Thursday 3-31, Walking in Sunshine!

So today was great. Got lots of exercise and got to catch up with my mommy friends. We got up early and got lots of stuff done around the house including getting our cell phones squared away for our big trip. Then at 11:00 we met up with our friends at the park at the Marina. Once everyone got there we headed around the Marina for a 2 mile walk. The older kids hopped on bicycles and the little ones rode in strollers. There were 4 of us mommies, and a total of 8 kids, which meant that we didn’t go quite as fast as I would have liked, but we did do about 3 mph. Then we stopped to have lunch and I treated myself to a piece of leftover pizza and a spinach/ asparagus salad. The kids played for a bit, and then we set off again, with an additional mom and two kids! We did the loop again, at almost exactly the same pace. But it was 4 miles, so we burned a lot of calories. The sun was warm and I was really sweaty, but it was still really nice to get some good exercise with good friends.

Now I am home and blogging while both kids nap. We are going to my mom’s house for dinner in Tahoe so I am hoping that “J” can get off work early. Guess we will see. My mom is also on MFP, so I am hoping that the dinner is figure friendly. Either way, I will be monitoring my portions! Good practice for Ireland.

http://www.myfitnesspal.com/food/diary/otm25?date=2011-03-31.  

Teeny tiny stiches make for some
cute jeans that fit a slimmer me!

Side note: Found some super cute jeans at Ross last week, they fit perfectly on my thighs and are a perfect length except they are too loose around my waist. So today I sewed up little areas on each side, effectively "taking it in" about 1 1/2 inches. Who knows, maybe my new lifestyle will help me cultivate some sewing skills!

Wednesday 3-30, A little "Me" time

So last night went as planned “J” even came home early, except once we had finished the delicious Baked Ziti, (thanks to frozen feasts), we loaded up our kayak, Nemo and went to Costco.  Last year we bought Nemo (one of the last kayaks in the Reno store) and soon discovered it had multiple leaks, and we took on several pounds of water. We tried to return it, but all of the nearby Costcos had sold out by then. We kept the receipt and waited until then, even caulking the holes for a temporary fix. My good friend “F” saw they were in stock and told us. So we loaded up Nemo and traded her in for a new, more sea worthy kayak. It looks like this kayak will be named Belle; she is as yellow as the princess’s dress. It fits beautifully on “J”s new kayak rack; we can’t wait for warmer weather so we can take the maiden voyage! Really looking forward to getting lots of exercise with Belle this year, last summer my arms were pretty strong!

Today was totally luxurious, and in the first half, all about me. The kids had a field trip to the local PBS station, so “J” took off the first half of work to take them. I lounged in bed as they ate breakfast, then I came downstairs for some cereal. Side note: so happy to learn that Kashi Autumn Harvest doesn’t have any sodium, how exciting! Caught up on email, MFP and Facebook, then dressed for a walk/run, while the kids and “J” headed off to preschool. I started out walking at my usual 4 mph, then sprinted for about .25 of a mile, and alternated until I had circled the lap. According to imapmyrun, I had gone an average of 5 mph, not bad! So I came home, logged it then realized I hadn’t hit my calories burned goal on MFP. So I broke out JD2 and busted a couple moves. I was sweating by then! Off to the shower!

Loving my new do
and two feathers!

So I headed to my hair appointment to see my good friend Devlin of Devlin’s Rock Star Hair Studio, and got a cut. Long overdue! I normally go in every 4-5 weeks, but it had been over 6! So I got a great cut, he is so good! Then he put a couple feathers in my hair. They are a little more natural in tone than the previous one was, it looks super cool. The best news is that he is by far the cheapest in town; most places charge as high as $40 for feathers, he charges $7 for 3 feathers! Go see Devlin, and tell him I sent you!

While I was waiting for the kids to be done with the field trip, I popped into Marshalls and bought a quilt for “V”s big boy bed, and a couple of lightweight coats for me. I have to tell you, shopping is way more fun now that I like looking at myself in the mirror! Then the kids came and “J” and I ate at Viet Pho. Love their Vermicelli bowls, huge portions and pretty healthy! Then we parted ways and I took the kids to ballet. Now we are home, “V” is sleeping, “P” is watching a movie, and I am just about done blogging, and then I am taking a nap! Leftover Ziti and spinach salad for dinner, yum!

http://www.myfitnesspal.com/food/diary/otm25?date=2011-03-30.

Tuesday 3-29, Weigh-In Day!

Today is weigh-in day, and I have consistently kept my net calories above 1200 this week, sometimes getting as high as 1550. But it continues to pay off, even though I am taking in a lot more calories. I am down another 1.1lbs, bringing my total weight loss to 15.2lbs, 9.34% of my initial weight! So happy that I took this on, and that I have seen such awesome results. Down to a size 10 jeans! I am really hoping to hit 160lbs before we leave for Ireland. Only 12 days to go!

