Successful Weight Loss In The Suburbs

Does My Marriage Make Me Look Fat?

2011-03-23T14:59:00.002-05:00

This New York Times Magazine article explores if marriage is good for your health.

In essence it says that a good marriage is good for your health and a bad marriage is not. Duh. There is no doubt in my mind that I am healthier, thinner, happier, cuter, kinder and much more productive when I am getting along with my husband.

(So, not being healthy, thin, happy, cute, kind and productive is all my husband's fault? I thought so. It couldn't be the Doritos.)

Picture Slide Show

2010-12-31T23:55:00.000-06:00

Beyonce Wannabe!

2010-05-13T14:42:00.005-05:00

Last night I stayed up really late and channel surfed. I found Oprah interviewing Geneen Roth author of Women Food and God.

I kind of liked the show and I thought that the message was significant. As much as I have been obsessing about weight loss and how my emotional barometer drives my pursuit of fitness, this particular show should have been a real attention grabber for me. But sorry to say, I just wasn't that inspired. In fact, it had the opposite effect. During the commercial break I ran to the kitchen to fetch a big bowl of Rice Chex.

This morning a friend forwarded a Anita Renfroe video to me. Anita Renfroe is a comedian that I discovered several years ago when her William Tell Overture Mom Song became a YouTube sensation.

The video was Anita's interpretation of Beyonce's "Put a Ring on It." Anita's version? "If I'd known I would have put some cream on it." It was hilarious! The video has since disappeared from the internet. I'm not going to type a nasty diatribe about conservatives and their lacking sense of humor and how they were probably the ugly driving force behind the removal of this fantastic piece of art.

But, I miss Anita's video. It was real inspiration for me!

I totally agree with Oprah and Geneen's work. I need to accept myself just as I am in order to embrace a loving and nurturing lifestyle. If I see myself as crap, that's exactly how I'll treat myself. But the thing that Oprah forgot to tell me, which Anita Renfroe did so well, is that I need to lighten up and get a sense of humor about it all!

Today? It is 2:40pm and, so far, I've eaten beautiful and healthy food, worthy of a Beyonce wannabe!

(Imagine me standing up, walking away from the computer and doing a little Beyonce finger and booty wagging.)

Sabotage

2010-02-22T12:26:00.003-06:00

The first woman that I profiled for my writing project, Success In The Suburbs, is my mother-in-law, Ann. She is also one of the many saboteurs of my weight loss journey. It isn't just the Valentine's cookies. I could probably resist them. (Not really.)

She is that voice in the back of the head that says, "Sacrifice. Family first. Big homemade meals mean love."

Do you have someone in your life like that?

Day 76 Attitude

2009-12-15T18:15:00.025-06:00

All You Need Is A Supportive Husband?

Today is Day 76 in my journey and it marks my return to Successful Weight Loss In The Suburbs. I have not recorded my behavior in this blog for five days. The last time I posted an entry was last Wednesday, Day 70. I’ve certainly not been a perfect example of health and fitness during my first 70 days but I was a perfect recorder. I took the time to record each little, and not so little, morsel that entered my mouth and I recorded my exercise, or lack thereof.

I’m not exactly sure how I let this happen. This blog has meant so much to me but for the last few days I've simply been an emotional miracle and I couldn't work. Either I’m getting my period or my hormones are doing some serious flirting with menopause or my husband actually is an asshole.

Yes, it is possible that it is his fault.

When I met this guy in June 1997, I thought he was one of the most interesting people I had ever met and certainly the best kisser. I was just gaga over him and I didn't hold anything back. I clearly remember how my body melted into his and cooing that I was made to be with him.

So when times are tough, like they have been the last few days, he likes to say things like, "Remember when you used to say that you were made to be with me."

Then I say, "Yes, I remember that and do you remember what you said back to me?"

With plenty of dramatic body language I do my best University of Chicago arrogant intellectual intonation, "Well, you know, Denise, there are over 6.5 billion people on the planet. Since I'm only interested in relationships with about half of them, you know, the women, and taking into consideration natural restrictions, like time and geography, I guess that it is possible, on a suboptimal level, that you may be the perfect woman for me."

Yeah, he is probably an asshole.

This weekend we had a conflict. I was really, really, really mad at him. We talked, loudly, about the actual conflict, but it was difficult for me to hear anything he said because it was always accompanied by some story about how he made sure that my car had a full tank of gas, good wind shield wipers and tires with special siping.

I had to look up the word siping.

He spent the entire weekend reminding me, and God - I'm sure, of all the amazingly sweet, considerate, self sacrificing things that he has done for me and the children and how he always snow blows the neighbors sidewalks, too.

In turn, and without hesitation, I was able to regale him, everyone in our house, and God - if he was still listening at this point, with real stories that negated, contradicted and usually trumped his good deeds. Including the fact that he has some Sick Michigan Bred Tim "The Tool Man" Taylor Power Tool Fetish that takes over his body when he gets behind that noisy snow blower and that he can't stop himself. "You're not snow blowing for ShowPing and Freda. You're snow blowing those sidewalks because you've got a problem!"

Today I think we've finally called a truce. He stopped telling me he is practically the Mesiah and has started rubbing my feet. (Rubbing, not washing, there is a difference.) And I'm writing nasty things about him on my blog.

If you are interested in reading a great article about dysfunctional expectations for marriage, click on this link: Married (Happily) With Issues.

Day 71 Fitness

2009-12-10T21:35:00.000-06:00

Water Aerobics -- 1 hour (in the morning)

I planned to attend a 6:00pm Pilates Reformer Class. But the difficulty of getting my husband, teen-age son and the terrorists to merge into alignment would have caused the world to implode. So I didn't attend my class and thus began my personal meltdown.

Day 70 Fitness

2009-12-09T23:59:00.001-06:00

No Exercise

A couple of women in my neighborhood have a jewelry business named "Rosie Pickles." They had a little party today and I attended, instead of exercising.

Day 70 Nutrition

2009-12-09T23:49:00.003-06:00

Day 70 Nutrition Plan:

Total portions of protein: 6

Total portions of carbohydrates: 6

Total water: 85 oz or 10 1/2 cups

Day 70 Nutrition Actual Accomplishments:
Total portions of protein: 5

Total portions of carbohydrates: 4

Total water: 64 oz

8:00 Breakfast

Leftover Beef Stew

Coffee

16 oz Perrier

12:30 Snack

Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Bread at a Party

Starbucks Double Tall Non-Fat Latte

3:00 Snack

2 Hard Boiled Eggs

16 oz Perrier

6:00 Dinner

BBQ Ribs

Broccoli

16 oz Perrier

8:30 Snack

3 Stale Crackers

Lunch Bag Size of Baked Lay’s Chips

16 oz Perrier

Room For Improvement: I should have had an evening snack with a nice protein and healthy carb such as .... I have no idea. I can't even think of anything that would fit that criteria. My brain just couldn't do it. I was totally craving a bag of chips. I went to Costco today and we have a giant box of Baked Lay's Chips. For some reason everyone digs in when the box first enters the house but the last three bags can sit and sit and sit until I pawn them off an unsuspecting neighbor kid.

Since the kids know that I am the self-anointed Queen of the Kitchen, they always ask me before they have a treat and I almost always say, "yes." So everyone in the house was crunch, crunch, crunching with my blessings. I just had to join them.

WebMD.com has an article about the "Best and Worst Bulk Food Buys" and the Baked Lays Box of 30 bags was their choice for the best Chips Lunch Pack. They used varying criteria for their selections and it is an interesting article even if prices fluctuate.

You get 30 bags (1 3/8 ounces each) at 1$10.88 or 36 cents per bag. Each bag has 130 to 170 calories wtih 2 to 5 fat grams, so 14 to 26% of the calories are from fat.

Victory: Eating leftover beef stew for breakfast made me feel so strong and satisfied. It was a terribly windy, sleety, yucky weather day. But I was properly fueled for it. Breakfast food comes in many different shapes and colors.

Day 69 Fitness

2009-12-08T23:03:00.000-06:00

Water Aerobics -- 1 hour

Pilates Reformer -- 1 hour

Day 69 Nutrition

2009-12-08T22:18:00.039-06:00

Day 69 Nutrition Plan:

Total portions of protein: 6

Total portions of carbohydrates: 6

Total water: 85 oz or 10 1/2 cups

Day 69 Nutrition Actual Accomplishments:
Total portions of protein: 5

Total portions of carbohydrates: 4

Total water: 64 oz

8:00 Breakfast

Coffee

32 oz Water

10:30 Snack

Energizer Protein Shake at Lifetime Cafe

1:00 Lunch at Noodles and Company (with my husband)

Indonesian Peanut Saute with Chicken (550 calories)

8 oz Water

4:00 Snack

Leftover Indonesian Peanut Saute with Chicken (550 calories)

16 oz Perrier

6:30 Dinner

Grilled Chicken Tenderloins

Broccoli and Carrots

8 oz Water

10:00 Snack

Bowl of Pretzels

Room For Improvement: I didn’t eat breakfast which is a huge huge no no.

I found out this morning that my dear friend, Marcie, had a heart attack on Thanksgiving. She is at home in Arizona, recovering. When I learned about this I found myself completely disoriented. I wrote a note to her husband but I fumbled with my computer to the point of not being able to send the note. Frustrated, I fumbled my way out the door and went to the health club for my water aerobics class.

Of course I was late. I apologized to the instructor and my classmates. “I’m sorry to be late. This morning I learned that one of my girlfriends had a heart attack. She is at home and doing fine but I'm a little confused. She is just 50 years old.”

I hopped into the pool next to a classmate, whom I’ve come to really like. She said, “Heart attacks are a phenomena of your generation, our generation of women didn’t have as many heart attacks when we were your age. You are dealing with a completely new level of stress.”

Then she said something about work and children and money and societal pressures but we were jogging in the pool with our legs pulled high and wide, as if we were football players running that tire drill, so I didn’t hear everything perfectly. But I think I understood her.

I agree with her assessment that, basically, we are wound a bit tighter than they were 30 years ago, but I was curious if her statement was statistically accurate. Are women having more heart attacks?

It seems that my water aerobics friend is kind of right.

Since 1984, the number of women who died from cardiovascular disease deaths has exceeded those for men. In 2005, 52% of all deaths from cardiovascular disease were women. That year 454,613 women died from cardiovascular disease, 268,890 died from all forms of cancer, 41,613 died from breast cancer and 69,105 died from lung cancer. You can download a quick one page report and graph from the American Heart Association here.

My friend Marcie is healthy and has always been slender. She played a lot of golf and seems fit. She doesn’t smoke. She has an adoring husband and a great relationship with her four grown kids. When she visited us last September she nursed one glass of red wine (which is supposed to be good for the heart) for two hours. She’s not a big boozer.

She sells real estate in Arizona, during our nation's worst real estate market , so that could account for her stress, but Marcie just doesn't seem to be a candidate for heart disease.

I plan to call Marcie tomorrow to wish her well and I am sure that I will learn more about her specific situation.

When I told my husband about Marcie, I also told him about my friend at water aerobics class who thinks that my generation leads a more stressful existence which might contribute to the statistic that since 1984 more women have died from heart disease than men.

