could care less. But as a new year is approaching I wonder what my goal will be for myself. I have accomplised so much but yet have things yet to do. Although my body is good I do not believe that it is my very best and that is what I would like to strive for this coming year. I question if I an do this alone. I have had a personal trainer for the past year and half and with our financial situation I have had to give that up. Can I do this alone?
Today food has been good. Breakfast: Oatmeal, five egg whites, 1/2 cup skim milk and tablespoon flaxseed meal, snack: protein shake, lunch, 4 ounces chicken, romaine and ranch dressing, snack 2: protein shake. I have taken out some tilipia and will have that for dinner along with a big bowl of broccoli. It feels to have a plan to fall back on that I know will bring me back to where I want to be. We are attending a christmas party this evening and that will be difficult with all the wonderful eats around but I have done it before and I know I can do it again. I do not want this to be a christmas for reason to indulge.
I know I can get the seven pounds I have put on off very quickly if I stick the course.
I am looking for some good challenges for 2010 anyone have any good ones? I would love to get some ideas or get involved in some to keep me focused and motivated on what it is I want to do and achieve.
Thanks for reading

Lost My Groove!!

I have to say that I am totally out of my groove. I think it is a combination of the stress of a second job and the holidays! I have put on a good seven pounds and am not feeling good about it. But I have yet to do anything about it. I wanted to hide and pretend this is not happening. I must now making a decision on what I want to do next.
Anyone else lost their groove? How do you get it back?

Snowy Monday

I woke up this morning to a beautiful coat of white snow on the the ground. Of course I didn't think that it might take me a little longer to get to work! Oops! I had cooked up some brown rice last night so I decided to have some for breakfast this morning. I topped it with some of my homemade cranberry sauce, slivered almonds and a little maple syrup. Yummy!

The rice keep me pretty full and I got hungry around 10:00. I had packed some cottage cheese and an apple so I had that to keep me until lunch. I packed a lunch for work of pinto beans mixed with salsa and put it on a tortilla. This is an older picture since I don't take a camera to work to take picture of my eats, not yet that is.

I headed to the gym after work and did a upper body work out. I push hard and it felt good. I came home and had a banana with some of that delicious homemade almond butter. I have to admit I had a little difficulty again but not nearly as bad as yesterday. That is progress right? I nibble on the almond butter and finally made hubby put it away. I also had a cookie and some peanuts. But that was it and I was proud of myself for gaining control so quickly.

I began preparing sample food to take to my possible client tomorrow. I am a nervous wreck about it and since I have not done anything like this before I have to admit I am not sure what I am doing. The possible client want me to cook food for her children. Make them a lunch for school, after school snack and dinner. The kid are teenagers. So my sample food is: Lunch: carrots, orange and a chicken wrap Snack: fruit dip (made from low fat ricotta, yogurt and instant pudding mix), strawberries and some baked tortilla chips sprinkled with cinnamon and sugar Dinner: Turkey meatballs and fresh pasta. I will present tomorrow around 4:00.

After running around and freaking out about this whole thing I was able to manage a chicken salad: romaine lettuce, chicken breast, Parmesan cheese and lite dressing.

It is almost 9:00 and I am ready for bed. I have my clothes laid out for tomorrow, my lunch packed and my gym bag ready. Not sure when and how I will get my workout in but I will find time some where.

Still Learning!

I started the morning out right this morning. I waited for until I felt hungry and had a nice breakfast sandwich. English muffin with a veggie breakfast patty and one egg cooked with spinach. Filling and quite delicious.

I relaxed most of the morning and finally talked myself to heading over to the gym. I did a great 30 minute HIIT on the treadmill. It felt good and I was ready to eat. I decided to shower before eating lunch. I had saw an interesting idea from Abby at Eat, Drink and Be Aware it was a pear, cranberry and cheese sandwich. I had just made some delicious homemade cranberry sauce and this was a perfect way to use some of it. It was quite delicious and it hit the spot. I made a new cookie recipe to bring to a jewelry party my girlfriend was having this afternoon. I made some homemade pasta, showered, dressed and was out the door for the party.

It was nice to visit with everyone at the jewelry party and I with our financial situation I decided not to order anything from the party. I also decided not to have anything at the party to eat which ended up being a very bad idea. I left the party and was hungry. I decided to eat the last two cookie that remained that I had brought. I was ok with that but little did I know what was going to happen when I got home. I was hungry and started eating. Although I did not make bad choices I ate a lot more than I needed to. To help with the eating I decided to go ahead and eat dinner early. I ate the rest of the veggie pizza from last night. I ate the remaining four pieces and had a few more picks before I decided I needed to take action. I headed upstairs away from the food area. I began working on menu ideas for a possible client that want me to cook meal for her children. In doing this I was able to gain control. I am still learning and this was another day of it. I did some really good things and also thing I still need to work on .

I am ready for a great week ahead. I have my lunch packed: left over chili and cottage cheese with an apple.

I have a question for you: Do you plan out all your meals for the week? I currently only plan dinner but i am wondering if planning all meals would be helpful? I look forward to getting your input.