Project 55 Status Ongoing

Just in case

2010-08-12T23:03:00.002+01:00

If you're reading this in google reader or just happen to be visiting, then you may have missed my moving to wordpress announcement.

I'd love it if you'd follow me over there http://project55statusongoing.wordpress.com

Many thanks for reading!

- CJ

I'm moving

2010-06-07T20:37:00.004+01:00

So long blogspot...

I'd love it if you'd come along for the next chapter...

http://project55statusongoing.wordpress.com/

Many thanks for reading

- CJ

The Project 55 Plan

2010-05-23T22:17:00.001+01:00

It’s time to get serious.

Over the years I have tried every diet going. I’ve done Atkins, I’ve done South Beach, I’ve done Weight Watchers, I’ve done the Cabbage Soup diet. Low-carb, low-fat, high-protein, good carb, good fat, meal replacements, I’ve read all the books and tried all the tricks.

And the sad thing is – they all work. If you stick to them.

One summer, tipping the scales at almost 200lbs I went on Atkins and lost 35lbs.

Last New Years, tipping the scales at 220lbs I tried Weight Watchers and lost 30lbs.

But see, in between those two successful diets, although I dieted on and off again, I clearly gained back the weight and then some.

This morning, I stepped on the scale and am once again close to 200lbs.

200lbs!! The exact same weight I was that summer of 2002 before I went on Atkins!

8 years have passed and I’m still the same exact weight.

8 years!!

I have wasted 8 years of my life counting carbs, or calories, or points and it’s done absolutely nothing for me.

8 years!!

This morning I wasted £12.99 on the Dukan Diet book. It’s crap. I was sucked into the hype and wasted all that money on a book that says you can burn almost 500 calories a day by sucking on ice cubes, taking a cold shower and packing away your thermal underwear. Seriously, why have I wasted my time running miles if I could burn off the same number of calories by sucking on 10 ice cubes/mile?

So it’s time for a plan of action.

The Project 55 Plan is my own creation taken from everything that I’ve learned in the past 8 years of fruitless dieting.

The Weigh In

I will weigh myself tomorrow, Monday May 24th, and will return to my daily weigh-ins. I find that they keep me on track much better than weekly run-ins with the scale.

The Hydration

I will get back to drinking my 10 glasses of water a day. Plus coffee in the mornings, tea in the evenings if I so desire.

The Food

I hate that most diets rule out certain foods. I like my avocados and my bananas and I’m not ready to give them up or feel like I’m cheating because I’m eating a goddamn piece of fruit! The low-carb mentality is the one that has given me the most mental issues with food and I’m tired of it.

While I plan on cutting out white pasta, rice and bread, I’m not ruling anything in particular out. I want to cut back on sugar, but that may still mean I’m eating a couple squares of dark chocolate of an evening.

I’m going to stick to non-fat or low-fat dairy for milk and cheese and eat lean protein in the form of eggs, poultry and meat.

I will be trying though, as Michael Pollan suggests, to eat mostly plants.

The Exercise

Oh, the dreaded exercise. I’m running a half-marathon in 5 months and I haven’t worked out in weeks. I am going to start scheduling in some time to work out, start running home from work a couple days a week and get back into the exercise groove.

The Timeline

The Project 55 plan is a plan for life, but for my own piece of mind, I’m going to track carefully for the next 5 weeks. I can do anything for 5 weeks.

I’m tired of being this weight. It affects every aspect of my life from social to professional, it’s mental and emotional – it’s so much more than just physical.

So tomorrow is day 1 of Project 55. This time, it’s serious.

- CJ

Sunday 02.05.2010

2010-05-03T15:15:00.001+01:00

Weigh-in: 189.8 again (while it’s reassuring to not fluctuate, I’m convinced my scale has a built-in anti-neurotic device to stop you stepping on and off again repeatedly!)

Eats:

Breakfast:

green smoothie (3 points)

banana
milk
spinach
ice

lunch:

weightwatchers pizza (5 points)

lettuce, tomatoes, pepper and pret dressing (1.5 points)

dinner:

sweet potato (2.5 points)

beans (4.5 points)

eggs (3 points)

evening snack:

chocolate (2.5 points)

Total: 22 points

Water: 96oz

Saturday 01.05.2010

2010-05-01T23:18:00.001+01:00

Weigh-in: 189.8!

Eats:

Breakfast:

green smoothie (4 points)

banana
milk
spinach
ice

lunch:

weightwatchers pizza (5 points)

afternoon snack:

apple (0.5 points)

dinner:

Singapore noodles (7 points)

beansprouts

lettuce, tomatoes and dressing (1.5 points)

evening snack:

chocolate (2.5 points)

Total: 22.5 points

Water: 96oz

The Cabbage Soup Diet

2010-04-29T23:58:00.001+01:00

I have been following the cabbage soup diet since Saturday. Tomorrow is the final day. In my head, I know it is a ridiculous, stupid diet to follow.

Saturday I made up massive batches of the cabbage soup and ate it alongside fruit.

Sunday I ate soup and vegetables.

Monday I ate soup, fruit and vegetables.

Tuesday I ate soup, a banana and a massive amount of banana milkshakes,

Wednesday I ate steak and soup and tomatoes.

Today I ate chicken and vegetables.

I have failed numerous times because I ate an extra mini baked potato on Monday, I didn’t eat my soup today and I’ve eaten chocolate both today and yesterday. Regardless, I have seen the scales drop.

Since I was too hungover to weigh in last post, my weight shot back up to 197. I knew it wasn’t legitimate to gain 5 or 6 pounds from my day of hungover eating but it also made me feel like complete crap. For an entire week I failed to post and my weight stayed around the 195 mark. 195 has been my weight pretty much all friggin year. I am so sick of weighing in the 190s.

The rationale part of my brain told me to just get back on weightwatchers and maybe actually work out but the headcase part of my brain decided the Cabbage Soup diet would be more effective.

Today I weighed in at 190, my lowest weight of 2010. If I am 189 tomorrow I will be a very, very happy girl despite my crazy binge episode this afternoon. I will write more about my binge episode another time since it really blew me away with the physical and mental cravings that sparked it.

But even though I haven’t posted in 10 days, I am around and still losing weight, just not in a calm, rational manner. Clearly I need to get my head in order just as much as my body.

-CJ

Sunday 18.04.2010

2010-04-18T22:41:00.001+01:00

Weigh-in: unknown – too hungover to think about it first thing

Eats:

Breakfast:

pita with hummus (3 points)

egg bagel sandwich (10 points)

pita with peanut butter and jam (4 points)

chocolate (2.5 points)

lunch:

cheese puffs, sausage roll, two mini scotch egg bites, southern fried chicken wrap and two magnums

dinner:

half a box of nachos

half a chicken quesadilla

Total: no idea but ALOT. I need to not drink ever again

Water: 72oz

Saturday 17.04.2010

2010-04-18T12:59:00.001+01:00

Weigh-in: 191 woohoo!

Eats:

Breakfast:

green smoothie (2.5 points)

banana
maca
250ml milk
spinach
ice

lunch:

whole wheat english muffin (2.5 points)

egg (1.5 points)

salad of romaine, baby tomatoes, red pepper with honey mustard dressing (0.5 points)

afternoon snack:

peanut butter and half a banana pita (4 points)

dinner:

5 shrimp and two bites of beef (1 point?)

Lots and lots of wine :(

Total: 12 points of food but lost track of the wine…

Activity: 5k in 35:41…my fastest 5k of 2010 so far and almost 2 minutes faster than last week (486 calories)

Water: 30oz :(

Thursday 15.04.2010

2010-04-15T22:36:00.000+01:00

Weigh-in: 193 again

Eats:

Breakfast:

green smoothie (3 points)

banana
maca
250ml milk
spinach
ice

morning snack:

apples (0.5 points)

lunch:

whole wheat wrap (2.5 points)

hummus (1.5 points)

roasted courgette, yellow pepper and quarter of a red onion

salad of romaine, baby tomatoes, red pepper and quarter of a red onion with honey mustard dressing (0.5 points)

afternoon snack:

apples (0.5 points)

dinner:

quorn cutlet (4.5 points)

bagel (4.5 points)

roasted broccoli

massive salad with sweetcorn (1 point)

chocolate (2.5 points)

mini green smoothie (1 point)

Total: 22 points

Water: 100oz + 2 cups of tea!

Friday 16.04.2010

2010-04-14T22:15:00.001+01:00

Weigh-in: 193 again!

Eats:

Breakfast:

green smoothie (2.5 points)

banana
maca
250ml milk
spinach
ice

lunch:

whole wheat wrap (2.5 points)

hummus (1.5 points)

roasted courgette and pepper

salad of romaine, baby tomatoes, red pepper and quarter of a red onion with honey mustard dressing (0.5 points)

afternoon snack:

apples (1 point)

dinner:

pita and hummus (3 points)

2 glasses wine (4 points)

quorn cutlet (4.5 points)

evening snack:

chocolate (2.5 points)

Total: 22 points

Water: 104oz

Tuesday 13.04.2010

2010-04-13T21:39:00.001+01:00

Weigh-in: 193

Eats:

Breakfast:

green smoothie (3 points – damn bigger banana!)

banana
maca
250ml milk
spinach
ice

morning snack:

apple (0.5 points)

lunch:

whole wheat wrap (2.5 points)

hummus (1.5 points)

roasted courgette, yellow pepper and quarter of a red onion

salad of romaine, baby tomatoes, red pepper and quarter of a red onion with honey mustard dressing (0.5 points)

dinner:

2 eggs (3.5 points)

sweet potato (2 points)

beans (2 points)

sweetcorn (0.5 point)

evening snack:

wholemeal english muffin (2.5 points)

banana (1.5 points)

peanut butter (1.5 points)

Total: 21.5 points

Water: 96oz

Monday 12.04.2010

2010-04-12T22:28:00.001+01:00

Weigh-in: 194 (1.8 gain from last week – I’m blaming TOM)

Eats:

Breakfast:

green smoothie (3 points – damn bigger banana!)

banana
maca
250ml milk
spinach
ice

morning snack:

apple (0.5 points)

lunch:

whole wheat wrap (2.5 points)

hummus (1.5 points)

roasted courgette, yellow pepper and quarter of a red onion

salad of romaine, baby tomatoes, red pepper and quarter of a red onion with honey mustard dressing (0.5 points)

afternoon snack:

honey and yogurt (2.5 points)

dinner:

pesto and mozzarella quorn cutlet (4.5 points)

sweet potato (2.5 points)

peas

salsa (0.5 points)

evening snack:

wholemeal english muffin (2.5 points)

jam (0.5 points)

peanut butter (1.5 points)

Total: 22 points

Activity: went for a walk after work (up to 8,300 steps for the day)

Water: 72oz

Running in 2009

2010-04-12T06:00:00.000+01:00

My new year’s resolution for 2009 was to take up running.

I’d tried before, I’d started the Couch to 5k program at least twice, but this time it stuck.

I’ve just logged into my nike+ account (apparently for the first time in 2010) and it had all these fun summary stats for me:

I usually ran in the night and I ran most often on Sundays (makes sense, after work mid-week and long runs on Sundays)

My average pace was 7.53/km (which it says is quick like a cat – which to me sounds like it’s taking the piss!)

I ran a total of 551km (that’s over 9 marathons!!)

I burned 50,606 calories (that’s enough energy to power my iPod for 20 days of partying!)

Not bad for a new year’s resolution!

- CJ

Sunday 11.04.2010

2010-04-11T23:23:00.000+01:00

Weigh-in: 195 (seriously?? my starting weight again??)

Eats:

Breakfast:

green smoothie (2.5 points)

banana
maca
250ml milk
spinach
ice

lunch:

whole wheat wrap (2.5 points)

hummus (2.5 points)

spinach and tomato

dinner:

pesto and mozzarella quorn cutlet (4.5 points)

sweet potato (2.5 points)

broccoli/cauliflower/courgette/carrot mix

salsa (0.5 points)

evening snack:

chocolate (2.5 points)

green smoothie (1.5 points)

Total: 19 points

Activity: 5k in 37:33 + Body Pump

Water: 72oz

Supersize vs Superskinny inspired

2010-04-10T23:15:00.001+01:00

It’s not about what you’re eating, it’s about what’s eating you

I’ve just eaten three nakd cocoa orange bars – 7.5 points of snacking…for breakfast…and more than 2 days worth of points in total today.

so what’s eating me?

As Dr. Jensen asked the morbidly obese person in this week’s Supersize vs Superskinny, is it habit? loneliness? boredom?