He said, “Yeah, for years women have been trying to get what men got and now they got what men get.”

The guy is practically William Shakespeare.

Birthday celebration September 2009 at our house. We all share birthdays within a few weeks of one another. Back row: Marcie and my husband. Front row: me, my stepdaughter Lizzie and our youngest goofy daughter Randi.

Victory: I listened to my body at lunch and I only ate until I was satisfied. I saved the other half for later in the day. When I sat at the computer to record my meals I was shocked to learn that the meal that my husband had ordered for me at Noodles and Company had 1100 calories! Wowza! I'm sad that I ate the whole thing, but thank goodness I didn't eat the whole thing in one sitting!

Day 69 Attitude

2009-12-08T20:24:00.001-06:00

This is the message that I sent to Marcie's husband from snowy Illinois:

Dearest Brian,

I am so terribly sad to hear about Marcie. I am having a hard time thinking of what to say. I just want to drive right over to the house and rub her feet and smooch the top of her head about 100 times and make something delicious to eat and scrub your kitchen floor (kitchen floors always need scrubbing). I have been obsessing about Marcie the last few days for some reason. On Sunday night, I even crawled up into the cabinet and pulled down my only box of General Foods International Coffee, Vienna. I repeated to my family, for the 1,000 time, that this is the drink that Marcie and I used to share. I insisted that Russ taste it, you know, so he could feel the love. (Yes, Brian, he is a real man. He doesn't like it, either.) Without adding anything to Marcie's to do list, would you let her know that I am available for phone conversation, at her leisure. I read a comment on your Facebook page from someone that said, "Marcie has a good heart." Isn't that the understatement of the year? All of my love and best wishes for peace and recovery. Of course, I am praying for Marcie but I am also praying for you and the children. I know it must have been very scary for all of you.

Love,

Denise, Russ, JC, Tommy, Lizzy, Jonathan, Randi and Alex

Brian's response from sunny Arizona:

Denise

Thanks, feel free to call her, 602-558-9200, she is doing pretty well and phone visits lift her spirits. I think it would be too far to drive especially through all that snow, yuk. Thanks again for the thoughts and prayers.

I guess 32 years of me finally took it's toll.

Brian

Day 68 Fitness

2009-12-07T23:57:00.001-06:00

Pilates Reformer -- 1 hour

Day 68 Nutrition

2009-12-07T16:39:00.002-06:00

Day 68 Nutrition Plan:

Total portions of protein: 6

Total portions of carbohydrates: 6

Total water: 85 oz or 10 1/2 cups

Day 68 Nutrition Actual Accomplishments:
Total portions of protein: 5

Total portions of carbohydrates: 4

Total water: 64 oz

8:00 Breakfast

Scrambled Eggs with Canadian Bacon

Coffee

11:30 Lunch

Big Salad

Romaine, apples, sundried tomatoes, purple cabbage, chives, tomatoes, cucumbers, feta, hard boiled egg for protein and a light coating of two different kinds of dressings (emptied the bottoms of two bottles in the refrigerator).

16 oz Perrier

2:00 Snack

Barry’s Irish Tea with Milk

3:00 Snack

Amy’s Organic Minestrone

(this soup was mushy and I don’t recommend it)

16 oz Perrier

5:00 Snack

The Last Bit of Cheez-It Snacks!

10 Almonds

7:00 Halloween Candy Bowl Raid

Cherry Flavored Blow-Pop

7:00 Snack

Beef Stew

16 oz Perrier

10:30 Pantry Raid

Big Bag of Microwave Popcorn

16 oz Perrier

Room For Improvement: I need to get to bed sooner! When I get really tired my body yells, loudly, “Jane, you ignorant slut!” OK, my body doesn’t actually call me Jane. But it is fed up with my ignorance, for sure. When I am especially tired, like I was tonight, I feel weak and the ensuing pantry raid is so predictable that I suppose I deserve a little name calling.

Enjoy this two minute classic skit from Saturday Night Live.

Tonight I’m going to go to bed when my little kids go to bed and read a book by comedian Susie Essman titled What Would Susie Say? Bullshit Wisdom About Love, Life and Comedy. Susie is known for her roll as the foul mouthed Susie Greene on the HBO hit show Curb Your Enthusiasm. We don’t have HBO at our house but I feel like I know the show because it gets so much press. I didn’t know about Susie, per se, until I picked up her book at Barnes and Noble last week.

She is a stepmother to four teenage children which computes perfectly to me, what with her being the queen of four letter words. I guess the comedian part is the ultimate manifestation of the old saying, "If I don't laugh I will cry." This woman may be my soul mate.

Victory: The 48 oz Cheez-It Snack Mix is DEAD!

Day 67 Fitness

2009-12-06T23:20:00.000-06:00

No Exercise

Day 67 Nutrition

2009-12-06T20:20:00.002-06:00

Day 67 Nutrition Plan:

Total portions of protein: 6

Total portions of carbohydrates: 6

Total water: 85 oz or 10 1/2 cups

Day 67 Nutrition Actual Accomplishments:
Total portions of protein: 4

Total portions of carbohydrates: 4

Total water: 74 oz

9:00 Breakfast

Oatmeal with raisins and craisins

Coffee

12:30

Starbucks Double Tall Non-Fat Latte

2:00 Lunch

KIND Apricot and Almond Bar

Leftover Mashed Potatoes

16 oz Perrier

6:00 Dinner

Meatloaf

Corn on the Cob

10 oz Water

8:30 Snack

Barry’s Irish Tea with Milk

Room For Improvement: I need to add some green food to my diet. Everything I ate today was kind of beige.

Victory: I am not counting calories, I swear, but I think that I ate enough to make my body move the scale a bit! I am ready to see that needle move.

Day 66 Fitness

2009-12-05T23:19:00.001-06:00

No Exercise

Day 66 Nutrition

2009-12-05T20:13:00.001-06:00

Day 66 Nutrition Plan:

Total portions of protein: 6

Total portions of carbohydrates: 6

Total water: 85 oz or 10 1/2 cups

Day 66 Nutrition Actual Accomplishments:
Total portions of protein: 4

Total portions of carbohydrates: 4

Total water: 74 oz

9:00 Breakfast

Scrambled Eggs and Canadian Bacon

Coffee

1:00 Lunch

Huge Lettuce Salad

16 oz Perrier

6:00 Dinner

Pork Tenderloin

Mashed Potatoes

Carrots and Brocolli

8:00 Snack

International Coffee

12:00 Snack

Cheez-it Snack Mix

Room For Improvement: I only ate three times today. I stayed up way too late and I was exhausted. When I am exhausted my body starts yelling at me. I usually feed it something evil (Cheez-It Snack Mix) to shut it up.

Victory: I only ate three times today, but they were really nice healthy balanced meals!

Day 65 Fitness

2009-12-04T23:18:00.000-06:00

No Exercise

Day 65 Nutrition

2009-12-04T22:57:00.002-06:00

Day 65 Nutrition Plan:

Total portions of protein: 6

Total portions of carbohydrates: 6

Total water: 85 oz or 10 1/2 cups

Day 65 Nutrition Actual Accomplishments:
Total portions of protein: 3

Total portions of carbohydrates: 4

Total water: 80 oz

8:00 Breakfast

Scrambled Eggs with Canadian Bacon

Coffee

16 oz Perrier

10:30 Snack

Oatmeal with raisins and craisins

16 oz Perrier

12:00 Lunch

3 packages of Dried Pears

3:00 Snack

Grande Chai Tea Non-Fat Latte

16 oz Perrier

6:00 Dinner

Key Lime Pie Yoplait Yogurt

Bowl of Cheez-it Snack Mix

7:00 Snack

Tuna Sandwich

16 oz Perrier

Room For Improvement: I have a beautiful Pork Tenderloin waiting in the refrigerator to be cooked but it is hard to pick at a Pork Tenderloin while plucking away on my keyboard like I can do with a Snack Mix! I should have had more protein throughout the day. I spent the day writing and letting my sore muscles recover.

Victory: I ate several little meals today which is an improvement.

Day 64 Fitness

2009-12-03T20:26:00.002-06:00

Water Aerobics -- 1 hour
Exercise Bicycle -- 15 minutes
Lots of Stretching and working on the foam roller -- 1 hour

This is easily the most pain I have had to date. My back is hurting and my hip flexors are sore. I'm not certain what I have done but I am really, really sore. Tomorrow I will have not exercise and try to give my body a chance to heal.

Day 64 Nutrition

2009-12-03T20:24:00.001-06:00

Day 64 Nutrition Plan:

Total portions of protein: 6

Total portions of carbohydrates: 6

Total water: 85 oz or 10 1/2 cups

Day 64 Nutrition Actual Accomplishments:
Total portions of protein: 3

Total portions of carbohydrates: 4

Total water: 115 oz

9:00 Breakfast

Scrambled Eggs

51 oz Water

12:00 Lunch

Apple

Kind Almond and Apricot Bar

16 oz Perrier

2:00 Snack

Apple

16 oz Perrier

4:00 Dinner

1 cup Hummus

2 bowls of Stacy’s Baked Pita Chips

16 oz Perrier

8:30 Snack

Peach Activia Yogurt

16 oz Perrier

Room For Improvement: I have a refrigerator full of delicious salad makings but I was so focused on my job that I didn’t want to take the time to put a salad together. That’s why I had two little bowls of hummus and two bowls of pita chips for dinner. Quick and easy assembly! I have so many words in my brain that need to be pushed onto paper that it is like I have some sick obsession that prevents me from making a decent meal for myself. I almost feel like my job, writing, is some kind of hooky from my real life. I don’t love writing. I have to do it. The beauty of this blog is that my writing about food helped me get that part of my life into better focus so that I can have a more balanced life.

Victory: Water! Water! Water!

Day 63 Fitness

2009-12-02T23:23:00.000-06:00

Pilates -- 1 hour

Day 63 Nutrition

2009-12-02T21:16:00.008-06:00

Day 63 Nutrition Plan:

Total portions of protein: 6

Total portions of carbohydrates: 6

Total water: 85 oz or 10 1/2 cups

Day 63 Nutrition Actual Accomplishments:
Total portions of protein: 4

Total portions of carbohydrates: 4

Total water: 74 oz

9:00 Breakfast

2 Hard Boiled Eggs

Apple

32 oz Perrier

1:00 Lunch

Apple

Hummus

Baked Pita Chips

16 oz Perrier

6:00 Dinner

Meatheads

1/2 Single Hamburger

Fries

8 oz Water

8:30 Snack

Bowl of Cheezit Snack Mix

16 oz Perrier

Room For Improvement: I was so exhausted that I was easily coerced into taking the two little kids to their restaurant of choice, Meatheads. Yikes! I shared a burger with my daughter and ate more than my share of fries.

Victory: I ate two apples and drank 64 oz of water!

Attitude: I’ve got a problem.

My husband and I tell one another everything. When I get a pimple on my butt he knows about it and, unfortunately, vice versa. But I am not going to tell him about the little episode that happened to me today because he will just say to me, “Denise, you’ve got a problem.”

But I’m terrible at keeping secrets and I’m pretty confident that he isn’t reading my food logs so this is a safe place for my confession, so here it goes.

