Warning: Weekend Ahead

I went to the gym again today, third day in a row. I’m going to do my best to go tomorrow and Sunday, too, so I can get my 5-day minimum in. I slacked a lot at the beginning of the week. Plus, my Weigh-in is Monday morning and I’ll be damned if I’m not going to lose this week. Hmph!

Last night’s fish was good… all except the actual fish part. I think I’m just not a big cod fan. Or maybe I’m just not good at preparing it. Flakey fish makes me nervous when I cook it at home. Give me something sturdy I can grill, like mahi mahi and I’m fine, but other fish… I’m always just paranoid I’m going to undercook it. I didn’t undercook it, though; it just sucked. But, the tomatoes were awesome so I just scrapped the pile of roasted tomatoes from the top and mixed it with my brown rice and steamed artichoke. Good enough.

But, holy cow, I had no idea how much mangoes ROCK! I had had mango margaritas and mango sorbet, but I’d never eaten an actual mango. I got some pre-sliced at Trader Joe’s the other day and I enjoyed a few slices with my 1/2 cup of strawberry sorbet last night and I thought I’d died and gone to heaven. Mango… I want to have your baby.

Tonight it’s turkey tacos. If it comes out well, I’ll definitely share the recipe!

Have a good weekend everyone. Don’t do anything I wouldn’t do. Ha!

Hump Day Check In

Last night I had Coldstone. There. I said it. I got it off my chest. HEY EVERYONE! I HAD FULL FAT ASS ICE CREAM!

I feel much better.

PMS is weilding it’s bloated fist at me, so I got a wild hair and scooted off to Coldstone last night. I got the Sinless Sweet Cream (their low-fat/lo-cal variety), but I did cave and had the dude add some chocolate syrup to the mooshing so I could have chocolate ice cream (they don’t make “sinless” chocolate at Coldstone. Poop.) and I did add one fat-free brownie. I’m going to consider it a victory, considering it could have been so, so, sooooo much worse. It could have been my boyfriend’s “white chocolate with full-fat brownies and roasted almonds”. Yeah… no.

I only had half a cup, I logged it (6 Points, but oh my god, so totally worth it) and I didn’t even go over my Points for the day. So horse on you, Coldstone! I had my cake ice cream and ate it , too!

Anyway. Things are progressing. I’m still not being the water whore I should be, but I’m working on it. I am remembering to take my vitamins and eat veggies, so that’s a bonus and I’m cooking at home every night, which has been fun, actually. Last night, I made southwestern chicken bowls for two.

1 packet of whole grain Uncle Bens 90-second brown rice (use 1 cup to serve)

6 oz. of pre-cooked sliced fajita chicken strips (frozen or from the deli, whatever) (use 3oz to serve)

1 can of black beans (not refried) (use 1/2 cup to serve)

salsa or pico de gallo (2 tbsp)

2 tbsp. fat-free sour cream (1 tbsp per person)

4 tbsp. 2% Kraft shredded cheddar (2 tbsp per person)

- Make the rice, dump it in a bowl and add some minced cilantro, a little diced onions and a few shakes of mexican seasoning. Set aside and let the flavors meld.

- Broil the chicken in the oven until it’s hot and sort of browned/cris

- Heat the beans on the stove, adding some mexican seasoning, a little lime… onion… garlic… whatever you like

- get a shallow small plate (I use a 9” pasta plate, the kind with the little lip on the edge to hold stuff in) and spread half the rice on the bottom (about 1 cup), add about 1/2 cup of black beans, layer half the chicken on top (about 3 oz.), add salsa to your liking, sprinkle a couple tablespoons of low-fat cheese and top with a dollop of fat-free sour cream.

This was 6 Points a serving, but it was a lot of food. I probably could have done with less, as I was full before I was finished. Anyway, it was tasty.

I went to the gym this morning like a good Jasminlive girl. I looked into getting the 5 sessions for $99 that they had advertised ,but you’re not allowed to get it if you’ve ever had training before. And I’m not going to pay through the nose for sessions again. I know what to do, I was just looking for someone to motivate me to do it, to get me to show up, to stand there and count while I keel over. I’ll just have to rally and do it myself. I can, so I will. Hmph!

I Knew I Liked Dark Chocolate for a Reason

I was just watching a tivo’d rerun of Oprah on aging and how to look younger. They have this doctor guy (Dr. Michael Roizen) who says your body’s actual age and your chronological age can be different. He calls it your “real age”. So, he started listing small changes you can make to slow down your aging. Two things the doctor on here mentioned I actually practice, one being using smaller plates so you eat less, but it looks like more (you gain 2 or 3 years). I started using smaller plates when I started WW originally. I try to use salad plates whenever possible. It actually works, too. I notice I’m usually full before my plate is clear, even with the smaller plate.