I think it’s all three. My green smoothie didn’t work this morning. I ran out of spinach and instead of going to the store first thing I tried frozen spinach which doesn’t blend as well and it was really thick and gross…so then I ate three nakd bars and some ryvita and cheese…

Not long after I ate a microwave meal and a pizza. At that point I went shopping and bought everything necessary to have a zero point dinner and actually stay on track but I didn’t feel like cooking.

I ordered sushi – I had a lot of internal struggle about it first. I’ve been really good at budgeting my food spending this month and I wouldn’t be able to accurately reflect the points. Then 40 minutes after ordering the restaurant called and said it’d be extra to deliver so I cancelled it – it was a sign?!

Instead, I ate a relatively healthy dinner of veggies, salsa, a couple of points of cheese and some fruit…it would have passed…except for the chocolate. AN ENTIRE BAR OF CHOCOLATE! 16 POINTS!!

TMI – that time of the month started today, I flaked on my volunteering today, I let them down and then I continued to let myself down ALL DAMN DAY.

I was bored, yes. I was lonely, yes. I was frustrated at myself, yes. I was (am) hormonal, definitely.

I want to succeed at this. I really, really, truly do. I just want these 30lbs GONE. But today I didn’t act like that was the case. Today I didn’t help myself at all.

I deserve better than pizza and microwave meals and chocolate bars. I deserve to feel cute and happy. I really, really, truly do.

- CJ

Friday 09.04.2010

2010-04-10T00:32:00.001+01:00

Weigh-in:

Eats:

Breakfast:

half a nakd cashew cookie (1.5 points)

Green smoothie (2.5 points)

banana
ice
250ml milk
maca
spinach

lunch:

tuna mayo salad (4.5 points)

dinner:

chicken pasta with cheese (9 points)

Massive bowl of zero point cabbage and onion soup

my final reese’s egg (3 points)

courgette fries made with flax seed (1.5 points?)

berry bomb smoothie made with cocoa, frozen berries, milk, banana and honey (3.5 points?)

Total: 25.5 points

Water: 72oz

Thursday 08.04.2010

2010-04-08T21:30:00.001+01:00

Weigh-in: 191.2lbs again (it flitted in the 189 range, then 190, then settled back on 191.2…I even tried twice haha)

Eats:

Breakfast:

Green smoothie (2.5 points)

banana
ice
250ml milk
maca
spinach

lunch:

tuna mayo pita (6 points)

salad (0.5 points)

5 mini chocolate bites (5 points?)

afternoon snack:

ryvita (1 point)

laughing cow (0.5 points)

apple (0.5 points)

dinner:

chicken and pasta (6)

Massive bowl of zero point cabbage and onion soup + cheese (1 point)

banana and custard (3 points)

Total: 26 points (got to stop digging into that office candy!)

Water: 84oz

Wednesday 07.04.2010

2010-04-07T21:28:00.001+01:00

Weigh-in: 191.2lbs

Eats:

Breakfast:

Green smoothie (2.5 points)

banana
ice
250ml milk
maca
spinach

lunch:

tuna mayo pita (6 points)

salad (0.5 points)

chocolate biscuit (2 points?)

afternoon snack:

ryvita (1 point)

laughing cow (0.5 points)

apple (0.5 points)

babybel (1 point)

dinner:

chicken and pasta (8) because this time I added cheese!

Massive bowl of zero point cabbage and onion soup

Total: 22 points

Water: 96oz

Tuesday 06.04.2010

2010-04-06T21:19:00.001+01:00

Weigh-in: 192.2lbs

Eats:

Breakfast:

half a banana (0.5 points)

Green smoothie (2.5 points)

banana
ice
250ml milk
maca
spinach

morning snack:

apple (0.5 points)

babybel (1 point)

lunch:

tuna mayo pita (6 points)

salad (0.5 points)

afternoon snack:

ryvita (1 point)

laughing cow (0.5 points)

pre-work out snack:

half a nakd cashew cookie bar (1.5 points)

dinner:

chicken and pasta (6)

Total: 20 points

Activity: 5k in 37:02

Water: 80oz

Monday 05.04.2010

2010-04-05T21:21:00.001+01:00

Weigh-in: 192.2 (down 1.6 from last Monday)

Eats:

Breakfast:

Green smoothie (1.5 points)

half a banana
ice
125ml milk
maca
spinach

half a nakd cashew cookie bar (1.5 points)

lunch:

zero point soup and two pitas with laughing cow (5 points)

afternoon snack:

chocolate bar (5.5 points)

dinner:

salmon (4.5 points)

stir-fry veggies

Total: 18 points

Water: 72oz

Return of binge eating?

2010-04-04T22:38:00.001+01:00

I want to call tonight’s snacking a binge but I’m honestly not sure it can be classified as that.

For two weeks exactly I’ve been tracking my weight daily, went over points only once, have been running according to my training schedule and even attending Body Pump once or twice a week.

So what trigged tonight’s snacking? I really don’t know. I know that I didn’t want to eat my final reese’s egg so I tried to occupy myself elsewhere. Unfortunately, that occupying included three pitas, hummus, veggie soup and a nakd bar.

A typical binge would have involved going to the store and buying cheese-y pasta or pizza, a white bread sandwich to eat while the pizza/pasta cooked, a bag of cheese puffs and a box of rocky road bites. At a guess? Maybe 4,000 calories?

Tonight’s snacks – maybe 700 calories? And it didn’t have the same binge characteristics as normal – I weighed out 1 point of hummus. I chopped cabbage and onions and made zero point soup. The reese’s egg was brought out of the freezer, defrosted and put BACK into the freezer. I drank 24oz of water before the second pita.

Could I actually have just been hungry? I typically don’t eat my activity points and this week I’ve done Body Pump and run 7 miles so in all honesty, those 8.5 points of tonight’s snacking are probably covered through activity points.

Am I wrongly justifying my actions tonight? Or am I actually in an okay place right now with my eating, activity and even my attempts at bingeing?

- CJ

Sunday 04.04.2010

2010-04-04T21:58:00.001+01:00

Weigh-in: 191.2lbs again

Eats:

Breakfast:

Green smoothie (2.5 points)

banana
ice
250ml milk
maca
spinach

post-workout snack:

half a nakd cashew cookie bar (1.5 points)

lunch:

hummus and mushroom grilled pita (3 points)

salad of baby tomatoes, lettuce and grilled courgette

apple, pumpkin spice and custard (2 points)

mid-afternoon snack:

laughing cow wedge and spinach pita (2.5 points)

dinner:

salmon (4.5 points)

edamame (2 points)

stir-fry veggies

reese’s egg (3 points)

horrible late-night snacking:

pita and hummus (3 points)

zero point soup and pitas (4 points)

nakd cocoa orange bar (2.5 point)

Total: 30.5 points eek

Activity: 2 miles @11:31

first mile in 11:37
second mile in 11:22 (negative split woohoo!)

Water: 96oz

Saturday 03.04.2010

2010-04-03T21:46:00.001+01:00

Weigh-in: 191.2lbs

Eats:

Breakfast:

Green smoothie (2.5 points)

banana
ice
250ml milk
maca
spinach

post-workout snack:

half a banana (0.5 point)

laughing cow wedge (0.5 point)

lunch:

tuna mayo pita (5 points)

red pepper

baby tomatoes

mid-afternoon snack:

homemade apple sauce with honey and pumpkin spice (1 point)

custard (2 points)

kale chips

carrot fries

hummus and pita (3.5 points)

dinner:

salmon (4.5)

stirfry veggies

reese’s peanut butter egg (3 points)

Total: 22.5 points

Activity: Body Pump

Water: 72oz + chamomile tea + sleepytime tea

Friday 02.04.2010

2010-04-02T22:45:00.001+01:00

Weigh-in: 192.2lbs again

Eats:

Breakfast:

Green smoothie (2.5 points)

banana
ice
250ml milk
maca
spinach

lunch:

roasted carrot, spinach, hummus, laughing cow pita – all grilled on the foreman (5 points)

yellow pepper

baby tomatoes

mid-afternoon snack:

homemade apple sauce with honey and pumpkin spice (1 point)

laughing cow, tomato, spinach pita also grilled on the foreman (2.5 points)

dinner:

baked salmon (4 points)

steamed broccoli

courgette and mushroom alfredo (1 point)

2 reese’s peanut butter eggs (6 points)

Total: 22 points

Water: 72oz + green tea + sleepytime tea

Thursday 01.04.2010

2010-04-01T22:37:00.001+01:00

Weigh-in: 192.2lbs

Eats:

Breakfast:

Green smoothie (2.5 points)

banana
ice
250ml milk
maca
spinach

mid-morning snack:

apple (0.5 points)

babybel (1 point)

lunch:

Bugsy sandwich (carrots and hummus) (4.5 points)

salt and vinegar snacks (1.5 points)

pre-workout snack:

half a nakd cocoa orange bar (1 point)

dinner:

zero point soup

cabbage
tomato
onion

hummus and spinach pita (3 points)

1 reese’s peanut butter egg and another 1/6 of the reese’s easter egg (6 points) – How bad is it that I’m totally budgeting light during the day so I can eat as much reese’s as possible??!!

pre-bed snack:

roasted brussel sprouts and carrots (3 points?)

reeses! argh (3 points)

Total: 26 points

Activity: 2.5 miles in 28:55 (almost a whole minute faster than Tuesday!)

mile 1 in 11:31
mile 2 in 11:21
last half mile in 6:04

Water: 72oz + sleepytime tea

Wednesday 31.03.2010

2010-04-01T20:42:00.001+01:00

Weigh-in: 193lbs

Eats:

Breakfast:

Green smoothie (2.5 points)

banana
ice
250ml milk
maca
spinach

mid-morning snack:

jaffa cake(0.5 points)

lunch:

Boots shapers bbq chicken wrap (4.5 points)

salt and vinegar snacks (1.5 points)

mid-afternoon snack:

almond cake (2 points?)

babybel (1 point)

dinner:

tuna salad (4.5 points)

1/3 of a reese’s peanut butter easter egg (6 points)

Total: 22.5 points

Water: 72oz

Tuesday 30.03.2010

2010-03-30T21:38:00.001+01:00

Weigh-in: 193.8lbs again (I swear my scale is either possessed or ridiculously accurate)

Eats:

Breakfast:

Green smoothie (2.5 points)

banana
ice
250ml milk
maca
spinach

mid-morning snack:

apple (0.5 points)

lunch:

zero point soup

cabbage
tomato
onion

Boots shapers coronation chicken sandwich (4.5 points)

salt and vinegar snacks (1.5 points)

mid-afternoon snack:

apple (0.5 points)

babybel (1 point)

zero point soup

pre-workout snack:

half a banana (0.5 points)

half a nakd cocoa orange bar (1 point)

dinner:

broccoli and shrimp alfredo (3 points)

courgette ribbons
broccoli
shrimp
extra light laughing cow
black pepper

1/6 of a reese’s peanut butter easter egg (6 points – it’s supposed to serve 4 but I’ve cut this sucker into 6 and stored the rest in the freezer. I’ll be damned if this easter gift is going to get the better of me!)

Total: 21 points

Activity: 2.5 miles in 29:53

mile 1 in 11:44
mile 2 in 11:55
last half mile in 6:15

Water: 72oz + sleepytime tea

Monday 29.03.2010

2010-03-29T22:38:00.001+01:00

Weigh-in: 193.8lbs

Weekly check-in: –1.2lbs from last week :)

Eats:

Breakfast:

Green smoothie (2 points)

half a banana
ice
250ml milk
maca
spinach

mid-morning snack:

apple (0.5 points)

lunch:

Boots shapers chicken flat-bread (4.5 points)

salt and vinegar snack a jacks (1.5 points)

biscuit (1.5 points)

dinner:

salad (1 point)

lettuce
sweetcorn

Sainsbury’s be good to yourself lasagne (6.5 points)

half nakd cocoa orange bar (1 point)

Total: 18.5 points

Activity: rest day (first day of my 28 week half-marathon plan!)