He was in LaJolla, California tonight eating Oolong Sea Bass at PF Chang’s (I told you he tells me everything) so back at home I took the two little kids to Meatheads for a special treat. We have taken the kids to the Meatheads restaurant four different times since they opened. The name alone is reason enough for my kids to love this joint. Each time we have been there, this guy, sometimes two guys, obviously the owners, are seated at tables in the restaurant. They have laptops and piles of papers and cell phones going. At first I thought, cool, these guys are on site. They are making sure everything is running smoothly. This is going to be a successful business.

But on this visit I realized that we, and other customers, were making an effort to stay out of their space. One of the guys, the regular, is a big handsome sort who, I’ll bet you, drives a Hummer. He started pacing around the tables while talking on his cell phone. My husband does this all the time. I like to call it the “I’m working on a big damn deal with lots of zeros attached to it and, wow, does it ever make me feel like I have ants in my pants prance.”

So, the crazy, loud and wild, Meathead dining experience that my kids, miniature meatheads, were looking for felt more like eating dinner at home where we have to keep our voices down because Daddy is in the next room doing that same “... ants in his pants prance” instead of sitting at his desk in his office with the damn door closed.

Now, believe it or not, I don’t consider it my responsibility to mother the entire planet. I just want everyone to reach their full potential, it is my own little philanthropic contribution to the world. That’s why I had to talk to them.

I tried, unsuccessfully, to make eye contact with either of them. Twenty years and twenty pounds ago I probably could have gotten some kind of attention, but I couldn’t get either of them to acknowledge me. So Mohammed would have to go to the mountain. I sent my two little kids outside the restaurant, where I could see them through the glass windows. I have to do this because none of my children appreciate my need to make the world a better place.

I walked towards the prancer, with my hand up as if asking permission to speak, he just put his head down and turned on his heel so he could continue his phone conversation. Then I walked over to the fellow who was seated, also on his cell phone. After a few moments of standing at his table, he still didn’t acknowledge me, so I finally spoke, “Hi! Are you one of the owners of this restaurant?”

He said yes, but he didn’t remove the phone from his ear.

“We just finished eating and I thought that you might appreciate some customer feedback.”

He let the phone drop down from his ear, clearly intending to get right back to the conversation.

We looked at one another with perfunctory, fake smiles. “Sure,” he said.

By now you can see where this is going.

Don’t get ahead of me. My problem is not Meatheads.

My problem is that I can’t keep my opinions to myself. I worked in advertising and marketing for 25 years and over that time I worked with a lot of small business owners, including restauranteurs, and I can’t tell you how many times I would develop campaigns only to see them laid impotent when the customer walked in the door. Getting the customer to the door is only part of the equation of building revenue, once that prospective customer touches their toe inside your shop you need to wrap your arms around them.

I’ve got a purse full of pent up frustration about ad campaigns that didn’t generate the kind of measurable results they could have because a retailer didn’t do their part of the job once the warm bodies showed up at their door step.

A Chicago food joint that understands the importance of customer satisfaction and retention is Portillo’s. Earlier in the week, I took my two little meatheads to Portillo’s (a very unhealthy week of dining) and the founder/owner, Dick Portillo, was there walking around the store chatting with customers. When we were ready to leave the restaurant, Mr. Portillo, who was seated at a small table sans laptop or cellphone, thanked each of us for coming to the restaurant and looked into my little kid’s eyes and asked, as if he really wanted to know, “How was your dinner?”

That is putting your arms around a customer. Give me great product and service and act like you care about my experience which means that you appreciate the hard earned money I just forked over. And if you really want to consummate the deal, act like you care about my kid’s happiness.

After my less than perfect experience at Meatheads I should have just voted with my feet and never returned. That’s what any normal person would do, but like Malcolm In The Middle’s overbearing, authoritarian, borderline crazy mother, I’ve never met a line that I won’t cross. If you don't know Lois, already, you must watch the first three minutes of this video.

I stood in front of this fellow at Meatheads, looking him straight in the eye. Finally he simply clicked the cell phone in his hand off or put it on mute, without saying good-bye or I’ll be right back or anything, confirming my suspicions that his phone call probably wasn’t important enough to ignore a paying customer standing right in front him. Either that or he didn’t want the person on the other line to hear what I was about to say.

I began my One Minute Manager speech which I perfected in the 1980's. State the purpose of the conversation, praise ‘em and then whack ‘em.

“My children and I just finished eating here. The food is good and your decor is fun. We really like the beautiful pictures of Naperville and I see that you’ve even put effort into decorating for the holidays.” I touched one of the many Christmas bulbs hanging from every single light over every single table, for emphasis. “I know that takes time and money. I want you to know that, as a customer and as a person who spent 25 years in advertising and marketing, I really appreciate that kind of attention to detail. In fact, I believe that the quality of the atmosphere of a restaurant can be nearly as important as the quality of the food.”

“This is the fourth time that we have been to your restaurant and it is the fourth time that your partner, or both of you, have been playing office in the main dining area. I’ve gotta tell you we came here for a wild and crazy Meathead kind of experience.” I leaned back and did a little jazz dance with my hands in the air for effect which was a bit too much, now that I think about it, but I was getting myself kind of worked up and I tend to get hyperbolic in confrontational situations, even if they are of my own making. “Instead, my two little kids and I felt like we were imposing on your personal office space. That’s not all that wild and crazy and Meathead-ish to us. If we wanted to sit and eat quietly so we wouldn’t disturb some guy pacing back and forth while he was on an important phone call we could have stayed at home with my husband.”

He kind of fake laughed when I made fun of my husband. My husband is right, the middle aged, chubby white guy is a universally acceptable place to poke fun. As I walked away I added, “I’ve learned that I am a pretty average gal. If I feel like this, other people are probably feeling the same thing. It’s just something to think about.”

And that was it. In a blink, I was outside with my kids. We walked through the empty parking spaces to our car. I looked down the sidewalk of the strip shopping center where the prancer was still on his cell phone. He was walking towards the Buffalo Wild Wings, where the parking lot was overflowing. Even more for them to think about.

After writing this piece I went to the bookshelf to pick-up my copy of The One Minute Manager for old time sake. Right next to it was Dale Carnegie's How To Win Friends and Influence People. Something for me to think about.

Day 62 Fitness

2009-12-01T19:19:00.000-06:00

Water Aerobics -- 1 hour

Day 62 Nutrition

2009-12-01T18:40:00.000-06:00

Day 62 Nutrition Plan:

Total portions of protein: 6

Total portions of carbohydrates: 6

Total water: 85 oz or 10 1/2 cups

Day 62 Nutrition Actual Accomplishments:
Total portions of protein: 5

Total portions of carbohydrates: 4

Total water: 86 oz

9:00 Breakfast

16 oz Water

Piece of Toast with Peanut Butter

50 oz Water

11:00 Lunch

Chipotle Salad with Black Beans, Carnitas, Chicken, Salsas

10 oz Water

Apple

2:00 Snack

Starbucks Double Tall Non-Fat Latte

6:00 Dinner

Brand New Portillo’s Restaurant in Bolingbrook

1/3 Chopped Salad (no pasta)

Some French Fries

A Chicken Strip

Frozen Custard

8:30 Snack

Peanut Butter and Jelly Sandwich

3 Reese’s Peanut Butter Cup

10:00

16 oz Perrier

Victory: I rocked on water today!

Room For Improvement: I am an emotional eater. When life is good, I’m snacking on radishes and celery. When things aren’t so great, I raid the children’s Halloween candy and make peanut butter and jelly sandwiches!

Day 61 Fitness

2009-11-30T23:53:00.011-06:00

Pilates -- 1 hour

Walking -- 30 minutes total (with the dog)

I am exhausted today. I am sitting on the sofa with my laptop in the same clothes I wore to Pilates class early this morning. My son took this picture of me. He took several because he thought my smile looked fake. I guess it will take me a while to ramp up my energy.

Last Monday; Pilates
Last Tuesday; Water Aerobics
Last Wednesday; Slept the entire day!
Last Thursday; Thanksgiving with Relatives
Last Friday; Visiting More Relatives
Last Saturday; Bike Ride (10 miles)
Yesterday, Sunday; Nothing

In the past week I put myself through my worst days of this 61 day journey. I got in a huge fight with my husband on Wednesday and all I could do was sleep. I recovered enough to travel in the car for five hours sitting next to my nemesis but I am still dragging a bit. I hope that a renewed commitment to good fitness and nutrition will help turn my head and heart in a different direction.

Day 61 Nutrition

2009-11-30T20:19:00.013-06:00

Day 61 Nutrition Plan:

Total portions of protein: 6

Total portions of carbohydrates: 6

Total water: 85 oz or 10 1/2 cups

Day 61 Nutrition Actual Accomplishments:
Total portions of protein: 5

Total portions of carbohydrates: 4

Total water: 52 oz

9:00 Breakfast

Leftover Beef Stew with Carrots

20 oz Water

11:00 Lunch

Lettuce Salad w/ Sun Dried Tomatoes, Fresh Tomatoes and Feta

Wild Alaskan Salmon

16 oz Perrier

2:00 Snack

Barry’s Irish Tea with Milk

4:00 Dinner

2 Turkey Burgers

7:30 Snack

1/2 cup Hummus

Pita Chips

8:00 Snack

Grapes

16 oz Water

Victory: I made a beautiful salad and amazing Wild Alaskan Salmon for my husband and myself for lunch.

While making turkey burgers for dinner, I made an extra large batch. For dinner I cooked 6 burgers. At the same time, I shaped 4 small loafs and 1 large loaf. We ate our burgers while the loafs cooked. While doing dishes I wrapped up the loafs in several layers of Saran Wrap and threw them in the freezer. I’ll take a little loaf out of the freezer for a quick after school snack or to feed a famished teen-ager at 10pm. The children adore this food and because I make different shapes (burgers, small loafs and large loaf) they actually perceive it to be different food.

I’m not kidding.

My 10 year old son saw the loafs come out of the oven and he said, “I could have had meatloaf instead of a burger?!” I reminded him that his burger, which we ate without buns, was meatloaf in the shape of a burger. “Oh, Mommmmm” he snorted, as if I had just told him that, "girls are made of sugar and spice and everything nice, the moon is made of cheese and babies are delivered by storks."

The turkey burgers/meatloafs that I threw together tonight were especially yummy and the kids really liked it, regardless of what I called it. Like two separate galaxies colliding, miracle of miracles, I liked it too!

At this point in my life, or simply due to my innately rebellious personality, I rarely follow recipes. I always, always read recipes but I rarely follow them exactly. I cook by how things look and feel and taste and smell. I put a little bit of my own twist on things, like pureeing the onion so the kids don’t have to deal with the texture of onion bits (a trick I picked up from my sneaky mother-in-law, Ann). Plus, being a good country girl, I pride myself in never letting food go to waste so I always try to add or substitute ingredients that I already have on hand. Below is the recipe from tonight’s meatloaf, which may never be repeated again. I’m not saying that it isn’t worthy of repeating. What I am confessing is that I don’t really use exact measurements. I cook by feel so the ingredient measurements may not be exact so it may never, ever taste the same as it tasted tonight, but it is really hard to mess up meatloaf. The next time I make meatloaf I will be working to top the last one I made.