He also recommends eating an ounce of dark chocolate with 70% cocoa a day (according to the show it reduce your body’s aging process by 3 years). I started doing that late last year. When I can, I’ll opt for a Godiva 70% cocoa granache, but those are a little too decadent for day-to-day, so I settle for Green & Black’s Organic. I break off a couple squares a day and oddly, I’m not tempted to devour the whole bar, even though I am a fan of dark chocolate while I'm live on Chaturbaterooms.com.

Well, if I keep this up and add the aspirin a day he’s on about, I’ll be looking 22 in no time. Heh.

First None'll Come and Then a Lot'll

Scratch that. Reverse it. So, I lost 1.2 lbs this Weigh-in. It’s not the 4 lbs I lost the first week, but that’s to be expected. I usually do a big/small/big/small loss pattern, so I’m not too worried about it. I also know that I indulged a lot this last week, only got 3 days of workouts in (damn!) and didn’t have enough water (I won’t say “hydrate” because my friend, Keith, hates that). But y’know, 5.2 lbs in 2 weeks ain’t too shabby. You go, you. I ain’t mad atcha.

That’s something I want to make sure to put out there: shows like The Biggest Loser, while motivating and entertaining, I strongly feel set people up for discouragement and failure. If someone gets on a scale and doesn’t see 15 lbs gone, I fear that people will think they’ve failed or that they suck. NO ONE SUCKS. As we’ve all heard a million times: 1-2 lbs a week is considered safe and normal. Sure you can do a little more sometimes or you might lose a little less sometimes, but overall, an average of 2 lbs a week kicks ass, so I hope no one who’s starting is expecting to see more than that, unless you worked out 6 hours a day with Jillian and Bob and had a private chef cook for you while nestled off in a secluded, focused weight-loss ranch. But, most of us are just like me: home a lot, got a significant other who can eat whatever they want (and do!), stressed, with a full schedule and barely any time to cram in a workout. Sound familiar?

I didn’t stay for my meeting today (again). I just can’t stomach the Monday Leader. Plus, (and here’s me being snooty again), I just can’t stand the topics. Maybe it’s because I’ve been doing this for 3 years; I’ve read just about every article on WW Online, I get about 5 fitness magazine subscriptions, including Weight Watchers Magazine and I’m an internet junkie, but some of the things that are covered in topic seem so… basic. Like, stuff that, to me, seems like common sense: "Cut back on mayo and butter!"

You don’t say? blank stare I mean, come on. People are paying for this! Give them something worth driving to the meeting for, like workouts to do during your favorite TV show or how to throw a dinner party for 4 that everyone will enjoy without blowing your Flex Points. Or how to dress 10 lbs thinner. Or like, things to do when you feel like eating. Or WHATEVER. "Cut back on your mayo!" Yeah. Thanks for that, calorie cop.

Anyway, after the Weigh-in this morning, I hit the gym for 30 minutes of unadulterated hell on the elliptical. I was starving, as I’d forgotten to eat before I went, so by the time I got off of the machine at 10am, I was ready to fall down and/or beat someone up for their energy bar. So, I did something “bad” — I drove through McDonald’s on the way home and got an Egg McMuffin: only 7 Points . Definitely not something for every day, but I figured I’d burned 325 calories on the elliptical and it is the beginning of the week, so if I’m going to Flex it, now’s the time.

Things I Did Right Last Week:

1. Exercised 3 times (not my 5 time/10 Activity Point limit, but that’s ok. It’s better than none.)

2. Drank water or Crystal Light when I remembered (again, better than none)

3. Logged my food all last week and didn’t fudge it at all. (Not that I normally do, but you know how sometimes when you are offering live shows on www.jasminelive.online, you’re not positive so you kinda wing it?)

4. Blogged here! smile

5. Didn’t beat myself up (not even close to my usual self-talk).

Ways to Improve This Week:

1. Drink at least 64 oz. of water a day, preferrably more, but at least that.

2. Get 5 workouts in, burning an average of 500 calories a session (which means longer, harder or both).

3. Avoid eating as much unnecessary sugar (hello, Pocky!)

4. Veggies, ho. Veggies. More more more. (I’m trying to exchange my more processed carbs with vegetables when I can)

I hope everyone had a loss this week and if you didn’t, that’s ok! We’ll get ‘em next week.

Wait, You're Not Chinese

I’m waiting for the chinese food guy to get here. You don’t even know how long I sat with the menu before finally deciding what to get. I had to weigh the pros and cons and calculate. Sometimes that’s fun, like a game. Sometimes, it’s just a pain in the ass when you’ve got deep fried, battered spicy orange chicken taunting your very soul. But I did not succumb! I kicked General Tso square in the crotch and ordered steamed vegetable dumplings, diced chicken and broccoli in spicy garlic sauce (minimal oil, white meat only) and steamed brown rice. Kind of boring compared to mike’s chicken fried rice and fried wontons, but at least I won’t be in the bathroom for the rest of the weekend like some people. *cough*

Last night, I just couldn’t subject myself to another round of Leslie Sansone, so I decided I better hit the gym for my last few days before weigh-in. I spent a good 30 minutes on the elliptical, burning around 300 calories. Not as much as I usually do, but it was my first time on it in a while and it really worked up a good sweat, so I’m happy with it.