Water: 24oz + 500ml diet cream soda oops

Sunday 28.03.2010

2010-03-29T08:30:00.001+01:00

Weigh-in: 192.6lbs again

Eats:

Breakfast:

Half a banana (0.5 points)

humuus and 1.5 peppers (2.5 points)

Green smoothie (2.5 points)

banana
ice
250ml milk
maca
spinach

lunch:

bran flakes and milk (4 points)

post-workout:

extra light laughing cow wedge (0.5 points)

green smoothie (2.5 points)

half a banana
ice
250ml milk
protein powder
spinach

dinner:

salad (1 point)

lettuce
pepper
tomato
light balsamic dressing
sweetcorn

carrot fries (1 point)

weight watchers caramelised onion and goat cheese pizza (6.5 points)

half nakd cocoa orange bar (1 point)

Total: 22 points

Activity: Body Pump

Water: 72oz + slimatee

Saturday 27.03.2010

2010-03-27T20:55:00.001Z

Weigh-in: 192.6lbs

Eats:

Breakfast:

Green smoothie (2.5 points)

banana
ice
250ml milk
maca
spinach

lunch:

1.5 ham/cheese/pickle/mayo sandwiches (so difficult to estimate when you’re relying on someone else’s cooking!)

3 slices of wholemeal bread (4.5 points)
ham (1 point)
cheese (3 points)
pickle (.5 point)
mayo (2 points)
tomato and lettuce

dinner:

1 large glass and 1 small glass of white wine (4.5 points??)

a few salt and vinegar crisps (2 points)

carrots

green smoothie (1.5 points)

banana
spinach
ice
milk

Total: 21.5 points (I have no idea really but I think I’m at least overestimating rather than guessing low for the sandwich/wine/crisps etc)

Activity: nothing official but I was on my feet for about 5 hours today at my latest volunteering venture

Water: 72oz + slimatee

Friday 26.03.2010

2010-03-26T22:32:00.001Z

Weigh-in: 194.6lbs still

Eats:

Breakfast:

Green smoothie (3.5 points)

banana
ice
250ml milk
maca
spinach
brown rice protein powder

mid-morning snack:

apple (0.5 points)

lunch:

spinach and ricotta canneloni (7 points)

side salad (0.5 points)

afternoon snack:

chocolate cake (2 points)

dinner:

humuus (4.5 points)

carrots

chardonnay (2 points)

Total: 20 points

Activity: none again :(

Water: 72 oz + diet coke (eek first one in a long time!) +slimatee and sleepytime tea

Thursday 25.03.2010

2010-03-25T21:18:00.001Z

Weigh-in: 194.6lbs

Eats:

Breakfast:

Green smoothie (2.5 points)

banana
ice
250ml milk
maca
spinach

mid-morning snack:

mini babybel (1 point)

apple (0.5 points)

lunch:

barbeque chicken wrap (3.5 points)

french fry crisps (1.5 points)

afternoon snack:

2 brownie bites (3 points??)

3 biscuits (4.5 points??)

dinner:

salmon in soy and honey (6.5 points)

green beans

weightwatchers brownie (6 points)

spelt tortellini (6 points)

Total: 35 points (at least I’m tracking my overeating session!)

Activity: none – another late day in the office

Water: 40 oz

Wednesday 24.03.2010

2010-03-24T21:37:00.001Z

Weigh-in: 193.6lbs

Eats:

Breakfast:

Green smoothie (2.5 points)

banana
ice
250ml milk
maca
spinach

mid-morning snack:

mini babybel (1 point)

apple (0.5 points)

lunch:

Stir-fry veggies

haddock fish cake (3 points)

afternoon snack:

mini babybel (1 point)

apple (0.5 points)

orange (0.5 points)

Cadbury’s creme egg (3.5 points)

dinner:

biona spelt and vegetable tortellini (6 points)

passata

sweetcorn (0.5 points)

extra light laughing cow (0.5 points)

brussel sprouts roasted in balsamic dressing (0.5 points)

Total: 20 points

Activity: none – a late and crazy day in the office

Water: 72 oz

Tuesday 23.03.2010

2010-03-23T21:15:00.001Z

Weigh-in: 194.4lbs

Eats:

Breakfast:

Green smoothie (2.5 points)

banana
ice
250ml milk
maca
spinach

mid-morning snack:

mini babybel (1 point)

apple (0.5 points)

lunch:

Sainsbury’s chicken tikka sandwich (4.5 points)

Total greek yogurt with honey (3 points)

afternoon snack:

mini babybel (1 point)

apple (0.5 points)

pre-gym snack:

2 baklava bites (3 points??)

post-gym snack:

Green smoothie (3 points)

banana
ice
175ml milk
lucuma powder
spinach
brown rice protein powder

dinner:

Stir-fry veggies

haddock fish cake (3 points)

Total: 22 points

Activity: Body-pump again!

Water: 72 oz

Moving to daily weigh-ins (Monday’s eats 22.03.2010)

2010-03-22T20:58:00.002Z

I’m going to weigh-in daily. I’ve been feeling like once I weigh in on the Monday I have a couple days to be a bit more lenient with before I have to buckle down and it’s just not a productive process.

So Monday’s weigh-in: still 195lbs

Monday’s eats:

Breakfast:

Green smoothie (2.5 points)

banana
ice
250ml milk
maca
spinach

Protein pancakes (1.5 points)

brown rice protein powder (0.5 points)
egg whites
agave nectar (1 points)

mid-morning snack:

blood orange (0.5 points)

lunch:

tofu pita (6.5 points)

humuus (1.5 points)

afternoon snack:

mini babybel (1 point)

apple (0.5 points)

dinner:

veggie pasta (4.5 points)

pasta
quark
chipotle salsa
pasatta
spinach
courgette
sweetcorn

Laughing cow extra light (0.5 points)

Total: 19 points

Activity: nothing specific, but I walked quite a bit this evening shopping and to and from and the tube station!

Water: 96 oz

Sunday’s Eats (21.03.2010)

2010-03-21T21:35:00.001Z

All in all a good day – OP, some activity, lots of fluids.

Breakfast:
Bran flakes (3 points)
250ml milk (1 point)
Green smoothie (2.5 points)

banana
250ml milk
spinach
maca
ice

Lunch:
pasta (3.5 points)
spinach
tomatoes
passata
onion
quark (.5 points)

snacks:

nakd cocoa orange bar (2 points)

carrots

humuus (3.5 points)

Total 2% greek yogurt with honey (3 points)

Dinner:

stirfried vegetables

pita chips (2 points)

humuus (1 point)

Total: 22 points

Drinks:

72oz water

1 cup slimatee

1 cup sleepytime tea

Activity:

Body Pump

updated rewards

2010-03-18T08:31:00.000Z

I missed my Monday weigh-in because I was crabby, bloated and hormonal and I knew I wasn't going to see a loss so I stayed away for my own sanity.

I peeked this morning and am on track for a teeny-tiny loss come next Monday!

I've revised my goal rewards and am going to celebrate every half stone (7 lbs for my American readers). This way I get more rewards! Plus its easier because I want to loss about 28 pounds or 2 stone so it fits nicely.

When I hit 188 - new jewellry
When I hit 181 - new shoes
When I hit 174 - facial
When I hit 167 - all new underwear
When I hit 165 - big celebration and a new pair of designer jeans

I fully envision that this will be an expensive project but eh, that's what my money is for right?

I also think when I hit the 180s I'm going to spend my gift card I've been hoarding since it expires this year and even though it was my reward for hitting goal last year it doesn't seem to have motivated me. Being in the 180s will be a major milestone regardless since I'm always fluctuating in the 190s - it was a college weight too and everytime I embark on a new diet it seems my first weigh-in goes back to that number.

180s here we come!

- CJ

Pizza Party

2010-03-10T17:00:00.000Z

Did you guess the secret ingredient I picked up over the weekend inspired by Carrots n Cake and Healthy Tipping Point?

POLENTA!

And the best part? This whole thing (5.5pts) was only 51p…51p!

I sliced up 2pts worth and grilled them. Then I added some passata, mushrooms and spinach and topped with 3 Babybel light cheeses for a grand total of a 5pt pizza.

This was actually pretty good – I didn’t know what to expect with polenta but it wasn’t half bad. 51p can’t be beaten either but next time I’m going to try making polenta fries. I tried a piece of the polenta before I added the sauce and toppings and it was crispy and delicious. Once it had sat in the sauce for a while it lost some of that crispiness so next time I’m definitely going to maximise the crispy potential!

QOTD: Have you ever tried polenta? Got any good recipes?

- CJ

Technorati Tags: pizza,polenta,5.5pts,recipe

Xanthan Gum Heaven

2010-03-09T13:00:00.000Z

It’s Tuesday – which means we made it through the first day of the week!

I went to Sainsbury’s on Friday night to pick up my favourite Weight Watchers pizza but left with a whole host more.

One of those was Doves Farm xanthan gum.

I posted on Saturday how luscious and creamy it made my green smoothie but holy crap it deserves its very own post because this stuff is just that good. I had read about it on HEAB and she RAVED about it. I had backtracked through her links and read Smoothie Girl’s take on them and knew I had to try it.

This is just a cup of skimmed milk, 4 ice cubes, a handful of spinach and a banana. Blitzed with about 1/10th of a teaspoon of xanthan gum it somehow increases in volume and thickness and becomes the consistency of a super milkshake. It made my typical morning drink so delicious that I ended up having a second one after dinner just because it was so creamy and tasty.

Words are not even doing it justice, but in the words of the Fitnessista herself – FOODGASM!

I absolutely urge you to try it and if you do, let me know!

I picked up another food blogger inspired product on Friday that I’ll feature as soon as I figure out what to do with it!

Hint: it’s appeared on Healthy Tipping Point AND Carrots n Cake recently.

What amazing products have you discovered thanks to food blogs?

-CJ

Flailing

2010-03-09T08:26:00.000Z

Different than failing - it just feels like I'm flailing about slightly on my plan already.

I completed the full week of tracking and eating on points until yesterday's weigh-in and then last night, whether through boredom or some ridiculous disappointment in ONLY a one-pound loss, I strayed.

I'd eaten only 12 points during the day but then had whole foods' brown rice vegan sushi, a goats cheese and mesclan side salad and a 5.5 point chocolate bar. In all seriousness, it probably wasn't that bad points-wise and I've certainly binged on worse!

So today I'm picking myself back up, my bag is packed with the most delicious looking green monster - I put in a little extra xanthan gum (I've got a special gum post going up later) and its super-thick! I've got salsa chicken, a wrap and salad for lunch and two snacks plus my iced coffee.

Today is going to be fine. I'm going to be fine, just fine.

-CJ

My Latest Gadgets

2010-03-08T17:00:00.000Z

I said last Monday that I’d do a post on my new smoothie maker and coffee maker – so as promised.

My routine lately has been to set my Morphy Richards coffee maker each night. At 6am it switches on and I have lovely freshly brewed coffee as soon as I wake up. I drink half (4 cups) with half a cup of milk while I’m getting ready.

Then I put the other half in the fridge to make iced coffee. I take the other half from the day before as iced coffee to the office with another half cup of milk to sip throughout the morning. I find coffee and milk really filling so it stops me from aimlessly snacking all morning.

Then I blend up my green smoothie in my Kenwood Smoothie 2Go. I love this thing – it makes the smoothies directly in the travel mug so once it’s done I just throw it in my bag and take it to the office to sip alongside my coffee.

For 4 points total, it’s a pretty filling breakfast even if it is all liquid!

- CJ

Monday Weigh-In

2010-03-08T06:39:00.000Z

Quickly, before I forget
Last week's weigh-in: 196.2
Today's weigh-in:195.0
Total loss: 1.2

Honestly, kind of thought I'd lose more but its a loss so I'll take it. Maybe I screwed it up by actually exercising yesterday - yes for the first time in a couple of weeks I ran 2.5 miles yesterday afternoon. The sunshine was glorious but its still so cold out!

Got another day of eats packed in my bag and we're off!

-CJ

Protein Pancake Sunday

2010-03-07T10:51:00.001Z

A little bicarbonate of soda, a touch of baking powder, some brown rice protein powder and liquid egg whites. All whisked together to form pancake batter.

For 1pt of protein powder I can make about 4 pancakes. Cook them up and coat with 0.5pt of agave and it’s pancake Sunday!

Today I made only three and the last one (hidden on the bottom of that pile) was so thick that it burned on the bottom before it cooked. I don’t recommend burning protein pancakes – they get REALLY bitter!

But still, 1.5pts for a pancake and syrup breakfast really can’t be beaten!

- CJ

2010 goals revisited: March update

2010-03-07T10:00:00.000Z

Two months of 2010 down so it’s time for another progress report:

In 2010 I want to:

Volunteer – I haven’t figured out the specifics, but I want to get back into fundraising or other work with a charity that I care about

Oops, still nothing on this down – need to get researching into some ideas

Get organised – This is a goal every year and I think I made a definite improvement on this in the past 12 months. I’d like to keep my flat at a level of cleanliness that I don’t have to ‘apologise for the mess’ whenever someone drops by unannounced. Of course, I’ll still say it regardless!