Regardless, here is what I tossed together:

Turkey Meatloaf Recipe

4 lbs ground turkey breast (low calorie and inexpensive)

1 lb organic ground beef (very flavorful but too high in calories, fat and cost)

2 cups Italian bread crumbs

1/4 cup Worcestershire Sauce

6 whole eggs

1/2 large onion pureed (kids love the flavor, not the texture)

Top with Barbecue Sauce

Puree the onion, toss in the eggs and blend. Combine all ingredients in a large bowl and mix really well with your hands. Pat into loaf tins or shape as burgers. Top the meat with a gentle coat of barbecue sauce. Bake at 350 degrees until done. While the loafs are warm, wrap them up in several layers of Saran Wrap and freeze immediately. This product freezes and reheats beautifully!

I love feeding my family healthy homemade food but some days it was just impossible so I would find myself in the fast food drive through line. Nowadays, I try to avoid drive through windows. I simply cook double or triple quantities a few days a week and freeze the leftovers in small portion sizes, like I did tonight. It takes slightly more effort and by preparing and freezing my family's favorite foods, I can feed us faster than you can say "Happy Meal."

My freezer is stocked and ready to serve us interesting, flavor packed food. Slow cooked beef tips in a bourguignon sauce which can be used in a variety of dishes or simply served next to a pile of rice. Chicken breasts in stock for my children's current food fetish, chicken noodle soup. (In this picture you can see my best and most beautiful homemade chicken stock, ever.) Pork ribs that have been boiled and prepped, just add sauce and slow cook in the oven for a few hours. Sauteed garlicky mushrooms for sauces and stews. Ground turkey taco meat for tacos and taco burgers. Every couple of months or so, I cook four pounds of bacon at one time. I layer the cooked bacon between sheets of butcher paper in a container in the freezer so that my bacon eaters can warm a slice or two in the microwave oven without the bacon grease mess and smell. My husband loves it when I crumble a slice of warm crispy bacon on top of a salad!

Today I get to add the meat loafs.

I'll use this food supply within 60 days and I prefer to use it only when time is of the essence.

Room for Improvement: I should have had a pretty green vegetable with my turkey burger instead of having a second turkey burger. In addition, the hummus and pita chips aren’t the perfect diet food, either, but I ate a reasonable portion size and I was able to satisfy my hunger while sitting on the sofa next to my daughter, while watching 13 going on 30. That is much more important than spending 20 minutes in the kitchen steaming broccoli.

Day 60 Nutrition

2009-11-29T23:13:00.003-06:00

Day 60 Nutrition Plan:

Total portions of protein: 6

Total portions of carbohydrates: 6

Total water: 85 oz or 10 1/2 cups

Day 60 Nutrition Actual Accomplishments:
Total portions of protein: 6

Total portions of carbohydrates: 3

Total water: 60 oz

9:00 Breakfast

Blueberry Activia Yogurt (200 Calories)

11:00 Lunch

Starbucks Egg White and Turkey Bacon Muffin (350 Calories)

Starbucks Double Tall Non-Fat Latte (100 Calories)

4:00 Dinner

Huge Salad (Veggies, Feta, Salami, Dressing) (500 Calories)

8:00 Snack

Barry’s Irish Tea with Milk (25 Calories)

9:00 Snack

10 Almonds (100 Calories)

16 oz Perrier

THEY DON'T COUNT

Victory: Just for fun I counted my calories today. I am just under 1300 calories. I prefer not to focus on calories but since I had several crazy eating and non-exercising days in a row I have decided to really put myself under a microscope today. I think 1300 calories is a reasonable count for me so I consider it a Victorious eating day.

But, as a general rule for my own life, I don’t want to be a counter of calories or fat grams or carbohydrates or points (no offense to my Weight Watchers friends).

I know that sounds a little bit naive but I have a reason for not wanting to count calories or fat grams or carbohydrates or points or such. I want to be so connected to my body and my environment that I don’t need a calculator or food label to drive my decisions about what to put into my mouth. I don't want to be afraid of food.

The women in the picture above are happy and healthy and thin and they don't count calories or fat or carbs or points. I am related to each of these beautiful women and I would love to have the kind of relationship they have with food.

I want to revel in the process of planning and shopping and cooking meals, like my French sister-in-law, Cristel. I want to teach myself to slowly savor the flavors of my food, like my mother-in-law Ann, who is always the last person sitting and eating at the table. And like the lovely young girls, my daughters and nieces, I want to really celebrate my life with delicious food and drink. I want to follow their lead and groan with pleasure when eating one of Grandma Ann's warm homemade chocolate chip cookies. I don't want to check the nutritional information first.

I want to live a healthy, happy and thin life but I don’t want to be a counter.

Room for Improvement: I had a really good food day today. But I was a bit low on my water consumption.

Day 59 Fitness

2009-11-28T22:22:00.002-06:00

Bike Ride -- 10.5 miles

Day 59 Nutrition

2009-11-28T22:21:00.001-06:00

Day 59 Nutrition Plan:

Total portions of protein: 6

Total portions of carbohydrates: 6

Total water: 85 oz or 10 1/2 cups

Day 59 Nutrition Actual Accomplishments:
Total portions of protein: 5

Total portions of carbohydrates: 4

Total water: 60 oz

9:00 Breakfast

Coffee

Scrambled Eggs

20 oz Perrier

1:00 Lunch

Activia Blueberry Yogurt

Honey Crisp Apple

20 oz Water

6:00 Dinner

Beef Stew

Honey Crisp Apple Slices

8:30 Snack

Barry’s Irish Tea with Milk

10:00 Snack

Cottage Cheese

Peach Activia Yogurt

20 oz Perrier

Victory: I drank very little coffee today!

Room for Improvement: I had a really good food day today. But I was a bit low on my water consumption.

Day 58 Fitness

2009-11-27T23:17:00.031-06:00

No Exercise

Day 58 Nutrition

2009-11-27T23:17:00.028-06:00

Day 58 Nutrition Plan:

Total portions of protein: 6

Total portions of carbohydrates: 6

Total water: 85 oz or 10 1/2 cups

Day 58 Nutrition Actual Accomplishments:
Total portions of protein: 4

Total portions of carbohydrates: 6

Total water: 22 oz

6:30 Breakfast at Starbucks

1/2 Starbucks Double Tall Non-Fat Latte (100 calories less half = 50 calories)

Starbucks Turkey Bacon Egg White Wheat English Muffin (330 calories)

10 oz Water

11:00

1/2 Chelsea Roll from Hermann’s Bakery in Royal Oak, MI

Buffalo Spice and Ranch Dorito Chips (240 calories)

4 Homemade Chocolate Chip Cookies

1:30 Lunch

Taco Bell
Burrito Supreme

Taco

12 oz Water

5:00 Dinner

Kentucky Fried Chicken

1/2 Chicken Pot Pie (350 calories)

4 Hot Chicken Wings (70 calories x 4 wings = 280 calories)

Diet Soda

6:30 Road Snack

2 Cinnamon Twist Donuts from Hermann's Bakery

11:30 Late Night Cupboard Raping

I must have eaten 1,000 calories in absolute garbage!

Day 57 Fitness

2009-11-26T23:16:00.000-06:00

No Exercise

Day 57 Nutrition

2009-11-26T22:47:00.020-06:00

Day 57 Nutrition Plan:

Total portions of protein: 6

Total portions of carbohydrates: 6

Total water: 85 oz or 10 1/2 cups

Day 57 Nutrition Actual Accomplishments:
Total portions of protein: 4

Total portions of carbohydrates: 6

Total water: 62 oz

1:00 Breakfast

Granola Bar from a Gas Station

32 oz Perrier

4:00 Thanksgiving

Champagne

Pate and Toast

Sturgeon Caviar and Toast

Beef Wellington

Mashed Potatoes and Gravy

Stuffing

Fennel

Turkey

Homemade Cranberries

Poached Pear

Pumpkin Dessert

8 oz Fattoria Zerbina Ceregio Italian Wine (fantastic with dinner and only $15)

More Wine Tasting (another 3 glasses -- 4 oz each)

30 oz Water

10:00 Late Night Snack

Sour Cream and Onion Potato Chips

Pepperoni

Victory: I drank NO coffee, again, today!

Room for Improvement: I am still recovering from an emotional breakdown on Day 56. Mistake number one is that I didn't eat breakfast. I did taste wonderful flavors at my husband's brother's home. But after the Thanksgiving Celebration, my husband and I returned to his parent’s house. The little kids pounded on the piano and we sat at their kitchen counter and ate garbage!

Day 56 Fitness

2009-11-25T23:15:00.000-06:00

No Exercise

Day 56 Nutrition

2009-11-25T22:13:00.004-06:00

Day 56 Nutrition Plan:

Total portions of protein: 6

Total portions of carbohydrates: 6

Total water: 85 oz or 10 1/2 cups

Day 56 Nutrition Actual Accomplishments:
Total portions of protein: 2

Total portions of carbohydrates: 4

Total water: 32 oz

9:00 Breakfast

Steel Cut Oatmeal with Raisins and Craisins

Green Tea with Lemon

16 oz Perrier

1:00 Snack

Cheezit Brand Mixed Snacks

8:00 Dinner

Chicken Noodle Soup

Mashed Potatoes

Cheezit Brand Mixed Snacks

16 oz Perrier

Victory: I drank NO coffee today!

Room for Improvement: This day is by far the worst day I have had in my journey. We had a huge melt down at our house and I spent most of the day with a pillow over my head. I didn't eat many calories but that is not how I stay strong and slender.

How do your emotions affect weight loss?

Details to follow.

Day 55 Fitness

2009-11-24T22:06:00.001-06:00

Water Aerobics -- 1 hour

I hate being this woman but here it goes. I want to tell the people in my water aerobics class that talk so loud that I can't here the instructor to SHUT-UP!

Day 55 Nutrition

2009-11-24T20:33:00.002-06:00

Day 55 Nutrition Plan:

Total portions of protein: 6

Total portions of carbohydrates: 6

Total water: 85 oz or 10 1/2 cups

Day 55 Nutrition Actual Accomplishments:
Total portions of protein: 5

Total portions of carbohydrates: 5

Total water: 72 oz

9:00 Breakfast

Green Tea with Lemon

30 oz Water

11:45 Snacks in the Car

Starbucks Vivanno Banana Mango with Matcha

Honey Crisp Apple

Bag of Celery

2:00 Lunch

Starbucks Oatmeal with Nuts and Dried Fruit

20 oz Green Ginger Tea

3:30 Snack

8 oz Homemade Chicken Noodle Soup

6:00 Dinner

Portillo’s

1/2 Chopped Salad no Pasta

20 oz Orange Spice Tea

10:00 Snack

Cheezit Brand Mixed Snacks

20 oz Perrier

Victory: I had a bag of celery and a couple of Apples stashed in the car so that I could snack while scooting around the suburbs. (Notice that I'm behind a successful suburban mommy driving a Mercedes.)

Room for Improvement: I should have put myself to bed before I got overtired and had to eat those damn Cheezit Brand Mixed Snacks.