I try not to watch people at the gym because I don’t want them watching me (though I have to admit it’s kind of hard when you’re wearing a Free Katie t-shirt), but there was a guy in front of me on another type of elliptical — the kind with the arm thingies that move (I hate those). Anyway, he was sweating up buckets and I guess you could consider him… hirsuit. A furbeast, if you will. He had on a Loverboy-style headband and a moustache. I wouldn’t have paid him any mind except he had this weird habit of turning around a lot. He was constantly scoping around things around him, but all shifty-like, as if he thought a band of ninja assassins was going to leap from behind the treadmills. Then, periodically, he would grab the little handles in the middle (the ones that don’t move) and start yanking on them, as though he were shaking someone or the way road rage makes you shake the steering wheel. Not that I know anything about that or anything. oh oh Anyway, it was odd.

24 Hour Fitness is running a Jump-Start campaign for $99 (I can’t find it on their website, but I saw a big sign in my location last night). You get five 25-minute personal training sessions. I think I’m going to get sign up. It sure beats the grand I paid for my first round with my personal trainer. But I will admit it was more than worth it. Sheila rules and I’m so bummed she moved to Miami. But I figure, I know what to do… I just need someone to help me get back on track with a workout plan. Twenty-five minute sessions should be perfect.

Anyway… oh! Ok, so last night I decide after the gym that I’ll go to a Weight Watchers meeting, since I didn’t stay for my meeting on Monday after Weigh-in. I sat in traffic for 45 minutes, got there and the damn place was closed. Bah! So there I am, standing in the parking lot in my workout clothes on a Friday night, trying the locked door of a dark Weight Watchers Center with a bright spotlight streetlamp shining right down on me. How desperate-looking can one get?! LOL!

Declined? Nothing Personal!

If you recently received a notice that your membership was declined or deleted, it’s nothing personal. Promise.

When you register here at the Donut, you’ll be sent an activation email. We do this to help prevent spam, as well as trolls. Let’s face it, some people can be cowardly dicks. So, we try to keep it family-like, no matter how many members we get and we want people to feel free to speak their mind without being given grief. smile Just another service we provide here at the Donut. hehe.

Anyway, I sent two emails this week to “pending” members, alerting that inactive accounts will be deleted by midnight on January 13th. If I received no response from you or you didn’t activate, your account was deleted. Sorry for any inconvenience.

Please feel free to reregister. I won’t delete you and you’re not banned. I just need you to check your spam filter for our email. If you don’t receive one, give me a shout!

And just another friendly reminder to those who may have registered recently, don’t forget to activate your membership in order to read comments and to contribute to the discussions. Thanks!

She Lives!

Just a drive-by, as I have some lunch downstairs that is beckoning to me. I’m feeling much better. I don’t know if it was a 24-hour bug or if I just ate something that didn’t agree with me. The latter is entirely possible, considering Monday night , I ate at a vegan restaurant and while everything pretty much ruled, I took issue with the “mozzarella” in the “Basil, Tomato, Tofu-rella” salad. Tofu, man. I’m all good as long as it’s in my lasagna or whatever, but serve it to me in chunks and we’re going to have words about the texture. Flavor is fine. Funky texture… not s’much.

Anyway, I’m all fine now. I hit the gym today and felt really good about it. I’m putting together a playlist for a 45-minute elliptical workout that I’ll be sharing soon. I’ve been testing it and I think I finally found the best combo. I was hard-pressed not to bust out and dance right there in the gym on track 11. Stay tuned for that. smile

I also hit up Trader Joe’s and ransacked their produce department for microwave-in-the-bag veggies. I’ve got winter squash, I’ve got butternut squash, I’ve got brussel sprouts (who knew I liked those? I hadn’t eaten them since I was 9 or whatever… now I love them!), broccoli, mushrooms, asparagus and finally… finally “Salad for One or Two”. Can I just tell you how much I loathe throwing out those pre-chopped bags of salad? I can never finish a bag before it shrivels! I know they make those “salad for one” kits, but I dind’t want all the dressing and crap. I just wanted the lettuce and TJ’s answered my wishes! I heart Trader Joe’s, even though I couldn’t find the damn frozen brown rice.

Anywho, I’m off to enjoy half of a Chipotle fajita chicken bowl (no tortilla), minus the beans (I’ve got a little rice for carbs and chicken for protein, so I don’t need beans, too) and just about everything decadent they offer like cheese, guacamole and sour cream. It’s all veggies, chicken and salsa. I figured I could add my own fat-free sour cream and cheese if I need it.

Whew. I’m back. Damn, I hate it when I “chick-out”. Stupid hormones. wink Thank you for all your well-wishes. On with the show!