I’m doing pretty good. The bathroom is tidy, the kitchen is more often than not respectable and the living room is so-so. I do have to organise my closet and bedroom and I NEED to hang up my pictures. I moved in about 18 months ago and still have barely decorated!

Save money – I started this one yesterday when I cut my broadband bill in half. I want to do a full money makeover and get my bills as low as possible over the next few weeks. Then I fully intend to cut back on my spending, particularly in terms of food shopping, eat out less especially for lunch and get some money into my savings account by stopping spending on my credit cards. I aim to only put things on my credit card that can be expensed back to work and this will also ensure that I don’t miss any expenses that could have been claimed back each month.

I did put an ipod charger adaptor on my credit card on my recent vacation but I paid it off as soon as I got back so I’m back to all zero balances. I’ve been taking my lunches in all week and sticking to a £50/week food budget so far.

Reignite a childhood passion – I’m not sure I’ve figured this out yet either but it’s one of the goals suggested by Spark People (as is the one below) and I really like the idea. Maybe I’ll join my colleagues at their weekly netball game, maybe I’ll dig out my old flute or go camping.

Nothing yet – still need to think of what I’m going to do!

Look forward – I already cut out pictures and articles about places I want to travel to, restaurants I want to eat at, things I want to try or see and now I want to create a dream board. It will be something that can inspire me day-to-day to move towards a life that is everything I dream of.

Ok this one I have no excuse for not starting – I REALLY need to get moving on this one

Make peace with my grief – My father died 11 years ago and I still cannot talk about him without tears. I’m pretty sure it’s not typical to still harbour grief this long and this may require counselling, but it’s definitely a place that I’d like to get to.

Still reading my three grief books – it’s always going to be a work in progress but I’m proud that I’m doing something about it.

Expand my cooking skills – I aim to make one new recipe a week to expand my repertoire of go-to dishes. I’d also like to give my kitchen a bit of a makeover (organisation again!) I’d also like to experiment with different grains, new spices and find kale to try those crispy kale chips I see throughout blogworld!

I’ve made quite a few yummy recipes this month – love my roasted chickpeas and have been doing some really fun roasted vegetables. I’m all about the zero-point vegetables now that I’m back on WW!

Health and fitness goals are to:

Try a new sport – I never thought I'd do as well as I’ve done this year with running. Even though I took an almost 6 week break after the half-marathon and then another hiatus after breaking my wrist I’ve stuck with it for most of the year and have even run twice this week between Christmas and New Years, quite likely the only time I’ve ever worked out in these usually gluttonous days. As soon as my wrist heals I want to try Bikram yoga and have already scoped out the closest yoga studio. I also plan to PR at the same half-marathon race next September.

Not yet and I need to get back to the gym period.

Look after my skin – I am 27 and still fall to sleep with my makeup on. I want to establish a skin routine and stick to it.

My skin is still being crappy lately – another work in progress. Hopefully the regular green smoothies will help!

Eat cleaner – I plan on fully completing Project55 this year and reaching my goal weight finally. As part of this I aim to

increase my fruit and vegetable intake to 5-9 portions daily
increase my intake of healthy fats
increase my protein levels with an aim of 15g at breakfast
eat less meat
take daily probiotics
take a multi-vitamin/supplement daily

Still not taking probiotics or supplements but I’m doing much better eating clean. I eat some chocolate in the evenings but other than that this past week for example has been excellent. Low fat dairy, massive amounts of vegetables and meat (chicken) only twice.

I’m feeling really good about this past month – 10 more to go!

- CJ

Saturday food diary

2010-03-06T20:18:00.001Z

Breakfast was a green smoothie

banana 1.5pt
milk 1pt
ice
spinach

2-egg omelette (with extra egg whites 0pts) with Babybel light 4pts and ketchup 0.5pts

Lunch was a mushroom burger 2pts, wrap 2.5pts, yellow pepper 0pts and mustard 0pts and an iced latte 1pt

Dinner was another wrap 2.5pts, light mayo 0.5pts, tuna 2.5pts and mustard 0pts

Followed by another green smoothie 2pts because last night I discovered xanthan gum and OMG it makes smoothies so thick and luscious!

A delicious day of eats for 20 points – did I earn any activity points this week? No – today in fact I’ve spent most of the day on the sofa catching up on Biggest Loser and other TV shows that I just don’t get to see during the week. It’s been blissfully lazy!

QOTD: Do you struggle with weekend eating when it’s less structured?

- CJ

A sneak peek at the scale

2010-03-05T08:28:00.000Z

I stepped on the scale this morning even though I told myself I'd do a full week and weigh in on Monday again. I don't want to jinx anything but if today was weigh-in day I'd be happy to report a loss.
Tonight I plan on stopping by the grocery store after work and picking up a pizza. It'll be my (still within points) celebration of the end of the week and then some egg whites to make pancakes tomorrow.

It feels so good to get my eating back under control. Next week's goal will be to continue tracking and staying on plan AND fit in a workout or two.

QOTD: how important is exercise in your routine? Do you think you can be successful on this journey without it?

-CJ

Three days going strong

2010-03-04T08:15:00.000Z

I've completed three days of my tracking challenge and all is well - I told myself I'd do it for the working week and then I'll figure out the weekend separately.

So far I've been successful because of meticulous planning and a strict meal plan.

Every day I've eaten the exact same thing followed by a slight variation on a big salad in the evenings. I made five batches of roasted vegetable pasta for lunches and my cheese/crispbread/apples/peppers have been recurring snacks. Its working but some variety will probably become necessary in the long-term.

Any ideas for good lunches I can make in advance and portion out for lunch?

-CJ

Happy Hump-day and a NSV

2010-03-03T08:29:00.000Z

The daily updates (particularly if I'm doing it first thing) are really helping keep me on track.

Last night after my ranch chicken salad dinner I had my budgetted squares of chocolate and got ready for bed.

A few minutes later, I was standing in front of the fridge breaking off squares from the chocolate bar again. I could have eaten it - I was under points yesterday so I wouldn't have even been going off plan but instead I put the chocolate back and walked away.

I told myself I'd be setting a dangerous precedent straying off my eating plan this early in the game and with not even a remotely valid excuse.

QOTD: how do you talk yourself out of dangerous situations like boredom snacking or late-night munchies?

-CJ

Make or Break it Tuesday

2010-03-02T19:10:00.000Z

The presenter on the radio this morning was talking about how Tuesday is the day that defines the rest of your week.
Monday is full of good intentions - but how long do they last?

Well, I'm happy to report that despite working late (last night 'til 10pm!) I'm sticking with my good intentions and my meal plan if not my gym class schedule.

I got up this morning, packed my green smoothie, iced cofee, veggie pasta and snacks and trundled off to the office (early!) again.

And best of all - I didn't touch the giant chocolate bar that my colleague brought back from her vacation.

-CJ

Monday Weigh-In

2010-03-01T07:34:00.000Z

If this works and I successfully post from my blackberry this blog may just come alive after such sporadic blogging the past year!

Last night on twitter I pledged to kick things up a notch in March.

I weighed in this morning at 196.2 and to be honest off the top of my head I don't know how that compares to last time since it was so long ago!

Yesterday I planned my meals and exercise for the working week and am now carting a full days eats to the office:
1) Iced coffee
2) Green smoothie
3) Wholewheat pasta with roasted vegetables and passatta
4) Apple slices
5) Babybel
6) Pepper slices
7) 2 Ryvita crisps with an extra light laughing cow wedge
For a total of 13.5 points including the very large coffee I already drank first thing.

Now I'm just hoping that my containers hold and I don't arrive at the office with a bag of brown sludge!

Later I'll post links of my new smoothie maker (which converts to travel mugs!) And coffee maker! I got a little planning happy this weekend but if these gadgets help me see the scale move they'll be well worth it.

QOTD: what gadgets and gizmos have been instrumental to your weight loss?

- CJ

C25K Success - reflections

2010-01-19T08:26:00.000Z

C25K success is the most frequent Google search phrase that finds this little blog.

My original success can be found back in March 2009 and is the first time I ran for over 30 minutes straight. I ran for 40 minutes and was absolutely thrilled.

It was a 2009 resolution to take up running. I bought the Nike+ shoes, the iPod nano, the armband, and the shoe chip and put the C25K sessions into my phone calendar. I cannot say enough good things about this program. I can still remember the first time I ran for a minute, the first time I ran for an entire song (Rihanna SOS), my first five minutes, the first 8 minutes and so on. Funnily enough I played SOS so many times during those first few months of C25K that I can’t stand it anymore!

7 months after starting the program I ran 10 miles with my younger brother – I use the term ‘with’ loosely since he lapped me at mile 7 (his legs are a good few inches longer than mine and he’s training for the military!)

8 months into the program I was running the five miles home a couple times a week from work (and beating the 2 buses I normally took).

9 months into the program I ran my first race, all 13.1 miles of it and didn’t stop once.

I have lost 20lbs since beginning that journey a year ago and absolutely LOVE running. I’m going to run the half-marathon again this year and will hopefully smash my previous time. And I owe it all to the C25K program.

- CJ

Weight loss FAIL

2010-01-18T20:38:00.001Z

First an apology to Angie for using the F-word there but it’s true. While I only had one really bad day, I truly think I need to get back to tracking – either calories or points because the scale is just not going in the right direction and I’m guessing it’s my portion sizes.

I am sincerely hoping that you can’t gain 4lbs just like that in a week so hopefully it’ll be gone this time next week once I’m over all my hormonal etc issues.

Another week…

And she’s back

2010-01-17T18:21:00.001Z

Today I knocked out five miles – I last hit that mileage during the half-marathon in September. Granted, at times I wanted to die a little but I didn’t stop and I even looked down a couple of times to see the Garmin displaying some 10 or 11 minute miles which I was happy about. I was fully expecting to be back at my 13 minute mile pace, but I’m actually running about the same speed as I was in June/July so hopefully I’m well on track to PR-ing at the half-marathon again this year.

5 miles – 61:38 minutes – 690 calories

Mile 1: 11:58

Mile 2: 12:19

Mile 3: 12:16

Mile 4: 12:38

Mile 5:12:30

I had an expensive trip to Whole Foods on Friday but scored some brown rice protein powder, vegetarian refried black beans, organic multi-grain tortillas, brown rice sushi x2, edamame, freshly ground peanut butter, medjool dates, oats, Amy's burrito x2 and some green veggie powder that I’m going to experiment with for green monsters.

Weigh-in tomorrow. I’m not feeling good about it – I had a proper binge day on Thursday involving one and a half Pret’s cheese and pickle baguettes, which is about 1,000 calories right there. 4 Millie’s cookies were also devoured, as well as a pot of hummus and carrots.

TMI warning!!

The next day my period arrived – hmmmm, wonder if there’s a hormonal link there?!

Catch ya for weigh-in.

-CJ

Monday weigh-in

2010-01-11T23:14:00.001Z

So for anyone keeping track…last week I weighed in at 196.2

And this morning?

That would be a less than stellar .6lb loss…ah well, it’s a loss and I’ll take it.

On a happier, and far less fuzzy, note – last night I snacked on this gem of a giant HEAB protein pancake. Except this time I whipped out the crepe pan and made one giant crepe….with some drizzling of the agave it was delish!

Here’s to another week and another loss…g’night bloggies.

- CJ

Eat like a food blogger

2010-01-10T20:30:00.000Z

Yesterday, I started my morning with a bowl of Kerf-inspired oats which consisted of 1/2 cup of oats (p.s. I just discovered that UK and US cups are different sizes – so annoying!) and a cup of almond milk cooked on the stove top with half a ripe banana. It’s topped with the other half of the banana and a teaspoon of almond butter.

On the side, Indian spice chai – cloves and cardamom and cinnamon, yum!

After breakfast and some cleaning, I ran 2.5 miles in the freezing cold, dodging snow and ice and then did some shopping.

Lunch was protein pancakes courtesy of Heather Eats Almond Butter, which I made with a scoop of my berry smoothie protein powder, egg whites, bicarbonate of soda and baking powder. My first attempt wasn’t pretty, mainly because I ignored the advice and made one GIANT pancake, but it still tasted good and was topped with another teaspoon of almond butter and some agave.

I LOVE the protein pancake idea, particularly since the berry smoothie protein powder is GROSS as a smoothie but somehow as a pancake it’s delicious.