Day 54 Fitness

2009-11-23T23:37:00.002-06:00

Exercise Bicycle -- 20 minutes

Weight Lifting -- 40 minutes

I went to our health club, Lifetime Fitness Club (click here for a free 7 day pass) , with my husband. There were some women working out in the weight lifting equipment area that looked amazing. One woman had on a top that looked a lot like a summer halter top. It had only strings criss-crossing her back. Her back muscles were gorgeous and her breasts, without any visible support, were magically standing at attention. A woman this striking is hard not to notice and it seemed like every time I turned around I saw her, if not in person, in the reflections of the mirrors.

Part of me was intimidated by this amazing looking woman and part of me wanted to ask her if I could take her picture so I could tape it on my bathroom mirror for inspiration.

My husband and I looked at her, then looked at one another, and when we thought that she was out of earshot we ooh and aaahed. That started a series of "check out that other woman's back" and "look at another woman's arms" and "what about her!" Instead of being intimidated and running for the cover of my water aerobics class, I studied the instructional diagrams on each machine, adjusted the weights, lifted a set of 15, adjusted the weights again and lifted until my muscles fatigued. Then I moved to the next machine. Every now and then my husband lifted next to me or he offered advice when he saw that I was struggling.

It was actually fun.

I love that my husband makes me feel safe and sexy in the midst of weight lifting goddesses.

Day 54 Nutrition

2009-11-23T22:42:00.004-06:00

Day 54 Nutrition Plan:

Total portions of protein: 6

Total portions of carbohydrates: 6

Total water: 85 oz or 10 1/2 cups

Day 54 Nutrition Actual Accomplishments:
Total portions of protein: 4

Total portions of carbohydrates: 5

Total water: 72 oz

9:00 Breakfast

Starbucks Double Tall Non-Fat Latte

Banana

20 oz Water

11:45 Lunch

Lifetime Cafe

Walnut, Cranberry, Blue Cheese Salad

Balsamic Dressing

12 oz Evian Water

2:00 Snack

Apple

15 Almonds

3:30 Snack

Starbucks Double Tall Non-Fat Latte

6:30 Dinner

Carrots and Asparagus

8:00 Snack

Pita Chips and Hummus

40 oz Perrier

Victory: I ate some almonds!

Room for Improvement: I am ready to eliminate coffee from my diet.

Day 53 Fitness

2009-11-22T23:14:00.000-06:00

No Exercise

Day 53 Nutrition

2009-11-22T20:29:00.002-06:00

Day 53 Nutrition Plan:

Total portions of protein: 6

Total portions of carbohydrates: 6

Total water: 85 oz or 10 1/2 cups

Day 53 Nutrition Actual Accomplishments:
Total portions of protein: 5

Total portions of carbohydrates: 5

Total water: 72 oz

9:00 Breakfast

Coffee

Scrambled Eggs and Canadian Bacon

20 oz Water

1:00 Lunch

Flank Steak

Mushroom Gravy

Mashed Potatoes

Carrots and Peas

12 oz Water

2:30 Snack

Apple

6:30 Dinner

Baked Potato Chives and Butter

Pita Chips and Hummus

40 oz Perrier

Victory: I prepared a healthy lunch for my family today.

Day 52 Fitness

2009-11-21T23:13:00.001-06:00

No Exercise

Day 52 Nutrition

2009-11-21T18:32:00.028-06:00

Day 52 Nutrition Plan:

Total portions of protein: 6

Total portions of carbohydrates: 6

Total water: 85 oz or 10 1/2 cups

Day 52 Nutrition Actual Accomplishments:
Total portions of protein: 5

Total portions of carbohydrates: 5

Total water: 40 oz

9:00 Breakfast

Coffee

Scrambled Eggs and Bacon

20 oz Water

11:00 Lunch

Butterfield’s Pancake Restaurant

Egg Beaters Denver Omelet (no cheese)

Couple Stolen Bites of Hash Browns

Pancake and some Syrup

12 oz Water

2:30 Snack

Apple

Starbucks Double Tall Non-Fat Latte

6:30

Buffalo Wild Wings Restaurant

Buffalito (Soft Shell Taco)

4 Buffalo Wild Wings

Blue Cheese Dressing

Chips with Salsa

Blue Moon Beer with a Fresh Orange Slice

20 oz Water

7:30

Movie: Planet 51

Buttered Movie Popcorn

Diet Coke

Victory: I had a family packed day today.

Attitude: I have to figure out how to play with my family without tanking my nutritional eating goals!

Watch CBS News Videos Online

Day 51 Fitness

2009-11-20T21:17:00.000-06:00

Bike Ride -- 9 Miles

Day 51 Nutrition

2009-11-20T18:29:00.001-06:00

Day 51 Nutrition Plan:

Total portions of protein: 6

Total portions of carbohydrates: 6

Total water: 85 oz or 10 1/2 cups

Day 51 Nutrition Actual Accomplishments:
Total portions of protein: 5

Total portions of carbohydrates: 4

Total water: 40 oz

8:00 Breakfast

Coffee

10:00 Lunch

Leftover Chipotle Carnitas and Rice (only)

2:30 Snack

Kind Cranberry Almond Bar

Starbucks Double Tall Non-Fat Latte

20 oz Water

5:00 -- 7:00 Wine While Cooking

8 oz Estancia Pinot Noir

6:00 Dinner

Baked Potato with Butter and Fresh Chives

Green Beans Carrots

2 Barbeque Ribs

20 oz Water

Day 50 Fitness

2009-11-19T23:03:00.001-06:00

Water Aerobics -- 1 hour

I am learning how to focus at a new level. I get more out of each exercise if I engage my mind and focus my breathing.

Day 50 Nutrition

2009-11-19T22:24:00.007-06:00

Day 50 Nutrition Plan:

Total portions of protein: 6

Total portions of carbohydrates: 6

Total water: 85 oz or 10 1/2 cups

Day 50 Nutrition Actual Accomplishments:
Total portions of protein: 4

Total portions of carbohydrates: 3

Total water: 80 oz

8:00 Breakfast

Coffee

Peach Activia Yogurt

40 oz Water

11:00 Lunch

Ted’s Montana Grill

Grilled Chicken Salad (1030 calories)

30 oz Water

1:00 Snack

Starbucks Double Tall Non-Fat Latte

20 oz Perrier

6:00 Dinner

Blueberry Smoothie (Frozen Blueberries, Vanilla Activia and Ice)

10 oz Water

9:00 Snack

6 oz wine

Room for Improvement: We had lunch at Ted’s Montana Grill. This is a perfect example of why you should try to eat at home as much as possible. I ordered a Grilled Chicken Salad. Sounds kind of healthy, right? I soon as I saw it I knew that it was calorie heavy. It even tasted calorie heavy. Avocado. Bacon. Yikes! I didn't eat the whole salad and used a small portion of the dressing that was served on the side.

Victory: We went to Costco and restocked our cupboards today! We will not be eating at a restaurant for a while!

Our teen-age son stayed at home with the two little kids tonight. He took them out for an ice cream dessert at a restaurant where his girlfriend works as a waitress.

While the kids were having fun, my husband and I did a big shopping trip at Costco. He pushed one overflowing cart and I pushed another. We bought groceries, a few bottles of wine, Crest Whitening Strips, bottled Perrier, some meat, a few Christmas gifts (an electric keyboard, a new electric razor for the children to give to Daddy, and a few restaurant gift certificates) and it totaled up to a whopping $1,372.00! I can remember a day when that was the size of my entire monthly paycheck. How does that happen?!

Attitude: Bowel Movements!

Yes! I eat Activia Yogurt and I think it tastes delicious and I think that I have fewer bowel issues. I dig Jaimie Lee Curtis for putting the facts out there. A healthy colon is a beautiful thing!

Jamie Lee Curtis's Activia Yogurt Commercial

Check out this hilarious Saturday Night Live Skit Parody of Jamie Lee Curtis's Activia Yogurt Commercial!

Jamie Lee is on the cover of the AARP Magazine!

Day 49 Fitness

2009-11-18T22:13:00.004-06:00

Pilates -- 1 hour

I was scared in Pilates class today. Just when I thought that I was getting a sense of competency, new moves were added to the class. It reminded me of the day that my husband started to talk to me about lifting weights (read about it here). I thought he was speaking in a foreign language. In Pilates class, in front of a group of grown women, I actually whimpered, "I'm too afraid."

Our instructor, Tammi, helped me through the process. Once I watched the other women perform the moves I became more comfortable.

This afternoon I found this video on the internet. It is featured in many, many Pilates and fitness blogs. Although the quality of the video is not perfect, I think that it is an excellent introduction to many of the moves that can be performed on the Pilates Wunda Chair and Reformer. In less than ten minutes this video expertly demonstrates a large variety of moves and exercises.

I wish that I had spent time watching a video like this before I began taking Pilates three weeks ago. I would have been less fearful and my learning curve would have been shortened.

It's like watching the cooking show before you step into the kitchen.

Day 49 Nutrition

2009-11-18T20:27:00.001-06:00

Day 49 Nutrition Plan:

Total portions of protein: 6

Total portions of carbohydrates: 6

Total water: 85 oz or 10 1/2 cups

Day 49 Nutrition Actual Accomplishments:
Total portions of protein: 5

Total portions of carbohydrates: 4

Total water: 82 oz

8:00 Breakfast

Coffee

Scrambled Eggs with Canadian Bacon and Tabasco

40 oz Water

1:00 Lunch

Healthy Choice Clam Chowder

Apple

French Toast and Syrup (kid’s leftover)

Mini Butterfinger

12 oz Water

3:00 Snack

Tuna Sandwich

Starbucks Chocolate Chip Cookie

20 oz Perrier

5:00 to 6:00 Snacking

Sunflower Seeds

10 oz Water

6:30 Dinner

1/2 Chipotle Burrito Bowl is 380 Calories (rice, black beans, 1/2 carnitas, 1/2 chicken, all of the salsas, lettuce)

Room for Improvement: I didn’t eat enough in the morning. I let myself get too hungry. I was famished and really tired at 3:00pm. I ate a big tuna sandwich on wheat bread but I was too far gone! I had to have the chocolate chip cookie I’d been carrying around in my purse for two days. It was intended as a treat for my daughter who loves, loves cookies. But alas, in a weak moment, the big mommy ate it, by breaking off one little bitty piece at a time!

Victory: Water!

Day 48 Fitness

2009-11-17T23:59:00.004-06:00

Water Aerobics -- 1 hour

I am learning to really approach each move with more intensity. These moves may seem simple but if you are focusing on the work it can really burn. I am learning to love the burn. I couldn't get here without the past 47 days.

It is critical to listen to your body and work at your pace. A good instructor will give you options on moves that are possibly out of your range. Don't be stupid. Use those options if you need, don't risk getting hurt.

