Lose 10 lb for the Holidays Challenge: Week 1

One week down and...how many weeks til Christmas?

One of the requirements of the challenge is weekly progress reports. So here I am for week 1.

Workouts: Check. 3 X Strength & 3 X Cardio with intervals. That was almost a given for me - getting in the workouts is the easy part.

Eating: Not quite check. I did okay during the week, the weekend was not so great. Considering my weekend was 4 days, that's not a good thing.

I signed up for the Challenge for the workout plans. I enjoyed the Fat Blasting Boot Camp and I was happy to sign up for something similar again. I didn't - and still don't - expect to lose 10 lbs. Not that it wouldn't be good for me to lose 10 lbs, I've just got to the point where I feel like it's not gonna happen.

However, I have been gradually gaining a few pounds over the past year. It scares me a bit, to tell the truth. And I feel like I don't know what to do about it. But if I don't want it to continue, I have to do something...

First step - I started food blogging.

Second step - signing up for this challenge.

But I guess I'm not really giving either one of those things 100% as of yet. The problem that I see right away: I get sloppy on the weekends. So that is Goal #1 - take control of my weekends from now on.

The Prince and the Pea

I washed the mats from the kitchen and bathroom, but I wanted to clean the floors before I put them back down so they are currently sitting folded up on a kitchen chair.

I came out this morning to this:

That’s my little Prince – never passes up an opportunity to recline on a well padded surface.

Yay it’s Friday! Of a long weekend!

Started off the day with some Optimum Slim and Almond Breeze, topped by a sliced peach (it was a Nova Scotia Peach, for all you Eat Atlantic folk).

Then off to work we went. I was feeling a little cranky about it to be honest, wishing I had thought to book a vacation day. Weather-wise, we had such a crappy summer but the forecast for the weekend is really good. Plus I am so behind with stuff around the house – it would have been so nice to have an extra day.

But I didn’t, so there I was. I was actually really busy all day – too busy really. I have a list of things that need to be done, but higher priority things keep coming up, so I’m working steady but not feeling like I’m making a dent in my to-do list.

Next thing I knew it was lunch time. I honestly wasn’t sure what I felt like eating, but I finally decided to go for Lebanese. I don’t buy lunch often, and the one Lebanese restaurant Uptown is sort of off the beaten path – down a back street. Add to that the fact that they’ve been ripping up the streets all summer which made it even less convenient. It’s definitely been a while since I’ve been there – probably last fall.

I thought they must be done with most of the street work now…No such luck.

At least it was a beautiful day for a walk around town.

There was no one in the restaurant when I got there, which was probably somewhere close to 1 PM. I’m thinking that having the streets torn up around you all summer is not good for business. While I waited for my order I snapped a couple of pictures; it’s not a fancy place but I like the warm-toned murals painted on the walls.

What I ate (sorry for the blurry photos):

Falafel Wrap

Tabbouleh

And a little piece of baklava, which the waitress persuaded me to try by saying “It’s goooooood.” Which it was – dripping with honey and chock full of nuts. Yum!

Lunch was good. I love a good Falafel. I cringe to tell you what I had for supper though.

I got home from work feeling tired and out of sorts – felt like a long day. Most days during the week I have a general meal plan, but I tend to leave Fridays open in case we want to go out or something. Tonight, neither one of us knew what we wanted to do. I didn’t really know what I wanted to eat. Husband was feeling the same way.

In retrospect, I should have suggested we wait a bit. I could have gone for a walk, or done my 3rd Boot Camp for the week (which would have been a really great idea, one less thing to worry about tomorrow), but Husband was in a “let’s decide and get it done” kind of mood.

It was a nice day – we’ve been wasting all this lovely barbeque weather – so Husband mentioned there was a steak in the freezer he could have. Which reminded me I still had a piece of Smoked Rainbow Trout in the freezer (the 2nd in the package I had tried out back on a perfect Friday in May). Only it should have been defrosted ahead of time.

I checked the package and it said I could defrost it in the microwave. It didn’t feel like it was really what I wanted – but I didn’t know what I wanted and it should be used up, so we decided to go ahead with the BBQ plan.

I threw my fish in the microwave to defrost. Husband pulled out his steak, which was one of those single-portion vacuum-sealed type things and he’d thought it could go right on the grill and cook from frozen…But no such luck. It needed to be defrosted. So he decided to put it in the fridge to defrost for tomorrow, and instead he would cook these frozen Chicken Taquitos we had.