Not gonna lie, I went back for a second batch and this time made two pancakes out of the batter and they were even better. Topped them with just agave since I have an almond butter problem!

Dinner was salmon with stir-fried veggies.

Breakfast this morning was a Fitnessista breakfast cookie, which I made with 1/2 a cup of oats, a scoop of vanilla soya protein powder, a teaspoon of almond butter, a splash of almond milk and a mashed banana.

Lunch was a can of Amy's Black Bean soup – another Whole Foods find from my trip on Friday night. Yes I shop at Whole Foods on a Friday night – it’s a happy place and I’m a sucker for brown rice sushi!

Dinner tonight was baked salmon alongside a veggie-rific sauce of eggplant, mushroom, pepper, tomato, onion and leek served atop a mound of spaghetti squash.

Eating like a food blogger = good eats!

- CJ

The end of a ww era

2010-01-10T14:19:00.001Z

Last week I cancelled my weightwatchers subscription.

I haven’t followed the plan in at least 6 months and it was stupid to keep paying out the subscription fees. Instead, I’m focusing on eating whole, healthy foods and good old-fashioned portion control.

Monday mornings will be my weigh-in day and on January 4th I weighed in at 196.2

Overall that means I’ve lost about 24 pounds since the beginning of this journey a year ago. Slowly does it.

This past week I’ve eaten A LOT of vegetables and my meals have typically been oats for breakfast, chicken/pork/beef and stir-fried vegetables for lunch and stew or more stir-fry for dinner. I’ve also been religiously drinking my water, 8 glasses before I leave work for the day and have been trying out tea as an after dinner ‘snack’ or ‘dessert’ to keep me away from chocolate or other sweet things.

I’ll post again tomorrow with my next Monday morning weigh-in

Happy New Year

2010-01-02T17:10:00.000Z

It is New Year’s Eve – 5:10pm as I write this and there are less than 7 hours of 2009 remaining. Since I have no internet connection here, this will post in 48 hours once I return to civilisation.

2009 has been a strange year. This has been the first year I’ve had job security (as much as anyone can have in the current economic climate) and I haven’t moved house at all. I have started and finished 2009 living in the same flat and working at the same job, both of which are unusual compared to my previously mobile life.

2009 saw my first trip to Vegas, which was also my first trip with just friends for no other purpose than having fun. I also did the obligatory wedding travel and spent 10 days back in the US for my college roommate’s wedding. I got a promotion at work, I broke my wrist, I began running and then trained for and ran a half-marathon. I joined weightwatchers and lost 25lbs, I stopped going to weightwatchers and gained maybe 10 of those back.

2010 I have some very specific goals in mind. I have some general life things I want to accomplish, some specific health and fitness things I’d like to accomplish and some hopes for the next 365 days that are to come.

In 2010 I want to:

Volunteer – I haven’t figured out the specifics, but I want to get back into fundraising or other work with a charity that I care about

Health and fitness goals are to:

Look after my skin – I am 27 and still fall to sleep with my makeup on. I want to establish a skin routine and stick to it.

Eat cleaner – I plan on fully completing Project55 this year and reaching my goal weight finally. As part of this I aim to

increase my fruit and vegetable intake to 5-9 portions daily
increase my intake of healthy fats
increase my protein levels with an aim of 15g at breakfast
eat less meat
take daily probiotics
take a multi-vitamin/supplement daily

2010 is a completely blank canvas – as far as I know there are no moves in my future at work or home, I have no holidays planned. I don’t mean to sound pessimistic like I have nothing to look forward to but I have no idea what can happen in 2010. I guess we can only find out!

- CJ

Win some Whooga Ugg Boots

2009-11-30T12:27:00.002Z

Open to all residents of all countries - just click here for your own image and entry details

- CJ

About time too

2009-11-07T17:59:00.001Z

Tomorrow is exactly 6 weeks since my half-marathon and I almost got there without having laced up my running shoes once that whole time!

I totally connected with Amanda on this week’s (and last week’s) Biggest Loser when she kept saying that she couldn’t do things. She had always been the fat girl and that truly knocks your confidence and makes you think you can’t, or shouldn’t, be doing things.

So since my half-marathon I haven’t ran. I was overwhelmed by the idea that I’d run a race, that I’d run 13.1 miles and I didn’t know what should come next. I also think a part of me felt like I wasn’t a real runner, and only a real runner would continue to run after the race they’d been training for. And I don’t feel like a real runner, I’m still the fat girl!

But tonight, I laced up my running shoes and I told myself that it didn’t matter if I only ran to the end of the road and back – I just needed to put them on and get out the door.

I didn’t turn on my Garmin or let my Ipod count down the minutes I just ran out that door. And when I got to the end of the road I kept going, and I got to the mile marker and I still felt great so I kept going and then I realised that I’m going to be late to my friend’s birthday party so I had to turn back but I felt great!

And I ran 2.5 miles in a little over 30 minutes, averaging about 12:45min/mile.

And I feel pretty damn pleased with myself!

P.S. When did it get so cold all of a sudden – I had to crack out the fingerless gloves!

- CJ

I did it!!

2009-09-27T20:39:00.002+01:00

I made it to the race start at 8am for a 9:45 start because my race pack didn't arrive due to the postal strike.

Pre-race fuel was a disaster. My stomach was so nervous that I couldn't keep anything down. I was snacking on dry cereal while I got ready and managed a banana and peanut butter before the start but I wasn't nearly fueled up enough for my expected 2 hour and 45 minute run!

I got an email about a month ago with my race number, which was based on your estimated finish time so I thought 8,240 seemed fast given that there were 15,000 runners signed up.

Imagine my surprise when they gave me another race number at the help desk and it was in the 1000 range! Umm...that's pretty damn fast!!

Wandering around pre-race I kept imagining people were checking me out and thinking 'damn, she doesn't look like she'd be able to run that fast!'

They even tried to put me up in one of the top pens at the start but I didn't fancy being passed by EVERY runner for the first few miles so I begged and pleaded and they let me go in my original pen (even though it meant I didn't cross the start line until 20 minutes past the gun).

I was still passed a lot for the first mile, but I was watching my garmin and I was running a 10min/mile...I definitely didn't want to go any faster!

The first three miles were awesome, I felt so good. Then the first water station came and they were out of cups. They were handing out 2 liter bottles instead....umm those things are heavy! I took two sips and put it back down again. Now I was starting to worry - what if ALL the water stations were going to be like this??

Luckily, at mile 5 was a gatorade station and they had 500ml bottles so I snagged one of those and carried it the rest of the way. I felt brilliant running all the way to mile 9, the second gatorade station where I switched my bottle for a new (slightly cooler one).

The sun was HOT today, there was NO shade, and the course had more uphill than I was expecting but I actually liked the hills because I was determined not to stop and it's fun to just put your head down and power up those hills past the people who have stopped to walk!

Mile 10 came and I was entering PDR territory - my fastest 10 miles previously was 1:55 and today was 1:57.

My stomach was hurting from all the gatorade and lack of food.

Mile 11 was killer - my legs were feeling heavy and my stomach was killing me. I was starting to feel some rubbing on one of my feet and I contemplated stopping to put a blister pack on but wasn't sure I could start again!

Mile 12 hurt...I was told 3 times that there was just a mile to go and each time wanted to kill someone...I wanted to see the damn sign!!

I never walk during a run - even my long runs but I contemplated it today. It was purely mental to keep that pace up. I was running alongside a guy in the army who was wearing a MASSIVE back pack...I was keeping up with him when he was walking but then he'd start running and I'd lose him and then catch up to him when he was walking again...I tried to pretend it was a game to get me through that last mile.

I hurt so bad!

Once I saw the finish line I picked up the pace, and saw it drop to a 9:30 min pace...I felt awesome!!

I had given myself the arbitrary goal of 2:45 and finished in 2:37 (even though my garmin says that was how long it took me to go 13.26 miles not 13.1!!)

I refueled with a protein power smoothie of raspberries, strawberries, soy milk and tofu and then ate a ton of whole food's brown rice sushi before taking a couple hours nap.

I am WORN out but feeling pretty pleased with myself!

Race Day!!

2009-09-27T06:45:00.002+01:00

It's finally here - I'm about to run 13.1 miles

I'm not shooting for any particular time...it will be a PR regardless and a PDR once I pass that 10 mile mark.

This morning I'm sick with nerves and I desperately want to skip it, but I'm lacing up my sneakers as we type and my bag is packed.

Wish me luck!!

- CJ

Motivation needed

2009-09-23T15:00:00.003+01:00

A month ago I was all excited about running 10 miles at almost race pace. I even said that I was secretly hoping to run the half-marathon in 2:30 instead of the 2:45 that had been my previous goal.

Then I had a bad run, and life got busier, and I've started to sabotage myself. I've been overweight my entire life and the fact that I was training for a half-marathon never truly sunk in. I still don't feel like a real runner. I started skipping long runs, occassionally even skipping short runs. For the past 4 weeks I've done no long runs on the weekends.

Now, 4 days before I'm due to run the half-marathon I'm really kicking myself for letting it go this far. I don't want to quit!

This is what my training schedule looks like
(The schedule required three runs a week, plus I like my Saturday balance class. Those in green I did, the pinky colour is for when I didn't do them on the day but I did them the day after or day before, and the red is the ones I skipped entirely.)

As you can see, I've done about 68% of the scheduled mileage. I'm 99% sure I won't be able to do the entire course at race pace, since my runs home lately have been slower than they were 4 weeks ago. But I think I'm going to try and finish anyways.

Trust me, I've thought about skipping it and forfeiting the entry fee. I've thought about it alot! The streets are opened up to traffic after 3.5 hours so hopefully I finish before then!!

- CJ

I think I've finally figured it out

2009-09-03T13:35:00.002+01:00

Knock on wood - I may have found a healthy eating strategy that works for during the work day.

During the week I'm awake from 5:30am to 10:30pm and in my sedentary office job I get hungry/bored way quicker than I do on the weekends when I'm out and about doing things. This week my eating schedule has been VERY precise and it's looked like this:

6:00am boiled egg and 1 slice of ww bread (2 points)
10:00am bran flakes and skimmed milk (3 points)
1:00pm salad leaves with roasted vegetables and chicken (4 points)
3:30pm cup of soup (1.5 points)
5:30pm 2 apples (1 point)
7:30pm dinner

My strategy still leaves a decent portion of my points for dinner and maybe a little dessert but also ensures that I'm never more than a few hours from eating my next mini-meal during the day. This worked on Tuesday pre-fueling my 5 mile run home and it worked yesterday, where I skipped an apple and the soup but had pizza, wine and doughballs for dinner!

Hopefully it'll get me through today too, I brought all my running gear with me to do mission: run home part 2!

- CJ

Genius

2009-09-01T20:16:00.001+01:00

That's me by the way - genius!

I ran home tonight. Usually, my 5.5 mile commute (on two buses) takes about an hour door to door. Today, I packed up my shoes, running clothes, garmin, ipod, hrm and all the rest of my junk (who says running is low-equipment!?) and headed to work.

6:30 rolled around and I was out the door...home in about the same time as the bus would have taken me and now I can lie on the couch ALL evening without feeling guilty about my lack of motivation to make it to the gym.

Genius!

- CJ

highs and lows of running

2009-08-26T15:50:00.002+01:00

On Sunday I ran 10 miles - I was particularly excited about this PDR because 10 is just a cool number.

It also took me only 3 minutes longer than my 9 mile run last weekend. Mostly because I started out running with my younger brother who is super fit and training for the army. He finished the 10 miles as I started on mile 7...not cool! But I managed to maintain almost race pace for the full 10 miles and that was without all the adrenaline from race day. I'm now secretly hoping to finish in 2 and a half hours, whereas last week I was happy with under 2:45!

Today however, my 5 mile run was anything but joyous. I had new workout clothes (new running tights and a new dry-fit top) but not even they got me going. My training schedule wanted 12 minute miles, but I averaged 12:13 including 3 walking breaks. I just couldn't get into it and it was really disheartening.

Now, with a couple hours hindsight I've recalled all the reasons why, and they're all significant so I need to stop beating myself up about it!
1) I had a crappy dinner last night of chicken patties and bagels
2) I drank very little water yesterday and none before or during this morning's run
3) I decided against a pre-run snack because it was before 6am
4) My ipod appears to have died so I was music-less

The ipod is a MASSIVE factor, because I never run without music and a full hour of running with no music is probably too much to expect. So I'm going to put aside that today was a crappy running day (it wasn't even that crappy! I need to stop beating myself up about it!) and just consider that my 4 mile run later this week will be fabulous!!