Day 48 Nutrition

2009-11-17T21:32:00.012-06:00

Day 48 Nutrition Plan:

Total portions of protein: 6

Total portions of carbohydrates: 6

Total water: 85 oz or 10 1/2 cups

Day 48 Nutrition Actual Accomplishments:
Total portions of protein: 5

Total portions of carbohydrates: 4

Total water: 52 oz

8:00 Breakfast

Coffee

Scrambled Eggs with Canadian Bacon and Tabasco

20 oz Water

12:00 Lunch

Noodles and Company Restaurant

Bangkok Curry

Sesoned Chicken Breast

12 oz Water

1:00 Snack

Starbucks Double Tall Non-Fat Latte

5:00 Snack while Grocery Shopping

6 Popems Donut Holes

6:30 Dinner

Pork Chop

Rice

Broccoli

20 oz Water

11:00 Snack

Pretzels

Room for Improvement: I should have served my children and myself a healthy snack between lunch and a grocery store visit. My son was starving and asked for Popems Glazed Donut Holes. I gave in and by the end of the grocery store visit I had eaten as many as he had.

At 11:00pm I was hungry. I should have had a late night snack of yogurt and a few almonds.

Victory: I filled our refrigerator with healthy food!

Attitude: While channel surfing in the car today I heard a woman’s voice say, “Eat real food. If you can pick it, pluck it, milk it or shoot it, you can eat it!”

I thought that was a clever line so I listened further. The voice belonged to Suzanne Somers, who became famous in the 1970’s as Chrissy Snow from Three’s Company. She was a guest on the Mancow Muller radio show on Chicago’s WLS, 890 AM.

First, I am not in Mancow Muller’s prime audience demographic but I listen to him occasionally because I once interviewed for a job, of sorts, with his brother who lives in Kansas City. It is a six degrees of separation from Kevin Bacon sort of relationship. I've never been a huge Suzanne Somer's fan, either. In fact, I may be one of the few baby boomer women in America who never owned a ThighMaster but I do admire her entrepreneurial flair.

So, as I said, I listened further.

Suzanne is promoting her new book Knockout: Interviews With Doctors Who Are Curing Cancer And How To Prevent It In The First Place. When I got home I visited her website. In addition, I read several blogs that were highly critical of Suzanne’s book. My gut is that like most of the stuff that actually gets to the Barnes and Noble book shelves, it has passed several publisher’s tests for credibility and it has enough unique information to make it worthy of printing.

While visiting her website I learned about another book that she wrote, Breakthrough: Eight Steps To Wellness.

Although I haven’t picked up either book I did read several excerpts and I read about those Eight Steps To Wellness.

1. Balance Hormones

2. Avoid Chemicals

3. Take Nutrition Seriously

4. Create a Healthy GI Tract

5. Avoid Pharmaceuticals As Much As Possible

6. Supplement Your Diet

7. Exercise Regularly

8. Get Proper Sleep

It was interesting information and seemed relatively sane. Admittedly, it seems like every book and expert is saying the exact same thing. Intellectually I suppose I understand the formula but I am attracted to these books because most of my issues are emotional. I am looking for inspiration and titillation.

Even though I have never been a Chrissy Snow kind of girl (I was more of a Janet type), I am really attracted to a thought filled clean way of living which seems to be the essence of Suzanne Somer's message. I could spend some time with her books.

And less face it, this girl has gumption.

Chrissy Snow is writing and selling books about how to cure cancer.

What girl can’t love another girl with that kind of range?

Day 47 Fitness

2009-11-16T23:13:00.000-06:00

No Exercise

Day 47 Nutrition

2009-11-16T21:09:00.003-06:00

Day 47 Nutrition Plan:

Total portions of protein: 6

Total portions of carbohydrates: 6

Total water: 85 oz or 10 1/2 cups

Day 47 Nutrition Actual Accomplishments:
Total portions of protein: 5

Total portions of carbohydrates: 4

Total water: 48 oz

8:30 Breakfast

Coffee

Giant Biscuit

One Egg Fried in Bacon Grease

Elk Breakfast Sausage

12 oz Water

1:00 Lunch

Burger King Hamburger

12 oz Water

2:00 - 5:00 Snack While Driving

Sunflower Seeds

2 Cherry Blow Pops

6:30 Dinner at The Airport

12 oz Water

Small Slice of Pizza

Starbucks Double Tall Non-Fat Latte (spilt 3/4 in the airport)

8:00 Snack

Starbucks Yogurt on the Plane

Pretzels

12 oz Water

Room for Improvement: I should have insisted that our family stop at the Whole Foods store before we crossed the famous Cooper River Bridge to head home. We could have filled a bag with lovely treats for our 4 hour car ride. But I didn’t think about that until we were searching for fast food signs on the road. Instead, we stopped on Highway 17 at a Burger King. Even the children were grossed out. It wasn’t just the fried food smells and the dirty counters, floors, tables and chairs. It was the dirty old broken acrylic finger nails that the lady used to tap our order into the computer. The kids thought that even the soda tasted bad.

I must plan our meals, even when on the road. Especially on the road!

Victory: I am glad that I grabbed the yogurt from the counter at Starbucks. It was a hassle to carry onto the plane. In fact, I dropped my Starbucks Double Tall Non-Fat Latte because it was such an impossible balancing act. But that yogurt was the most healthy thing that I ate all day.

Day 46 Fitness

2009-11-15T23:10:00.005-06:00

Walked the Cooper River Bridge -- 5.4 miles

I wanted to do it (read this entry) and I did it!

Day 46 Nutrition

2009-11-15T20:10:00.005-06:00

Day 46 Nutrition Plan:

Total portions of protein: 6

Total portions of carbohydrates: 6

Total water: 85 oz or 10 1/2 cups

Day 46 Nutrition Actual Accomplishments:
Total portions of protein: 5

Total portions of carbohydrates: 5

Total water: 74 oz

8:00 Breakfast

Coffee

8 oz Protein Yogurt Fruit Smoothie

12 oz Water

12:30 Lunch

Gigantic Elk Burger

Zatarain Fish Battered Seasoning French Fries

Handful of Cheese Flavored Chips

Stella Artois Beer

30 oz Fiji Water

6:30 Restaurant Crawl

12 oz Water

Glenmorangie Scotch on the rocks at home

Restaurant: Cypress

Lavender Martini

Sashimi Tuna and Oysters

with cliantro-lime glaze, pineapple wasabi

Crab Cake

with sweet corn and arugula

Wood Grilled Flatbread

Italian sausage, house cured salami, ricotta, aged provolone, tomatoes, arugula

Restaurant: High Cotton

Silver Oak Alexander Valley Cabernet Sauvignon 2004

Artisan Cheese Plate

Foie Gras

Restaurant: Charleston Place Thoroughbred Lounge

Carrot Cake with Fig Ice Cream

2 Cappucinos

20 oz Water

Room for Improvement: We are still visiting my husband’s business partner’s family in South Carolina. We dressed up and went out “restaurant hopping” in downtown Charleston. Charleston is known for it’s terrific restaurants and they are usually very crowded. But it was a cool, sleepy Sunday night so we were able to slip into each restaurant without a wait. We were also able to have nice conversation without yelling at one another. I had a martini, glass of wine, two cappuccinos and water. The four of us shared several appetizers and dessert. It wasn't criminal but I doubt that this menu will be featured in Shape Magazine's Top Ten Ways To Lose Weight.

Victory: At lunch I could have eaten the entire serving platter of french fries, but I had a few which were probably the very best french fries I have ever eaten in my life. That took amazing fortitude. During our restaurant crawl we shared several appetizers instead of ordering entrees which are always more calorie laden. We had great flavors and kept our calorie consumption in reign.

Attitude: Before we left the house to go on our restaurant crawl I had one of the kids snap this picture of me. I don't know how I feel about this picture. I am sure that there is some Fruedian analysis that could be performed on a woman like me.

I really, really want to like myself but I just am so underwhelmed by the girl in this picture.

First, I am in need of a decent hair cut and I don't think that anyone will fault me for dissing this hair do.

Second, I feel so tall and slender that this photograph just doesn't seem to reflect the image I have of myself in my own mind.

Third, I have always loved my legs but I now have 49 year old inactive woman legs. Since I am 49 years old, and I have been pretty inactive, that should be OK. But it is still a drag to look like the 49 year old woman that I am.

So, I guess I'm disappointed that I look OK, just average.

When I walk through the restaurant tonight there will be no men getting whiplash trying to check me out.

So let's imagine me in 45 days. Stronger and thinner. Will I be causing young men to injure themselves then?

Most likely not.

So the point of this journey may actually be about my internal transformation. If nothing, or everything, changed in my external appearance the real gift will always be my new found internal peace and energy.

I just need to learn to look at the girl in the mirror, be realistic and find something nice to say. In the mean time, I'll tweak the things that I can like getting a better hair cut.

Day 45 Fitness

2009-11-14T23:08:00.001-06:00

No Exercise

Day 45 Nutrition

2009-11-14T17:50:00.000-06:00

Day 45 Nutrition Plan:

Total portions of protein: 6

Total portions of carbohydrates: 6

Total water: 85 oz or 10 1/2 cups

Day 45 Nutrition Actual Accomplishments:
Total portions of protein: 5

Total portions of carbohydrates: 5

Total water: 37 oz

8:00 Breakfast

Coffee

Chocolate Chip Pancake (1/2)

12:30 Lunch

Graves Bar Grill in Mt Pleasant, SC

Grilled Mahi Salad

30 oz Water

2:00 Champagne and Sparkling Wine Tasting

Total Wine and More in Charleston, SC

Plate of Sweeties

8 glasses of Champagne (4 oz each)

8:00 Dinner

30 oz Water

2 Glasses Champagne (6 oz each)

Bowl of Seafood and Wild Game and Seafood Gumbo

Oyster Roast

Room for Improvement: We are still visiting my husband’s business partner’s family in South Carolina. I was a little hung-over this morning and was comforted slightly that everyone else said that they felt as badly as I did. I don’t know why I agreed to participate in a champagne and sparkling wine tasting in the windowless back room of a strip shopping center liquor store on a gorgeous sunny South Carolina Saturday afternoon. But I did.

It was definitely worth it.

I ate too many sweeties and when I tried to pour out some of the wine, instead of drinking the entire glass, my drinking partners scolded me. They may be my soul mates.

In the evening we had an oyster roast and homemade Wild Game and Seafood Gumbo. It was absolutely delicious.

We brought home several bottles of a Rose Champagne from the tasting and it was perfect with the food. Who would have thought that there is a champagne to drink with gumbo and oysters?

Victory: I enjoyed beautiful, flavorful food and drink, again today. I was surrounded by clever and loving people who celebrate their family and friends by eating and drinking fabulously. This is what life and food should taste like.

Day 44 Fitness

2009-11-13T23:08:00.001-06:00

No Exercise

Day 44 Nutrition

2009-11-13T10:08:00.003-06:00

Day 44 Nutrition Plan:

Total portions of protein: 6

Total portions of carbohydrates: 6

Total water: 85 oz or 10 1/2 cups

Day 44 Nutrition Actual Accomplishments:
Total portions of protein: 5

Total portions of carbohydrates: 5

Total water: 37 oz

8:00 Breakfast

Hilton Gardens

1/2 Omelet Ham and Veggie with Tabasco

Waffle Square Plain

Small Orange Juice

25 oz Water

9:30 Snack

Starbucks Triple Shot Non-fat Latte (drank 1/2)

12:30 Lunch

KIND Almond and Apricot Bar

12 oz Water

4:30 Snack

Starbucks Double Tall Non-fat Latte

8:00 Dinner

2 Glenmorangie Scotch

2 Glasses Zinfandel

Paella

Salad with Fig Dressing AMAZING!