So this is what I ended up with for supper:

A portion of trout, which was slightly over cooked this time – maybe from defrosting in microwave? – 3 taquitos and a pile of raw cauliflower(from the farmer's market last weekend) and yellow bell pepper.

It all tasted good. But. I kinda felt like I was eating it because I had to, not because I really wanted it.

So then I broke down and had something that I actually did want:

I never claimed to be sensible. (I haven’t have I? I think I’d remember something like that.)

I read my book and drank my coke, and began to unwind a bit. Then I saw Fred sitting there, patiently watching me. So I took him for a walk.

Walking a cat (at least with my cats) involves walking a bit, stopping to look around, walking a bit more, stopping to pounce on a grasshopper, walking a bit more…And they never actually want to turn around and walk home; they just want to wander along and explore. So when I decide it’s time to come back, I have to pick up my 17 lb cat and carry him home. Which is not too bad, except for the days he decides he really doesn’t want to go and he squirms around trying to get down.

Today he was good though, sitting up and looking over my shoulder. I tried to get a couple of photos, but it was kind of awkward to hold Fred with one arm and point the camera with the other. Still, I think a couple of them turned out pretty neat.

After we had our walk, I cleaned up the kitchen. Then I got in a short treadmill session – and felt better. Amazing what listening to some tunes and getting a bit of exercise can do for your mood.

In addition to the veggies I chopped for supper, I had made a batch of guacamole because there was a ripe avocado sitting there, waiting to be used (my fault for being to lazy to make salads the past couple of days).

But, I felt like supper was enough, so I put it in the fridge.

Guacamole doesn’t really keep well though, so once I was ready to sit down and do my blogging for the day, I put some in a bowl for me and gave the rest to Husband. Not that I needed it, but oh well.

At first I was thinking today demonstrated another good reason why maybe I don’t want to be a food blogger. Sometimes I eat crappy meals. But, the fact that I had to blog about it made me think about it, so maybe that’s a good thing.

Now it’s getting to be way past my bedtime, so I’m about done for tonight. Just going to leave you with one last photo that I took on a whim – this is the screen of my laptop:

I take my baby to work with me every day. :)

Good night all!

And reason #1 why maybe I shouldn't be a food blogger...

We were late getting home last night, which meant it was late by the time I did my workout and finished supper. After supper I sat on the couch and wrote my blog, then surfed around reading a few blogs. Then it was bed time and I realized I hadn't put together a lunch and I hadn't cleaned up the kitchen from supper. Oops.

Breakfast this morning was a Ciabatta Breakfast Sandwich from Java Moose, along with my usual coffee. Not something I would want to be eating every day, but it is very filling and it's tasty!

It was after 1 pm by the time I decided to eat lunch. I still wasn't hungry, but...





I had two peaches sliced up and dumped in with the remains of my yogurt (photos take in the morning at home) and I knew the peaches wouldn't keep. I did enjoy it though - fresh peaches and yogurt is one of my very favorite things. I tend to stuff myself with as much as I can while peaches are in season.

It was another sunny day and I found myself doing the same thing I had done yesterday - "I'll go out for a break as soon as I finish...". This time I cut that short and took myself outside. I don't like it when I stay chained to that chair all day without a break, and I should be taking advantage of the good weather right now. I still got everything done that I needed to.

We were a little late leaving work today, but not as late as yesterday. I changed my clothes and went out to clean up the kitchen. I had a snack - which I almost forgot to photograph; 4 Triscuits with hummus.





I had been considering going out for a walk, but Husband was ready to make supper and I was tired, to be honest, so supper it was. Husband wanted Bacon & Tomato sandwiches again (no argument from me) and I made a salad to go along with.

I had three kinds of tomatoes going: grape tomatoes and chocolate cherry tomatoes (both from my garden) and some strawberry tomatoes from Superstore.



The chocolate cherry tomatoes are new to me so I'm not entirely sure what colour they should be when they are ripe - they tasted good in the salad though.





(That sandwich is on a plate, it just happens to be clear glass so it barely shows up.)

After supper I cleaned up the kitchen, then took Fred for a short walk. We went up the hill, and we were both facing away from the road when a car squealed it's tires. Fred jumped straight up in the air, and his rear end swung around so he came down facing the road. I know describing it doesn't do it justice, but it was pretty funny to see.