- CJ

Another PDR

2009-08-16T18:05:00.002+01:00

This morning's long run? 9 miles!

9 MILES!

And I didn't walk once - although I did have to stop at a couple roads to wait for a break in traffic, but living in central london that can't be helped.

After forking out BIG money for my very own Garmin - I've since discoverd that I actually keep perfect pace all by myself. Go figure!

My 5 mile run on Tuesday was supposed to be at an average of 12 minute miles according to runners world. Since I've been obsessing about paces ever since I bought the pesky Garmin, I decided this week I'd only check my pace once and only when my ipod said I was halfway done time-wise. I did the same thing on today's 9 mile run and here are my results.

5 mile run on Tuesday
Expected: 12 minute mile average
Actual: 11:52 minute mile average

9 mile run on Sunday
Expected: 12:30 minute mile average
Actual: 12:24 minute mile average

How close are those averages? And even cooler? I was faster!

My 7 mile run almost a month ago, I did 13:23 minute mile averages...so I can't even believe that I'm running miles a minute faster even when I'm running 2 extra miles...craziness!

And the part of my body that hurts the most? My toes! My two big toes are not happy - I just hope my toenails stay put. I've heard running horror stories about big toenails!

- CJ

Mental preparation

2009-08-01T19:15:00.002+01:00

My training schedule wants me to run a 10k tomorrow with a 1 mile warm up and a 1 mile cooldown.

Overall, that will be 8.2 miles...ANOTHER PDR.

I need to get used to that since next week is an 8 mile run, the one after is 9 miles, after that I have 10 miles, and so on until 13 miles, just two weeks before my half-marathon race day!

Lots of PDR's to be had in the next couple of months!!

This evening I am spending time psyching myself up to run 8.2 miles...and hoping that the rain stops!

Wish me luck!

-CJ

A new PDR and the chocolate challenge

2009-07-26T16:01:00.004+01:00

I smoked the chocolate challenge - that little bar that I wanted to make last 4 days, lasted a whole week! I ate the last two squares last night.

Amy's weekly challenge was to outline our long-term and short-term goals and rewards.

My long-term goal is to reach my goal weight - 165lbs which at 5 ft 9 puts me at the top end of the healthy BMI. My reward then is going to be to spend my Christmas bonus that I've been saving this whole time!

Short-term, I've broken my rewards into 5lb increments. I'm a half pound away from hitting 30lbs down so here's what the next 5 rewards will look like!

Hitting 30lbs lost - The fourth Twilight book
Hitting 35lbs lost - A food processor/blender
Hitting 40lbs lost - New workout outfit
Hitting 45lbs lost - Subscription to a health magazine
Hitting 50lbs lost - Massage and pedicure

Also, today I hit a new personal distance record, running 7 miles. My knees are feeling a little sore, in fact once I stopped the running they felt like they weren't connected to my legs! So I'm going to go to the gym and sit in the sauna, relax in the pool to loosen them up a bit.

I've run a total of 16 miles this week, which I'm really pleased with, plus two days on the bike, and a body balance class. The body balance class was where I really saw the difference in my body since I started back in January. I was really able to see a difference in my arm strength - it was super cool!

-CJ

Chocolate challenge

2009-07-19T20:37:00.003+01:00

I wrote a comment on priorfatgirl's blog on her struggle with dealing with the fact that the healthy eating lifestyle is FOREVER and it got me thinking.

I have issues with certain foods, like nut butters, chocolate, icecream - pretty much anything that's bad to eat in massive quantities. My trick so far has been not to buy them, not to keep them in the house but I realised on reading Jen's post that I don't want to never be able to buy almond butter or chocolate ever again.

My chocolate challenge has been to buy a mini chocolate bar - 227 calories of really dark chocolate and to keep it in the house without scoffing the lot.

Last night I ate one row - three squares

Tonight, I'll do the same, and the bar will last (if successful) for four whole days.

And I WILL be successful!

- CJ

Workout Wednesday and the Weekly Challenge

2009-07-18T15:17:00.004+01:00

First of all, my weigh-in is on Wednesdays and this week sucked hardcore. I gained two pounds. I was really pissed off at the time but I only have myself to blame since I did eat about 8 cupcakes over the course of Sunday/Monday. Monday's were at least in my daily points budget but Sunday's certainly weren't.

So, another week - onwards and upwards!

First of all, Amy challenged us to eat clean for one whole day

So, breakfast was 2 hardboiled eggs

followed by a little serving of cheese

Recycled photo but my mid-morning snack was pineapple

Lunch was spiralized zuchinni with sundried tomato pesto, chicken, red pepper and corn

For dinner I was planning on cooking up some vegetables, white fish and brown rice but the white fish just didn't want to cook for some reason. I threw in the wok 3 chopped portobella mushrooms, a chopped onion, chopped frozen spinach and cooked through. By this time, the rice was cooked but the fish was looking nowhere near done and I was hungry so I threw the rice in the wok too. It was looking a little grey (stupid mushrooms discolouring everything!) so I threw in a chopped tomato and some chopped up yellow pepper.

The fish became whitefish, sweet potato, corn fishcakes the following night - I wasn't thrilled but they were edible...

THEN, Amy challenged us to 20 minutes running for workout wednesday

Now, I can't take my camera out with me - I already run with my keys in one hand and my water bottle in the other. But you want proof that I ran?

Lovely!!

Last Saturday I announced that I was going to be more accountable. These were my weekly goals

1) 6 mile run on Sunday + 2 runs (tuesday and thursday per my half-marathon programme)
2) track my food and plan my meals so I eat not only healthy foods but stick to my financial budget
3) drink 8 glasses of water each day
4) 2 other workouts/classes at the gym

I managed the running and I did do a spinning class on Monday and my very first power plates class this morning but the food didn't get tracked and I went over my points on quite a few days. Similarly, my water intake wasn't up to par on all 7 days either.

This week I'm having the same goals all over again and I'm going to do them that much better!

-CJ

2009-07-12T21:53:00.002+01:00

No food photos tonight - I had another serving of canelloni for dinner with a salad of lettuce and tomato (4).

I also made cupcakes for work and may have ate quite a few...let's just say about three quarters of them are making it to work. Shocking!

Well, I sort of organised, and the cupcakes are made.

I'm all prepped for tomorrow food-wise too.

2 hardboiled eggs, ham and babybel (5)

chicken with sundried tomato pesto, spiralised courgette and carrot (4.5)

mango (1)

toffee yogurt (1.5)

The spiralised courgette/carrot with pesto looks AMAZING. I really had to stop myself just eating it for dinner. Can't wait!

G'night

CJ

What a difference a day makes

2009-07-12T10:48:00.003+01:00

So yesterday I slept in until 9:30, today by 9:30 I had already run 6 miles.

The route was as hilly as I'd expected. The route out had just two little hills and one good down-hill and the rest seemed pretty flat. Unfortunately, running it the opposite direction I quickly came to realise that those 2 miles that 'seemed pretty flat' were actually slightly downhill on the way out and now I was looking at 2 miles slightly uphill. Oh boy!

Luckily I had fueled with a little sweet potato (1.5) and a sprinkling of cheese (2) and not only did I survive, I did it in a minute and a half faster than last Sunday!

I refueled with another pineapple pot (1.5) and a ribena really light (0).

Now I'm off to organise, clean, and make cupcakes for work tomorrow.

-CJ

Lazy day

2009-07-11T20:23:00.005+01:00

Today turned out to be a rest day in every sense of the word. Despite sleeping in I was exhausted ALL day.

Once I'd done my few hours of work, it was already lunchtime.

Cauldron mushroom burgers(4)
small sweet potato (1.5)
side salad of lettuce and tomato (0)
BBQ sauce (which I'm blaming on one of my favourite blogs, because after a few mentions like this one on Meghann's blog I had to go out and buy my own!

The mushroom burger was delicious. This was my first time trying it and I'll definitely be buying them again!

The afternoon consisted mainly of watching TV, napping, and meal planning.

Dinner was three canelloni tubes stuffed with a spinach and ricotta mix, smothered in tomato sauce and cheese...yum

Canelloni (4)
extra sprinkling of cheese (2.5)
side salad of lettuce with a handful of roasted aubergine and red pepper (0)

Now, although it's only 8:30 I'm going to go and read and try to get an early night. I want to get up early and do my 6 miles on a new route - the one I'd potentially take if I start running home from work. I'm terrified because it seems quite hilly, but hopefully it's not as bad as it looks!

-CJ

Saturday sleep-in

2009-07-11T12:00:00.003+01:00

I got up at 9:30 this morning. I've literally slept about 5 or 6 hours every night this week and I was shattered this morning. Not helped by the fact that I wasn't able to fall asleep until midnight last night, so a full 9 hours of sleep got me all caught up hopefully.

I snacked on two babybel light cheeses before I started on some work.

My job is technically only Monday-Friday but every other week or so I also am required to do a couple of weekend hours, and today was one of those days. I went to the supermarket to pick up some newspapers and really craved some fruit. The little Sainsbury's by my flat doesn't stock a lot of fruit, but it did have these pre-packaged options so I went for those.

Pineapple 1.5 points
Melon 1 point

I think it's a combination of living alone, and working really long, stressful hours but I've become really selfish and precious about my weekends. This weekend I've made zero plans to do anything social and I'm thrilled. My entire weekend is going to be spent working out, planning meals, organising my flat, catching up on Celebrity Masterchef and maybe catching a movie - I REALLY want to see My Sister's Keeper.

Anyone seen a good movie recently?

- CJ

Being accountable

2009-07-11T10:04:00.002+01:00

I feel like everything is sort of spiralling out of control right now. I've been cheating regularly, skipping workouts and not blogging. All of these go hand in hand with the very slow weight loss I'm experiencing.

Week 1 I stayed the same weight
Week 2 I've lost half a pound

I need to kick this up if I'm going to reach goal in October.

This week, Saturday to Saturday I am going to be completely accountable and focus on some mini-goals for just this one week and see how it goes.

1) 6 mile run on Sunday + 2 runs (tuesday and thursday per my half-marathon programme)
2) track my food and plan my meals so I eat not only healthy foods but stick to my financial budget
3) drink 8 glasses of water each day
4) 2 other workouts/classes at the gym

Not too much to ask?

-CJ

15 week challenge

2009-06-29T20:54:00.003+01:00

I've signed up via
Amy's blog to motivate myself for the next 15 weeks. I'm a bridesmaid October 17th, so this coincides perfectly.

I have 15 weeks to get to goal weight - let's do it!

This week's challenge is to recreate a sinful recipe - a good challenge since this week I have been literally DREAMING of pizza, and fries, and the new Texas Wrapster from KFC. Drool!

Tonight, I threw into a pot some ultra lean beef mince, chopped tomatoes, kidney beans and chilli powder and while I went spinning, it simmered away nicely.

When I got home, I put some sweet potatoes in to roast and ta-da...chilli cheese fries!!

5 miles and counting

2009-06-28T22:25:00.004+01:00

Today's eats maybe weren't the best...there was vanilla icecream consumed first thing.

My flat was so hot this morning that I couldn't stomach cooking, I was out of smoothie ingredients - so icecream it was!

Lunch was chili/bean soup and three of my homemade chicken tenders.

Dinner was roasted aubergine/peppers marinated in harissa paste and served over couscous.

I wanted to run 5 miles today, but I just wasn't fueled up properly I think. I went before dinner, so all I'd had was soup and icecream - note to self, soup and icecream may not get you through 5miles round the park!

I stopped to walk twice, but still made it in 1 hour, 5 minutes - I'm a slow runner, what can I say! 5mph is my go-to speed. It doesn't seem to matter the distance I'm going, it always averages out to be 5mph nevermind if I think I'm doing a shorter, faster run or a longer, slower run - I just can't seem to help it!

Now, it's time for bed. It's my turn to be in the office early this week, so have to leave at 6am tomorrow.

- CJ

OMG...what have I done??

2009-06-11T20:45:00.002+01:00

So, last night after a particularly good 6k run...I did something a little crazy.

Now, keeping in mind that I only started running in January and have never entered a race before, I have been seriously toying with the idea of running the London marathon. To the point that when the ballot opened, I registered. I figured that it would be a sign if I got in that I was meant to do it.

But for the past two weeks I've been obsessed with the idea of the Sony Ericsson 'run to the beat' half marathon in September.

Last night I entered, and now I'm terrified!

115 days!!!

- CJ

Green Monsters

2009-05-21T13:00:00.004+01:00

I have been eyeing up the Green Monster idea I first saw on Leah's blog, and have seen popping up elsewhere recently.