Room for Improvement: We are visiting my husband’s business partner’s family in South Carolina. Everything is just so lovely, including the drinks and food. I wish I had taken a photograph of the Paella Dish. Our hostess, Myriam, prepared an authentic Paella as we stood at the counter and it smelled and tasted as good as it looked.

I should have followed the lead of our hostess and had a glass of water at my side at all times. I drank too much tonight but tomorrow night I'll do better.

Victory: I ate beautiful, flavorful food today. Since we are on a little vacation, I agreed to take our two little kids to Kentucky Fried Chicken. They each ate two extra crispy drumsticks and were goofy happy. But I ate my KIND Almond and Apricot Bar which I had stored in my purse!

Day 43 Fitness

2009-11-12T23:08:00.007-06:00

Hotel Fitness Center -- 1/2 hour
Walked on The Beach -- 1/2 hour

Mostly I goofed around with my 10 year old son.

Upper body weight lifting

Elliptical Trainer

Not a real workout to report but I figure it was better than doing nothing. I tried a little jog down the hall back to our hotel room. It wasn't pretty but I did it. My little boy cheered, "You're running Mom! You're really running!"

It reminded me of how incapacitated I was before and after my knee surgery last year. It was stressful for all of us, including the children. As I become stronger the children will feel that, as well.

Day 43 Nutrition

2009-11-12T09:59:00.000-06:00

Day 43 Nutrition Plan:

Total portions of protein: 6

Total portions of carbohydrates: 6

Total water: 85 oz or 10 1/2 cups

Day 43 Nutrition Actual Accomplishments:
Total portions of protein: 5

Total portions of carbohydrates: 5

Total water: 46 oz

7:30 Breakfast

Starbucks Double Tall Non-fat Latte

Starbucks Turkey Bacon Egg White English Muffin

16 oz Perrier

11:00 Snack on Plane

6 oz Tomato Juice

12 oz Water

Package of Peanuts

Package of Pretzels

5:00 Snack

McDonald's Southwest Salad (420 Calories)

12 oz Water

8:00 Dinner

Alexander's Restaurant Palmetto Dunes Hilton Head Island

Glenmorangie Scotch

Pinot Noir

Spinach Salad

1/2 Slice Sourdough Bread and Butter

Day 42 Fitness

2009-11-12T09:49:00.001-06:00

Pilates -- 1 hour

I felt like today's Pilates class was easy. I didn't sweat nearly as much as I had in my Monday class. It is three days later that I am writing this entry and my large leg muscles are still firing. I love my sore muscles. And I love Pilates. I am getting a significant muscle building experience yet I am safe.

I am beginning to believe that the reason I have not been successful in getting and staying fit in the past is pain. I didn't respect my body enough to listen to the aches and pains. Earlier in the summer when I walked an hour every day, I had chafing and blisters and sunburns. You can't keep up an exercise that causes you that much discomfort. I want to "feel the burn" but within reason. I dream about walking six miles across the new Cooper River Bridge in Charleston with my friend Myriam. I believe the Pilates and Water Aerobics will give me the underlying muscle strengthening and awareness so that I can perform in a way that I don't get hurt.

Day 42 Nutrition

2009-11-11T09:02:00.001-06:00

Day 42 Nutrition Plan:

Total portions of protein: 6

Total portions of carbohydrates: 6

Total water: 85 oz or 10 1/2 cups

Day 42 Nutrition Actual Accomplishments:
Total portions of protein: 5

Total portions of carbohydrates: 5

Total water: 46 oz

Breakfast -- 8:30

Blueberry Activia Yogurt

Coffee

25 oz Water

Lunch -- 1:00

(leftovers)

Shrimp

Chicken and Rice

Snack -- 2:30

Starbucks Double Tall Non-Fat Latte

24 oz Perrier

Dinner -- 6:00

Chicken and Rice

Asparagus

12 oz Pinot Noir

12 oz Water

Day 41 Fitness

2009-11-10T23:36:00.001-06:00

Water Aerobics -- 1 hour

Steam -- 20 minutes

I love this water aerobic class and I love the women in my class. Today I was checking out a lady in the pool who has short hair, like me, but hers is gray. Of course, mine would be gray too if I didn't color it and eventually I think that I will let it go gray because I think it looks elegant.

She caught me looking at her so I told her that I admired her hair color. So between our bicep and tricep exercises, she told me that she used to have dark hair similar to mine. She went on to explain that if I'm considering going gray that she would recommend doing it gradually. She slowly added the silver highlights until it made sense to go completely gray.

As we moved to a different set of exercises she added that her hair will probably be gone by the end of the day because of her chemotherapy treatment.

She was diagnosed with breast cancer on August 28, just 10 weeks ago. She had a masectomy and recently started her chemotherapy. Her hair has been falling out slowly but this morning she had a huge handful come out. She felt pretty sure that today was probably the day it would all go.

Wow.

I didn't expect that from this healthy, athletic, hard working woman whom I guessed to be 10 to 15 years older than me.

At the end of class she offered to take my picture with my classmates for this blog.

Day 41 Nutrition

2009-11-10T23:09:00.001-06:00

Day 41 Nutrition Plan:

Total portions of protein: 6

Total portions of carbohydrates: 6

Total water: 85 oz or 10 1/2 cups

Day 41 Nutrition Actual Accomplishments:
Total portions of protein: 5

Total portions of carbohydrates: 5

Total water: 90 oz

Breakfast -- 9:30

Peach Activia

Grapes

Coffee

50 oz Water

Lunch -- 12:00

2 Honey Crisp Apples

Chocolate Chip Clif Bar

Snack -- 2:30

Starbucks Double Tall Non-Fat Latte

Banana

20 oz Perrier

Dinner -- 6:30

Tons of Green Beans (with a little butter and kosher salt)

8 huge shrimp, cooked in light seasoning and olive oil on the stove top

Glass of Pinot Noir

20 oz Perrier

Room for Improvement: It is nearly 11:00 and I have a headache tonight. I'm not sure why. I thought that it might go away if I had a glass of wine but that didn't work. Yes, I do think of alcohol as medicinal at times.

I ate a large quantity of food at dinner tonight. Even though I ate a lot of food, it was really a low calorie day. It is hard to get fat eating two giant apples and a plate full of green beans and sauteed shrimp. I ate plenty of real food that made noise when I chewed it! I had great flavors and felt very satisfied.

Victory: When I left the house this morning I made sure that I had snacks. I threw a Clif Bar in my bag and two apples, thinking one was plenty but I could always give one to a kid after school. The apples didn’t even make it to the school yard. The first one tasted amazingly refreshing after I worked out and took a steam. I ate my Clif Bar because I knew that I needed to refuel properly. I ate the second apple just for the absolute hedonistic joy it brought me. Who would have thought that I could be that happy eating an apple. Just 41 days ago I would have been driving through some fast food restaurant window eating a tiny, little burger with no nutritional value and big calories, most of which would have been saturated fat.

Day 40 Fitness

2009-11-10T01:09:00.003-06:00

Pilates -- 1 hour

Somedays I feel like a big ole mess. I raced about trying to accomplish all of my little chores. In my old life I would have just admitted that exercise wasn't going to fit into my schedule for the day. That would have been the first thing to be dropped. I was just too busy. But I'm not that old girl. I skidded into my Pilates class at the last minute. It was completely worth rushing about to get there, it changed my whole attitude. I went back home with that new calm attitude and took a shower with my husband and we let the phone ring.

Day 40 Nutrition

2009-11-09T23:06:00.002-06:00

Day 40 Nutrition Plan:

Total portions of protein: 6

Total portions of carbohydrates: 6

Total water: 85 oz or 10 1/2 cups

Day 40 Nutrition Actual Accomplishments:
Total portions of protein: 5

Total portions of carbohydrates: 5

Total water: 72 oz

Breakfast -- 9:30

Oatmeal Craisins and Raisins

Coffee

50 oz Water

Lunch -- 12:30

Leftover Chicken and Rice

Snack -- 2:30

Starbucks Double Tall Non-Fat Latte

Few Grapes and Apple Slices

Dinner -- 6:30

Outback Steakhouse (yes, second night in a row)

Bloomin’ Onion (a few more bites than the night before)

Classic Roasted Filet Wedge Salad

10 oz water

Late, Late Night Snack -- 1:00

12 oz San Pellegrino

Room for Improvement: Water.

I have a basic running total of calories in my brian, due to years of weird obsessions with my weight. But I have tried to avoid the calorie conversation, pretty much so far. But today I would like to do a calorie total just for grins:

Breakfast 250 calories

Lunch 350 calories

Dinner 700 calories

Total: 1300 calories

1300 calories aren't bad and I'll probably lose weight eating that many calories since I had a really great workout today. Plus I was active running to Costco and the dentist and the YMCA and such. The problem is that I need to spread my calories out across the day better. Today I didn't have one of those crash and burn sessions due to bad eating, but it could get me easily. I want to be putting in fuel consistently and cleanly.

Victory: I ate to complete and total satisfaction today. I was never hungry or over full.

Day 39 Fitness

2009-11-08T23:07:00.002-06:00

No Exercise

Day 39 Nutrition

2009-11-08T22:46:00.002-06:00

Day 39 Nutrition Plan:

Total portions of protein: 6

Total portions of carbohydrates: 6

Total water: 85 oz or 10 1/2 cups

Day 39 Nutrition Actual Accomplishments:
Total portions of protein: 5

Total portions of carbohydrates: 5

Total water: 80 oz

Breakfast -- 9:30

Ham and Eggs with Tabasco

Coffee

10 oz Fiji Water

Lunch -- 12:00

Leftover Chicken Rice, Carrots

25 oz San Pellegrino

Snack -- 3:30

1 Piece of Leftover Pizza Hut Pizza

Dinner -- 6:30

Outback Steakhouse

Bloomin’ Onion (a few bites)

Classic Roasted Filet Wedge Salad

Ice Cream with Hot Fudge (a few bites)

20 oz water

Late Night At Home:

25 oz San Pellegrino

Room for Improvement: I sat on the sofa on my computer on a beautiful, beautiful day! I had to complete a video project for my son’s football end of year banquet which we won’t even be attending.

Victory: We drank water at Outback Steakhouse. No wine! We saved money and calories.

Day 38 Fitness

2009-11-07T23:06:00.001-06:00

No Exercise

Day 38 Nutrition

2009-11-07T22:34:00.000-06:00

Day 38 Nutrition Plan:

Total portions of protein: 6

Total portions of carbohydrates: 6

Total water: 85 oz or 10 1/2 cups

Day 38 Nutrition Actual Accomplishments:
Total portions of protein: 5

Total portions of carbohydrates: 5

Total water: 45 oz

Breakfast -- 8:30

3 Eggs

English Muffin with Butter

Oatmeal and Dried Cherries

Coffee

Lunch -- 2:30

New Holland Brewery

Spinach and Chicken Salad

Swallow of Beer

20 oz Water

Dessert -- 4:30

1 large Butter Pecan Ice Cream Cone

Caramel Candies

Several Hands Full of Popcorn

(3 1/2 hour car drive) Snacks -- 3:00 - 6:30

Sunflower Seeds

Water

Late Dinner -- 8:30

Pizza Hut

3 Pieces of Tin Crust Supreme Pizza

25 oz San Pellegrino

Room for Improvement: We are going to Charleston, South Carolina, next week to visit my husband’s business partner’s family. I need to fine tune my ability to mix food and fun. I am at the point in my journey that buttered english muffins, butter pecan ice cream cones and pizza are what will make the difference.