After Fred and I came back in, I did some more tidying in the kitchen and living room. Then I went downstairs and did 30 minutes of yoga. On Monday, I started the final 4 week phase of the Boot Camp program I've been doing which means all new workouts this week. I felt fine this morning, but by the time I got home from work today I was feeling my glutes and outer thighs. A little bit of yoga was just what the doctor ordered.

Oh, almost forgot - Cookie Monster Husband strikes again; he went for cookies and handed me one. I got a picture this time, and tonight one was enough.



And I did not make a lunch for myself again tonight, because I don't know why...I thought about it, but just didn't feel like doing it. I've been eating mostly salads for lunches at work for a few months now. During the hot weather it was exactly what I wanted. But maybe it's getting to be time for a change...So I have no idea what's for lunch tomorrow. Oooh...Cliffhanger ending! Come back tomorrow to see what JavaChick ends up having for lunch!

More Summer Eats

So this is food blog day three – more or less; I guess Monday was not a complete day but whatever.

Lunch all packed for the day and I was not running late for a change, so I had cereal for breakfast.

I had Nature’s Path Optimum Slim – which I like because it’s like a bunch of different cereals all mixed up – and Unsweetened Vanilla Almond Breeze. I tend to stick to milk substitutes for my cereal because I have an iffy relationship with dairy. I can handle cheese & yogurt, a splash of cream in my coffee, but too much milk does not agree with my tummy. So far, I’d say the Almond Breeze is my favourite in cereal.

Got to work and enjoyed a coffee at my desk,

as I do every morning.

Lunch was salad topped by avocado mashed with lime, and Tangerine & Lime dressing.

 

And my water addiction there in the background…

It was another sunny day, and I kept planning to get out for a break and just take a walk around the block…just as soon as I finish this next thing…and the next thing I knew it was almost 4:00 and it seemed too late then.

Around 4:15 I was feeling hungry, and I knew I was planning on a Boot Camp workout before supper so I decided to have a snack – Cherry Pie LaraBar.

As it turned out, it was almost 6 PM by the time Husband picked me up to head home, and then we had to stop off at the Superstore on the way home, so I was glad I’d had the snack.

After my workout Husband and I whipped up another Summer Favourite – Bacon and Tomato sandwiches. I was going for the Multi-grain bread at the store, but Husband wanted Sour Dough for a change.

I changed mine up a bit more with the addition of this:

I am addicted to this Chipotle & Roasted Red Pepper Topped Hummus. I love it! I know it goes well with tomatoes, so I decided to add it to my sandwich.

 

Raw veggies on the side (cauliflower and more tomatoes) and a smidge of Renee’s Cucumber Dill for dipping.

 

And that’s my day – exiciting huh? Work. Eat. Work. Boot Camp. Eat. I’m done.

Summer pasta

Today was a lovely sunny day. Some friends dropped by before we left for work...





Also pretty and not really related to anything else in today's post...Some Striped Cavern Tomatoes in varying stages of ripeness.



The Striped Cavern are one of two varieties of Heirloom tomatoes I started from seed this year. Unfortunately, I think this is all I'm going to get thanks to Hurricane Bill, which is a story I'll save for another day. For now...I just think they're pretty! They have a different shape to them, and I like the stripes.

We actually got home from work at a decent time today (has not been happening much recently) and it was still beautiful and sunny out so I went for a walk. I tried to convince Husband to come with me, but no go.

Then I took Fred for a short walk because otherwise he was not going to leave me alone. After some rolling in the dirt and successful grasshopper hunting (tasty treats according to my Fabulous Felines), he was a happy kitty.

Finally it was time to make dinner. I still have lots of basil growing in pots on my deck and we bought two baskets of tomatoes from the Farmer's Market last weekend, so it seemed like a good time for a summer favorite.



This is a recipe I found on a food forum a few years back (hope that is readable) and it is really simple to throw together. I threw together the tomato mixture so it would have time to sit.



Then I put a pot of water on to boil and put together a simple salad.



Nothing fancy - by this point I was running out of steam and was ready to get out of the kitchen. The star of the salad was the cupid tomatoes from my garden though. Love those little guys!



And the main event, topped with feta cheese:





Then I sat down in front of Food Network and watched an episode of Chef At Home that was all about tomatoes which I thought was good timing.

And since I'm playing food blogger (still haven't decided if I want to do it full time, just trying it out), I should mention that I munched on a few Ace Bakery Artisan Bread Crisps before dinner. One serving is 80 cals, which is about what I had. And then as I was sitting here writing up this post, Husband brought me a cookie. Which was good and I decided one wasn't enough, so I ate another one. But now I'm good.