After an early morning 5k run last week I threw together a mini carton of rice milk, spinach, ice, and a small banana and to be honest it was quite delicious. Unfortunately, my little hand blender wasn't quite up to the task, and once or twice I did find an entire spinach leaf, still whole, floating up to the surface.

Since this morning I had no hope of time to make anything for breakfast (I even forgot to pick up my hardboiled eggs as I ran out the door), I grabbed this equally looking green smoothie from the store on my way in.

1 pressed apple, quarter of a pressed pineapple, 1 crushed kiwi, 5 pressed grapes, a squeeze of fresh lime, plus a dash of spinach and nettle extract.

It was good and I love the ingredient list.

At only 2 points per bottle, I also had 1 point worth of apple pieces and grapes which tided me over relatively well, but the lack of fats and protein is kicking in hard and my stomach is making particularly loud growling noises so I'm off in search of lunch!

- CJ

Grazing is good

2009-05-05T21:14:00.003+01:00

Inspired by Lara at thinspired I ordered one of these graze boxes last week.

The premise is simple, a box was delivered to my office designed to promote positive snacking - 'filling in necessary nutrients that may be missed due to skipped meals and long busy days at work'.

The only downside - my stupid work doesn't get it's mail until 2pm. I've known this for the entire year I've worked there, but somehow it slipped my mind. By lunchtime, I was getting grouchy and may have taken it out on the receptionist - as if it was his fault that our mail comes at that time every day??

So, I had already eaten lunch by the time the box arrived, but I'd been so eagerly anticipating it that I tore it open as soon as I got it back to my desk.

First things first, I loved the pineapple - fresh pineapple often makes my tongue react, but this was so juicy and ripe and perfect that either it didn't, or I was just enjoying it too much to notice.

Then, there was a dried fruit section - apple strudel - which consisted of dried apple rings, apricots and cranberries. Delish - I particularly LOVE that they include the nutritional information for each section for you. My entire box came to 6.5 weightwatchers points - the dried fruit being 2.5 point, which if I'd eaten it as it's intended, i.e. snacking throughout the day would have been perfect snacking!

And finally, chilli cashews - this has to be the smartest possible way to consume cashews. I have a serious cashew addiction and am forbidden from ever purchasing them. I can eat a bag, or two, no problem and would on a daily basis if allowed - I LOVE cashews. Thankfully, this 2.5 point serving meant that I could only eat 2.5 points of cashews and let me tell you, these are spicy! I was a little hesitant - who wants to ruin a cashew?? But, no - they were actually really good. Good enough that I let a colleague try one (just one mind you! The rest I ate!)

All in all, I was really impressed with the quality of the products that arrived, and have my next order scheduled for next Thursday. Luckily for me, I'm on a different site this week so I'm hoping that we might get a reasonable post time! If not, no doubt I will consume the lot in about 20 minutes after lunch (possibly not quite the grazing ideal!)

If you're in the UK and want to give it a try too - try this for a free box: WMVGNZ6

Goodnight!

-CJ

BLBE

2009-05-03T20:27:00.002+01:00

So BLBE is over - all 16 weeks.

I started at 220, and am now 196.6, so have lost a grand total of 23.4lbs. Not spectacular if you consider the average per week, or compare it to the show, but a respectable amount none the less.

I've also taken up running, and since I started in January, when I had severe issues running for 3 minutes at a time, I can now run for an hour non-stop. Yesterday, I ran 5k in 34 minutes. Followed by another 5k today. I've learned to run on a treadmill, but for the past week have been trying it outdoors. I thought the hills, the sun, the wind, the bugs (yesterday I almost swallowed 2!) would make it so much harder, but the first attempt at outside running I ran for 10k. It was brilliant.

So, five months into my healthy new years resolution I'm a runner, and I'm no longer obese...I don't think you could ask for much more.

So a big thank you to Angie and Lynn for hosting the competition and here's to the next 5 months on this journey!

- CJ

ONEderland - take 2

2009-04-05T18:08:00.003+01:00

So, after my excitement at entering ONEderland that week, I weighed in the next week and was back to 205.3. I know I didn't gain 6lbs overnight, but it was still hard to see that number pop up on the scale.

I weigh in on Thursdays, and I didn't actually send the number to Angie straight away. I thought I'd try again on Friday, and then Saturday, and then Sunday and nothing was budging and I contemplated 'forgetting' to send in my weigh-in results but then I decided that's not really the point of the game. So I owned my 6lb gain, and sent them off.

As luck would have it, Monday morning, the scales actually moved a little and this Thursday I was down to exactly the same weight once more. ONEderland...take 2!

Unfortunately this week hasn't been brilliant eating wise, or gym-wise. I've been swamped at work and some days have worked 9am to 11pm so the gym routine has severely suffered, and there was one day when I ate 12 points worth of chocolate chip muffins and a 6.5 point pizza on top of my daily allowance, but this weekend I have really tried at the gym.

Saturday I did:
Spinning class
Body Pump
Plus a lot of walking/shopping

Sunday I did:
Body Balance
5k on the treadmill (a new personal record of 34m 35 seconds)
Body Pump

Plus yesterday I saved a couple of points, and today I'm on course to do the same, so hopefully I can save tomorrow's WW weigh-in.

Hope everyone else is having a good week!

-CJ

20lbs down...before and during pics

2009-03-22T11:36:00.007Z

So this week for BLBE I had a 2lb loss, which takes me officially into ONEderland!

I was cutting it close, at 199.8!!

So, to celebrate 20lbs down, I'm going to try before and after pics. I'm having trouble getting them to resize the same so there's a good comparison, but here goes.

Before:

20lbs down (apologies my shirt rode up while I wasn't looking!):

I do see a difference, but it's weird...I don't feel like there's THAT much of a difference...I think I'm going to definitely have to do more than the 55lbs I was aiming for....I can't imagine 35lbs more will get me to the shape I want now.

Ok, off to the gym!

-CJ

baked courgette sticks...

2009-03-03T21:00:00.003Z

So...I have been inspired.

Rebecca writes one of my favourite blogs to read, and it was through her recent recipe post that I discovered baked zucchini sticks.

If you haven't discovered Gina's weight watchers recipes blog, or these in particular, then it's a must. Her recipes all look soooo amazing and I spent a good hour or so looking through them last night.

Tonight, I am embarking on my own attempt at baked zucchini sticks. Delicious! My only regret is that I made these about 5 points, and I only had 2.5 points for the day left, so I've only been able to eat half! The other half is sitting on top of the oven still and calling my name just a little!

And this was Sunday's breakfast just for fun:

2 x quorn sausages (2 points)
2 x ww bread (1.5 points)
grilled tomatoes (0 points)
2 x poached eggs (3 points)
butter spread (1 points) for a total of 7.5 points

C25K success

2009-03-01T22:35:00.002Z

So...I have fallen a little off the wagon food-wise, but my C25K 25 minute run without stopping was brilliant. I actually ran for 40 minutes without stopping...40 minutes!

40 minutes!!

I almost still can't believe that! The 25 minutes came and went and I wasn't dying so I kept going, and going and going, and probably would have gone to 45 minutes if the gym hadn't closed. I can't believe how quickly that's come around since the thought of running 5 minutes straight scared me just a few weeks ago!

Tomorrow is another weigh-in day, and I don't know if I can count on a loss after last week's staying the same, but I'm going to do the fast start starting tomorrow so definitely by the following Monday we'll be seeing some results!

G'night all

xoxo

kinda bummed: WW weigh in

2009-02-23T23:46:00.002Z

So tonight was my 6th weight watchers weigh in and I stayed the exact same weight.

I should be happy that I didn't gain, but I tracked this week and went to the gym EVERY day, so it's a bit disappointing to not lose anything. Plus I really wanted to hit that stone mark.

My goal vacation is in 12 weeks, and I'm still 40lbs away from my goal weight, which means it's not at all feasible, and yeah I'm kinda bummed.

To make matters worse, after our weigh in, my friend and I went out for Indian food, which is pretty much the worst thing you can eat.

I tried to rectify some tiny, minute part of the day and walked on the treadmill for 3k before the gym closed at 10pm.

But yeah, I'm still bummed.

I may have sunk to a new low!

2009-02-22T14:23:00.003Z

Breakfast this morning was the poached eggs and toast that I'd been craving since Friday. Good to finally get them done, and they were as good as I'd hoped.

This is only the second time I've poached eggs - I'm a natural! They were perfectly gooey.

Lunch was roasted butternut squash and feta salad. I roasted the squash last night and fell in love. This was my first time ever purchasing the squash and unfortunately half of it was devoured throughout the roasting process or shortly thereafter. The salad could have done with a few more chunks! It also could have done with some darker leaves. I'm not a fan of iceburg lettuce, but my spinach was not looking so good today so lettuce it was. I also didn't know what a good dressing would be for the mix of squash and cheese...what does everyone else use? I tried the sweet chilli again and it was good, but that may just be because I love sweet chilli dressing rather than it being a natural partner!

Finally, my all new low...the feta comes in a block that totals 16 points and is 'best consumed within 3 days'. I know I can't eat 16 points worth of cheese in the next three days - well I could, but that's not the point. After some googling, I learned that feta is freezeable, so I've cut it up into manageable chunks, shrink wrapped it and because I have no good pens about the house, had to create little labels with the points values on it. Yes, I realise how sad this looks!

Now, I'm just trying to motivate myself to get to the gym...clean my apartment and get ready for work tomorrow! Back to the grind unfortunately.

Heaven is chocolate...and brownies...

2009-02-21T21:20:00.003Z

There's an advert here, for butter mind you, that says something about making Saturday mornings about breakfast...and I totally agree. I meant to get eggs last night as I was really thinking poached eggs on toast would be a wonderful breakfast, but I forgot so all I had in the house was my porridge.

I like my porridge normally, with some fruit it's perfectly satisfactory but this morning I just wasn't feeling it. I wanted a brownie pot - and once I'd gotten that idea into my head it wasn't going anywhere!

So instead, I made 2.5 points worth of porridge, mixed it with a brownie pot and got this delicious 5 point chocolate, brownie porridge - heavenly!

Lunch was the second seeded hake fillet, with mashed potato and grilled vegetables - I inhaled it before it was photographed, guess that chocolate porridge didn't tide me over as well as my usual fruit version!

I did almost 5k on the treadmill today. No running, as I thought I needed a rest day after yesterday's 20 minutes. I wanted to do a full 5k but the gym closed at 7:30 and I'd already stayed until 7:32 so I had to stop at 43 minutes and 37 seconds. They wouldn't even let me make it a round 45 minutes!

Then dinner was tuna, coriander and lime fishcake with a salad of lettuce, sweetcorn and tomatoes with a sweet chilli dressing. I had high hopes for the fishcake but instead of the tuna steak chunks I was imagining it was just grey in the middle and by the taste of it, it could have just been a potato cake. Oh well...next time I'll stick to my hake.

I'm going to try and watch the Bourne Identity as I've never watched any of those movies, but 37 minutes in I'm already losing track...I'm useless!

I really don't want tomorrow to be Sunday because that means Monday is right around the corner...I've REALLY enjoyed having this week off from work...I don't want to go back! I want to stay at home, doing my own thing, making it to the gym and having time to cook and photograph fun, healthy meals. Work sucks!

g'night all

xoxo

Fish, chips and peas and 5 miles

2009-02-21T00:03:00.003Z

Today was C25K, week 5 day 3 - the dreaded 20 minute run.

I seriously procrastinated this one until 7:30pm. I think I was hoping the gym shuts early on a Friday night, but deep down I know it doesn't. I finally dragged my ass to the treadmill and about half way through my warm-up I decided maybe I'd do the two 8-minute runs again instead.

But I didn't! I survived the 20 minute run, and not only did I survive that 20 minutes, I stayed on the treadmill for a full hour and ten minutes total. Granted, I did not run much of the second half hour, just a few minutes here and there when the song got me going, but I really wanted to see if I could go 5 miles...and I did!

I truly am so proud of myself for running for the 20 minutes straight. My blisters are SORE, and I've rubbed off the magical 'second skin' treatment that I was using, so tomorrow might have to be a proper rest day, but it was well worth it to accomplish my 20 minute run.

I've never, in my life, run for that long straight...and although this is maybe the third time I've started the C25K programme, this is the furthest I've ever gotten.

And damn it feels good!

I celebrated with a healthy version of fish, chips and peas. Loosely translated as hake in a seeded breadcrumb...there's whole sunflower seeds in there! Oven-baked, no battering and frying here!

