January 31, 2010

I'm back! I am totally serious this time. Totally.

I've got a diet plan for the week. I noted to my husband the other day that I think my recent dietary challenges have been exacerbated by the contents of my meal. I haven't been eating real food. Instead, I've eaten many, many boxes of Wheat Thins in what started as a response to salt cravings and ended as an inability to feel satiated. Sometimes I need to remind myself that not being able to eat fresh fruit and vegetables doesn't mean that I can't eat real food. We all have our bad days and learning a lesson once doesn't mean that you won't need reminders down the road. Here is my planned diet for the week -- hopefully I will start feeling full and healthy after a few days of better balanced meals:

Breakfast
Protein Cereal
1/2 c Soy Milk

Snack
String Cheese
Kashi Fruit Bar

Lunch
Mini PB Sandwich
100cal Sunchips
2 cookies

Snack
1 c Yogurt
Fruit Crisps

Dinner
2c Finely Chopped Romaine and Spinach
1/4 c Avocado
3 oz Seared Ahi Tuna or Salmon
2 tbsp. LF Dressing

Snack
1 glass of wine OR
Small slice Sweet Potato Pie


It's not perfect, but a vast improvement over the past few weeks. I am hoping the sunchips will replace my need for crunchy chips. And, the fat from the peanut butter, avocado, and string cheese should also help with being satiated. There is plenty of protein packed into the meals with the dairy servings, yogurt and tuna. And, happily, there are some veggies packed in there as well. I tested the finely chopped greens yesterday and didn't have a problem. The avocado, fruit crisps, and sweet potato are all easily digested and aligned with my dr. recommendation that I stick to soluble fiber. If I can squeeze in my workout successfully, I think I'll feel much less sluggish next week!

January 26, 2010

I think setting a manageable goal for the rest of this week is a great way to get back into the groove. I think there should be emphasis on the word “manageable” since there is no use setting myself up for something I can’t accomplish. It is already Tuesday, but I think I will strive for 250 minutes this week.

January 25, 2010

Talk about being out of the loop. I went away last weekend and my workout routine seems to have gone away, too! I think this makes two weeks of less than sterling progress in the New year, which follows one week of passable progress. I am 1 for 4 in the first month of 2010. This is not good. Not good at all.

There is nothing much to do, but get back in the saddle. For real this time. I do not plan to go to the gym this evening as I am still recovering from my trip. However, I do plan to go on Tuesday and Thursday of this week. Also, I am back to walking again. A nice push after driving for the past two weeks.


Happily, my stomach has been good and my weight is staying relatively stable. However, the downward progress that I’m looking forward to seeing on the scale will not materialize out of missed gym trips. What happened to that discipline that I prized?

Staying Active: Week Two

Saturday - 60m Elliptical; 30m Lower Body
Sunday - 45m Bike; 15m Stretching
Monday -
Tuesday -
Wednesday -
Thursday -
Friday -



Minutes thus far: 135..

January 10, 2010

Last week was a total and complete bust. Being ill for two days sn't helpful when you're trying to return youe eating and fitness habits back to normal after the holidays. I attribute the incident to haphazard eating and do not want to repeat last week's debacle.

Off to a good start already as I have spent more time in the gym in the past two days than I did all of last week!

January 6, 2010

Few things go according to plan. I planned to be nearly done with my weekly goal of 400 minutes by today. I also planned to be well. Neither is the case and I was only willing to spend about 20 minutes guessing what caused my stomach to turn inside out. I don't think it matters.

It will feel better soon and I will be back to my regular routine. I've got work to do!

January 4, 2010

I appear to be struggling with the basics today. As in I had trouble getting up and I am still not quite awake at the time that I type this (11:30am). I am hopeful that a second cup of coffee will do the trick – it would be worth braving the below freezing temperatures to help shoo away the fog. Despite my sleepiness, I am totally and completely ready – mentally, if not physically – for my workout this evening.

I started the day with a healthy breakfast and am working on spacing my meals properly and staying hydrated, which is something that fell by the wayside in the last week or so. Hopefully, my next entry will be a celebration of my wonderful accomplishment at the gym this evening.

Staying Active: Week One

Saturday: 30 min Bike with Arm Exercises; 30 minutes Arm Strength Training
Sunday:
Monday:
Tuesday:
Wednesday:
Thursday:
Friday:

Total: 60 of 400 Minutes

January 3, 2010

Happy New Year! I've many resolutions for the new year -- some can be found at my new sister blog www.fullglasses.blogspot.com -- others I will address here at Residue. My goal is to continue to be well and to enjoy myself in the process. That said, I am going to fine tune many of the things that I found working for me towards the end of the year. Staying committed to he gym is top on my list as is returning to a diet that is built around six small protein-filled meals. I won't say that I got carried away with my baking last month, but I will say that my oven use will diminish significantly in January.

For this week (or month really), I plan to strive for 400 minutes of cardio per week. This roughly translates into going to the gym 5 days a week for about 70 minutes in addition to the walking in my commute. I'll keep track of my stats weekly, but I don't think I need to call it crazy or a challenge -- it's just what I plan to do.

My second focus is eating well. I want to spend the next two weeks getting myself back into a diet pattern, which I haven't had since the first week of December. After I am stabilized, I'd like to try my hand at creating a few new recipes to enjoy. These would be primarily for the evening as I found myslef getting tired of my choices (fishsticks).

Staying Active: Introduction

Physical activity coupled with small meals had the most significant impact on my health last year. I spent untold hours in my doctors' offices, filled many prescriptions, and underwent way too many invasive exams. It's somewhat amusing to pay for these tests and exams only to find out that I could influence a great deal of how I am feeling by simply making an effort to get to the gym each week.

It is a humbling experience and I begin 2010 with this entry because it is important to remember that we can make choices about our health and doing so does not affect our ability to handle the things we can't control.