Victory: At lunch my husband and I each had a spinach salad. I didn't eat one bite of the cheese appetizers. We ate thin crust pizza with tons of veggies verses the thick crust with tons of meat and extra cheese.

See that?

There is always a way to find a victory when looking back at your day! You've just got to have on the right pair of glasses. You gotta love you. No one else can do it, unless you do, too.

Day 37 Fitness

2009-11-06T23:31:00.002-06:00

Water Aerobics -- 45 minutes

I'm ready to ramp up my workouts. This particular class isn't giving me everything I need. We perform some of the exercises too long and I loose my form and strength. I need to rethink my workout schedule for next week.

Day 37 Nutrition

2009-11-06T21:58:00.002-06:00

Day 37 Nutrition Plan:

Total portions of protein: 6

Total portions of carbohydrates: 6

Total water: 85 oz or 10 1/2 cups

Day 37 Nutrition Actual Accomplishments:
Total portions of protein: 5

Total portions of carbohydrates: 5

Total water: 46 oz

Breakfast -- 8:30

Blueberry Activia Yogurt

Banana Bread

Coffee

34 oz Water

Lunch -- 11:30

(leftovers)

Pork Tenderloin

Sauteed Spinach and Garlic

Carrots

Thin Slice of Banana Bread

(3 1/2 hour car drive) Snacks -- 3:00 - 6:30

Caribou Coffee Triple Tall Non-Fat Latte

Clif Chocolate Chip Bar

KIND Cranberry and Almond Bar

Dinner -- 7:00

Restuarant Johnny Carinos

Calamari and Mozzarella Cheese Stick (sampled)

Chicken Marsala

Sauteed Spinach and Garlic

6 oz Chianti

12 oz Water

Room for Improvement: We are visiting our daughter (and her lovely boyfriend) at their college tonight. It is parent and sibling weekend. Those long car trips can be a junk food festival and eating out in restaurants all weekend will be difficult but I will try to make good choices.

Victory: Music.

When I am at my best I can connect to the world on a much more intimate level. Garlic tastes richer, cashmere feels softer, wine gets me drunker and I can become obsessed with a certain song. I know that I am feeling like my true self when I start buying music again. I heard a song on the radio last night that I cannot get out of my head.

It sounds different than most of the music on the radio right now to me because it is so sweet. It is about trying new things, embracing your dreams. I love it when the song says, “I’d like to make myself believe that planet earth moves slowly.” I am so tired of thinking that we have to push, push, push because time is running out. Some of the very best times in my life, some of the very best work that I have produced, has been when I acted as if I had all the time in the world, as if "planet earth moved slowly."

Fireflies by Owl City

Music video by Owl City performing Fireflies with Adam Young [Producer], Steve Hoover [Video Director], Danny Yourd [Video Producer] 2009 Universal Republic Records, a division of UMG Recordings, Inc.

Day 36 Fitness

2009-11-05T22:59:00.001-06:00

Water Aerobics -- 1 hour
Bike Ride -- 6 miles

I spent the entire day in frumpy exercise clothes.

Day 36 Nutrition

2009-11-05T22:51:00.001-06:00

Day 36 Nutrition Plan:

Total portions of protein: 6

Total portions of carbohydrates: 6

Total water: 85 oz or 10 1/2 cups

Day 36 Nutrition Actual Accomplishments:
Total portions of protein: 5

Total portions of carbohydrates: 5

Total water: 84 oz

Breakfast -- 8:30

Lifetime Cafe Yogurt, Blueberries and Granola

Coffee

48 oz Water

Lunch -- 11:30

Huge Spinach Salad

(spinach, radishes, tomatoes, feta, heart of palm, purple cabbage, chicken)

12 oz Water

Snack -- 1:30

Starbuck’s Double Tall Non-Fat Latte (drank 1/2)

12 oz Water

Dinner -- 7:00

Pork Roast

Sauteed Spinach and Garlic

Carrots

Broasted Potatoes

12 oz Water

Late Night Dessert -- 8:15

TCBY Ice Cream Cake (Small Slice of leftover Birthday Cake)

Room for Improvement: I suppose I ate too much spinach salad at lunch time. I was really, really hungry. But, come on, is it really possible to eat too much spinach salad? Plus, I used a light hand with the dressing. I had a bit of leftover birthday cake which I could have easily sad no to. I wanted a little treat, thought my calorie consumption for the day was in line so I had a little treat. The thing is that those little "treats" are the things that will make all the difference for someone like me. I have to act like I really, really want to change my body. Not just type it.

Victory: For the most part, I had a healthy food day!

Day 35 Fitness

2009-11-04T20:15:00.005-06:00

Group Pilates Class -- 1 hour

Today I took my second Group Pilates Class. We did half of the class on the reformer and half on a device called the Wunda Chair, which is pictured above. You cannot believe the exercises that you can perform on this little wooden box. Although I was moving with amazingly slow and controlled movements, I was dripping sweat on the leather seat.

I have taken to fantasizing about completing one particularly graceful and agonizingly difficult move. Below is a photograph of women at the top of this amazing move. You place both feet on the spring loaded pedals. You slowly allow your head to fall down and you use your core strength to pull your body up into the air. Then you slowly lower yourself. It looks beautiful and easy and I'm going to learn how to do it.

If you would like to see a few of the exercises that can be done on this equipment, check out this video. Or visit http://www.erinhuggins.com.

Day 35 Nutrition

2009-11-04T17:04:00.001-06:00

Day 35 Nutrition Plan:

Total portions of protein: 6

Total portions of carbohydrates: 6

Total water: 85 oz or 10 1/2 cups

Day 35 Nutrition Actual Accomplishments:
Total portions of protein: 5

Total portions of carbohydrates: 3

Total water: 60 oz

Breakfast -- 8:30

Shredded Wheat

Coffee

32 oz Water

Lunch -- 2:00

Potbelly’s Skinny Turkey No Mayo

16 oz Water

Snack -- 4:30

Starbuck’s Double Tall Non-Fat Latte

12 oz Water

Dinner -- 7:00

Baked Chicken

White Rice with Broccoli

Corn

Apple Slices

Late Night Nibbling -- 8:00

9 mini candy bars (500 calories)

Room for Improvement: More Water!

I had an intense Pilates workout at 11:30. I was really sweating by the end of the class. In fact, on my way out of the health club I saw one of the dads from my neighborhood and he asked if I had been swimming. That is a very good thing. I don’t think that I have broken a sweat in over a year. OK. That’s not true. Sometimes when I’ve eaten too much Mexican food I perspire but I’d prefer not to count that.

If I am going to exercise like I did today, I need to learn how to fuel and refuel properly. I need to eat a little something (protein and complex carbohydrate) every 2-3 hours. I started off the day with a bowl of shredded wheat but I think I would have felt stronger in my class if I had eaten some good protein, like scrambled eggs. I didn’t eat again for 5 1/2 hours. I had a sandwich and didn’t eat again for another five hours, with the exception of a Starbuck’s Double Tall Non-Fat Latte. There is nothing like a couple of stiff shots of caffeine to totally send your body into lala land. I got a terrible headache and I was so messed up by the end of the day that I tried to heal my pain with miniature candy bars. Baby Ruth, Snickers and, of course, my very favorite, Butterfingers.

Oh, dear.

When my husband walked in and saw me unwrapping a candy bar he burst out, “Don’t do that!”

I said, “What?” In my most indignant tone.

He replied, “I want you to save those calories for a glass of wine with me tonight!”

Do you see what kind of pressure I have to endure?

Victory: I am stuck on what to write in this area today. I have to learn to love myself even in my ugliest moments. I guess the victory is that even though I didn’t feed my body often enough the actual content of the meals were pretty healthy, sans candy.

Day 34 Fitness

2009-11-03T22:01:00.001-06:00

Water Aerobics -- 1 hour

I worked so hard in this class that I found myself willing the clock to move faster. I really elevated my heart rate.

I think that I am getting a better understanding of each exercise and I can now focus on my own personal performance. I am getting a really serious workout in Water Aerobics Class!

After about 40 minutes of the class, we were performing an exercise that made my right hip flexor hurt. I tried to modify the exercise so that I was still getting a good workout. I am not convinced that I was successful so I am going to talk to the instructor before class next time to find an alternative exercise, in case I have the same problem.

They say that hip flexor injuries are typical in bicyclists who do not have their seat properly adjusted. Yesterday I rode my bike for 13 miles, or so, and I realize today that I probably had my seat adjusted too high. After a little bit of research I now know that the proper height is when your leg is straight but your knee is not locked. If your knee locks, that means that your seat is too high and that your hips will rock from side to side, possibly resulting in a hip flexor injury. Treatment for my slight injury, is to take it easy for a while but to keep it moving.

Day 34 Nutrition

2009-11-03T21:34:00.000-06:00

Day 34 Nutrition Plan:

Total portions of protein: 6

Total portions of carbohydrates: 6

Total water: 85 oz or 10 1/2 cups

Day 34 Nutrition Actual Accomplishments:
Total portions of protein: 5

Total portions of carbohydrates: 3

Total water: 48 oz

Breakfast -- 9:00

Peach Activia

Coffee

36 oz Water

Lunch -- 12:00

Cliff Bar

Honeycrisp Apple

Starbucks Double Tall Non-Fat Latte

Snack -- 3:00

Grilled Chicken Thighs

12 oz Water

Dinner -- 7:00

Black Finn Restaurant and Saloon

Spinach Salad with Blackened Chicken

Ahi Tuna

Fried Calamari and Jalapenos

10 oz Gloria Ferrer California Pinot Noir

Room for Improvement: More Water!

I was not a fun dinner date tonight. I absolutely hated seeing my kids eat the big pile of french fries on their plate. But what else were my little kids going to order at Black Finn Restaurant and Saloon. I know that it is OK to have some fries and burgers every now and then but I guess I’m really ready to take my life in a totally different direction from that kind of food. I wish that I had been more organized and had a delicious dinner waiting in a crock pot for us instead.

After we were home for an hour my son was begging for Pepto Bismal. After just 33 days of this journey, my kids are actually getting "turned off" to french fries. That, alone, makes this entire journey "worth it".

Victory: I ate a Clif Bar and a big crispy apple for lunch today. I was in a huge rush and it could have been a drive through window meal, instead. I ate leftover grilled chicken thighs for an afternoon snack with my kids. They were really delicious and I felt great giving everyone a protein snack with their cooked carrots.

Day 33 Fitness

2009-11-02T21:19:00.003-06:00

Pilates Reformer -- 1 hour

Bike Ride -- 13 miles

I bought a beautifully photographed Pilates book on the clearance rack at Barnes and Noble the other night. It is a detailed description of basic Pilates exercises. I'm going to start doing a few Pilates moves at home.