That was served with some mashed potato, with carrot and swede and some more of my trusty green vegetable medley. The picture was taken before I poured ketchup all over the beautiful fish!

I'm off to watch one more episode of the wire and then bed...g'night all

xoxo

Blisters and confessions of a shopaholic

2009-02-19T21:22:00.002Z

Tuesday dinner: Tagliatelle bolognese with a green vegetable medley

Yesterday, I walked 7k on the treadmill. I now have the blisters to prove it. Not cool. Also went spinning, earning myself a total of 7 activity points for the day - awesome!

Dinner was movie theatre popcorn, while watching 'Confessions of a Shopaholic'. Crappy movie. I'm usually one for the girly, cheesy chick-flicks, but this was so far from the book it just wasn't any good. Plus, I love Isla Fisher - she was my girl crush when she was in the Australian soap 'Home and Away' years and years ago. But I just wasn't feeling it, it was cheesy and not in a good way. I was just disappointed.

Today, as a result of my blisters, I did not go running, but now that I have some fancy, expensive patches to put on both heels, I'm planning on Day 3, week 5 of C25K tomorrow. That's 20 minutes straight running - which terrifies me. Part of me thinks I sabotaged my heels subconsciously to put off the 20 minute run - that would be insane!

Eats today were porridge with blueberries (4.5 points), a morning snack of grapes (1 point), 2 bowls of zero point tomato soup, ham (1 point), an afternoon snack of carrots and morrocan humuus (5 points) and a pre-dinner/post-pilates snack of salt and vinegar snack a jacks (2 points). For a pre-dinner total of 13.5 points.

Dinner was chilli and potato crush, with a little sour cream for another 5 points and I plan on eating a ww brownie pot as a reward for fulfilling my daily water goal.

Phew - long post!

Oh, I was down another 1.6lbs for the A-team today. If I lose 1 more pound I officially move out of the obese category and into overweight. Looking forward to that one!

xoxo

I lost a point :(

2009-02-17T00:31:00.004Z

So...my weightwatchers weigh in was good. I lost 2lbs, which means I'm now down from 24 points daily allowance to just 23. I'm a little bit sad to say goodbye to that extra point...but if it helps with the weightloss then I'm all for it.

I get a little confused because my weightwatchers weigh in is on Monday evenings and my starting weight was a pound higher than the starting weight I'd used for my blbe weigh ins, which I've continued to do first thing Thursday so while the numbers are all a little different, I've stuck to the two separate weigh in times and I think it helps to keep me motivated knowing that a weigh in day is never more than a few days away!

My weightwatchers leader/helper person is a bit of a nut job and cannot do simple math. To the point that EVERY week she gets my total weight lost wrong. She told everyone I lost 4lbs this week, which is a lie. If she could do a little better with that math she'd see that it was a 2lb loss. Whatever, stupid woman!

So breakfast this morning was porridge with half a point of blueberries.

My porridge pics are not nearly as pretty as everyone else's. I must be missing a trick!

Lunch was vegetable chilli soup, which I didn't get a picture of. Followed by two ryvita with chicken, spinach and sweet chilli sauce.

Dinner was pizza express, where again I went for the 12 point Padana. Goats cheese, spinach and carmelised red onions. Delicious!

My goals for this week are:
Make it to the gym at least 4 times
Organise my bedroom
Clean the kitchen/living room
Get to the post office (I've had two packages waiting to go out since Christmas!)
Stick to my 23 points :(
Drink 2 liters of water each day

We'll see how I do. This is my first week of goals!

g'night all

xoxo

Slumdog Millionaire

2009-02-15T22:45:00.004Z

Went to see Slumdog Millionaire tonight and it certainly lived up to expectations. It was fantastic. So pretty, such a good soundtrack, and the child actors were brilliant.

I saw Dev Patel on a chat show the other night and he pointed out that the gameshow host pronounces mill-Ionaire, as mill-onaire, which I then noticed EVERY time the word was said! I also loved the dance track at the end. Bollywood/India has such great dance routines. Anyone know if there is a Bollywood-style workout video? That would be fun!

So, dinner tonight was a high point one. I marinated a tuna steak in soy sauce, garlic and red chilli and baked sweet potato fries that I had coated in 1 point of garlic olive oil, salt, pepper and paprika. The portion was huge, and at 6 points just for the giant potato, I probably should have saved some of it...but damn it was too good to do that! Peas, brocolli and sugarsnaps on the side made this a perfect and filling pre-movie theatre dinner. The photo is making me hungry!

Oh, and I did my half hour on the treadmill: day 1 of week 5 of c25k before bodypump. Unfortunately, I think the combination of such a good run yesterday, and more running today meant that I couldn't get in the zone for bodypump. I took a bunch of water breaks, actually leaving the class between tracks and felt myself switching to lighter weights than I'd used for the same tracks last week. Oh well...it was still an hour spent sweating and toning muscles!

g'night xoxo

2009-02-15T13:43:00.003Z

I am determined to eat all of my 24 points today, and then hopefully I'll have lost weight this week and from Tuesday I'll be down to eating 23 points.

So, today started off with a big powl of porridge, blueberries and a small banana for a total of 4.5 points.

Then two slices of weightwatchers bread and low fat butter spread for 2.5 points, followed by a second batch at 3 points.

That's 10 points down for the day already! This afternoon I'm heading to the gym for day 1, week 5 of C25k and then bodypump. Tonight I want to organise my bedroom. I still have three boxes of clothes to unpack from when I moved in November!

6 point veggie-chicken pasta

2009-02-14T21:06:00.003Z

I am stuffed! I probably should have eaten about half of this huge portion, but given that I had six points left for the day I figured I'd eat all six points. Especially as if I've lost even half a pound at my weigh-in on Monday, I'll be losing a point from my daily allowance...sadness.

So, while this is not the prettiest of dishes...This is whole wheat pasta, chicken breast pieces, cauliflower, broccoli and carrots stirred together with some half fat creme fraiche:

I ran 10 minutes straight!!

2009-02-14T20:00:00.002Z

So...I was debating last week about whether I was ready to move up to week 5 of C25K. Well, clearly I am.

Today, I ran 10 minutes straight, without stopping, 10 minutes!!

I didn't write down what week 5 actually entailed, but I remembered being scared of an 8 minute run, so I thought I'd aim for that, and then once 8 minutes hit, I thought I could actually probably go a bit further. At 10 minutes, I still felt like I could probably keep going, but I don't want to overdo it. Especially as the longest I ran last week was 5 minutes straight, more than doubling it seemed like it might damage something.

But still....I am so proud of myself right now. I don't think I've ever ran 10 minutes straight without stopping in my entire life!

Plus, after my 10 minute run, then a 4 minute run, I ran another .4k and successfully calibrated my ipod nike+ thingy. It's only taken me a month and a half to do!

So, happy valentines day to everyone!

How do you fix a crappy workout?

2009-02-12T23:58:00.002Z

Today I just couldn't get in the groove on the treadmill. I think of the 35 minutes I was at the gym, I ran for about 10.

Firstly, the treadmills were all taken so I did my warm up on the treadclimber. When one became free I ran over and jumped on and realised that they were new! and they measure in kilometers!

Now, my ipod tracks in kilometers so you wouldn't think it would be that confusing, but my old treadmills measured the pace in miles...so I knew how fast I walked, and how fast I ran...I don't know my speeds in kilometers! I was a little panicky with all the change!

I think I set the running too fast straight off, so after 2 minutes I was back to walking, then I couldn't settle on a walking pace and I tried running for another 3 and then ran the last 4, but that was about all I could manage.

It was very odd. My right thigh started hurting, my left shin was hurting, and my period cramps that I usually get in the lower back where absolutely KILLING me once I stopped...so much for gentle exercise helping with those!

So yeah, not a good workout...but at least I was at the gym...that's gotta count for something right?

xoxo

A week off!

2009-02-08T20:16:00.002Z

I shouldn't be taking a week off blogging...not good at all! I'll do better this week!

So, Monday was a snowday so I had no Weight Watchers weigh in, so tomorrow will reveal the last 2 weeks efforts and that's a little scary. Last weekend I had family visiting so wasn't perfect, then this week has been a bit blah. I haven't been cooking, so I've been eating junk. I've had a cold that has made me not really want to work out (Tuesday I literally came home and slept after work! I didn't even make it to bed, I crashed on the sofa!)

Then this weekend a couple of crappy meals have got me down. Saturday night I was out with a friend and ordered diet coke, except they didn't have it. They had no diet drinks whatsover and I should have just switched to water but I didn't. I had full fat stuff. Then later I ordered a vodka with diet coke (in a different venue!) and when it got back to me my friend pointed out that the woman had actually poured from a regular coke bottle. Then my caesar salad came with the dressing on instead of on the side, but we'd waited so long and the theatre was about to start that I just ate half of it instead.

Today I feel like I have worms, and I know it's because its that TOM, but damn I could eat ALL day.

I've snacked on 5 crispbeads, I had the BIGGEST plate of zero veggie salad, followed by another plate of salad with my meal and I'm still not full!

On the plus side though, after not working out from Tuesday to Friday, I did week 4, day 2 of C25K yesterday, and then half of it again today before BodyPump.

I might, might, (possibly not) try to move up to week 5. I really think I should because I don't even run that fast and I really need to push myself!

My goal vacation is in 14 weeks, and I NEED to have this sorted by then!

Have a good week everyone and fingers crossed for my weigh-in tomorrow!

C25K - week 4

2009-02-02T20:51:00.002Z

I almost, ALMOST talked myself out of going to the gym tonight.

I remember from last week that week 4 was quite a scary week on the C25K programme, but I made it to the gym only to realise that I'd not actually written down what I needed to do. Luckily, they have free internet access in the lobby, and I borrowed a pen from the receptionist and now have it written on my hand!

I again almost talked myself out of it even when I was on the treadmill. I just didn't want to speed up from my walking pace at all.

The worry in advance was SOOOOO much worse than the actual running! Last week 3 minutes was pushing me and I didn't know how I'd manage not only with two 3 minute runs, but also two 5 minute runs PLUS less walking time in between. But you know what? I actually enjoyed it! I didn't even use my power song for the first two runs.

Almost makes up for my overeating since Friday! Not really, but we can't all be perfect 100% of the time!

all kinds of thrown...

2009-01-29T22:48:00.002Z

So Saturday I was one pound away from the 10lb mark

By Monday, I was at 209, and in my excitement I booked my haircut for tonight. Well, today I'm back at 211, so technically shouldn't have got my haircut but I did...so is that cheating? I'm hoping that tomorrow I'm back at 210 at least and today was just a freak gain...

However, for the sake of the A-Team I am going to report what my weightloss was of today, and stick to my Thursday weigh-in rule.

So, I am down 1.2lbs this week, and while it's no Biggest Loser ranch-style loss, at least it's a loss.

Hope the rest of the A-Team is picking up my slack!!!

xoxo

Closing in on that 10lb goal...

2009-01-24T18:00:00.003Z

So I ran on Wednesday and again today just to cheer up my little running buddy there. She really needs a name...any suggestions?

I actually planned on group cycle today aka spinning but when I got to the sign-in desk there was a LOT of people waiting and I chickened out. Instead I did half an hour on the treadmill doing week 3 of the C25K programme.

90 seconds jogging
90 seconds walking
3 minutes jogging
3 minutes walking
and repeat

Except on the second 3 minute jogging session I tried really hard not to look at the timer, and ended up doing 4 minutes so was quite impressed with myself for that! And then, because 18 minutes outside of the cool down and warmup didn't sound like a lot, I repeated it a third time. Go me and my overachieving!

Then I did 10 minutes on the treadclimber, actually I did 8 minutes, because I decided I wanted to get it to say I'd burned off 100 calories and by that time I was reeeealy pushing myself. I imagine that's how the teams on the biggest loser feels every day because my chest felt tight and I was really struggling at about the 70 calorie point but I reached that 100 calorie mark and hopped right off! I don't allow myself to eat extra for the activity points or extra calories burned, but I never know how accurate those things are in terms of calories. My ipod for example is programmed with my weight so I'm hoping that's kind of accurate, but I don't know...anyone have any scientific knowledge to weigh in with?

Speaking of weigh-ins, I'm down to 211 as of this morning, which means I've lost 9 pounds since the beginning of January. So today I finalised my goal rewards and at 10 pounds I'm getting my hair cut. I want a side parting and just generally something cuter...hopefully I'll be able to book that in next week!