Today we are going to Pump-It-Up for a play date, and then I am going to try to squeeze in some exercise, either at the Marina, Mall or here, on Just Dance 2. Then we will have naptime, yay! Then at 4:10 I am going in to get my teeth adjusted at the dentist, a little tweak from the work I had done last week. Then we will be enjoying the Baked Ziti that we made last night at Frozen Feasts. At 418 calories for a huge serving, it will be a good “splurge.”

Then we will hopefully have a quiet night in. I am hoping to watch the Amazing Race that we missed on Sunday, then get to the rest of Eat Pray Love and maybe some Tudors. Watching my snacks all the while!

http://www.myfitnesspal.com/food/diary/otm25?date=2011-03-29.

Monday 3-28, Busiest Day!

So yesterday was so busy, I didn’t even have time to blog. Between preschool, lunch with daddy and our houseguests, shopping, entertaining our guests and frozen feasts, I didn’t really get to sit down until 9:30 last night! But here’s my update:

Sunday night our friends from Tahoe came to spend the night, and we ended up playing games and hanging out with another couple until about 11:00pm. Late night follow up to late night! The next morning I got up with the kids and worked at the preschool. I had left a note for”K” and “T” letting them know where we were, and they ended up texting to arrange plans for lunch. So after preschool I drove to “J”s work and picked him up to meet “K” and “T” at In n’ Out. I had my favorite, a hamburger Protein style, only 240 calories, and so good! Then I dropped “J” back off at work and took “K” shopping while her husband ran errands. We ended up home in time for the kids nap, and watched most of Eat Pray Love, such a good movie and true to the book. Then I got a call that my good friend “S” had a family emergency and needed help with frozen feasts that night. (With the Rugrats we prepare and freeze meals at “S”s house once a month).

So “K” and “T” headed home and my friend “F” and I stepped up to the plate, arriving about an hour early to help cook the meals. I walked the 1.25 miles to her house since I hadn’t gotten much exercise and I arranged for “F” to drive me home. So we cooked and gabbed all night, made Potato Soup, Baked Ziti, Quiche, and two Gourmet Pizzas from 5:45- 9:30pm. Phew! Then “S” and her sister drove 13 hours to Washington State after that to get to their family.

Despite eating at In N Out for lunch, I still managed to stay way below my calories for the day, and got to eat homemade chocolate chip cookies and goat cheese at Frozen Feasts. Didn’t go too over board because Weigh-In is Tuesday!

http://www.myfitnesspal.com/food/diary/otm25?date=2011-03-28.

Sunday 3-27, Recovering from awesomeness.

Feeling pretty good in my new jeans!

  Well, last night was way too much fun. We started out at Rumbullions (we thought that the Ace’s stadium would be too windy since it is partially outdoors) and met everyone there. I was dressed in my new skinny jeans, and felt pretty good. When we walked in, everyone commented on them, and I was on top of the world. The best part is that we all looked so good! Every single person there had been losing weight and was looking amazing. I would go so far as to say that 2 months ago we would have been unrecognizable! Plus, I think the confidence levels were through the roof! So, we decided to go dancing. Unfortunately, our friend “K” and her husband “J” couldn’t get in because on the “no hat” policy, so they set off their own way. Bummer. But we secured the table and started ordering more cocktails, then hit the dance floor. We were there from about 9:30pm-12:30pm, and I am pretty sure we danced for about 90 minutes, easy. So we all had fun joking around and dancing the night away. “E” even treated us all to a “BJ” shot (amazingly only 84 calories) and we all did it the “right” way, no hands. Too much fun!

With my fellow Biggest Losers, "S" and "F"
 (forgot to break out the camera when "K" and
"T" were still there, sorry skinny mamas!) 

So at about 12:30, everyone was pretty pickled, save for a few sober husbands, so we headed home. “S”, “E”, and “J” and I decided to hit Del Taco on the way home, “S” and I quickly calculated food on MFP, and we each ended up with a chicken taco, which we both justified by how many calories we burned on the dance floor! It may have been my saving grace the next morning.

At Aura

So we woke up a little later than usual, about 9, and showered quickly and went to Uncle Vinny’s for breakfast (highly recommend). I had a breakfast sandwich which was just what I needed. I actually felt pretty good this morning in spite of the 6 cocktails consumed, I wonder if that is a good thing or a bad thing?

Then we ran some errands, heading to Costco, Ross, Old Navy, Michael’s and Raley’s. We confirmed that we will be able to return our kayak to Costco, yay! My grandmother heard about my weight loss via a cousin on Facebook and insisted on buying me some new jeans, so I went in search of those. I was cautious and initially and only brought one size 10 and five size 12s to the dressing room. Turns out I had to go back; all of the 12s are way too big! Yay! Officially in 10s! Found a cute pair of jeans originally $88, but they were on clearance at only $12. Once a bargain shopper, always a bargain shopper! Then I found some workout pants, my old pair literally fall off of me when I do Just Dance 2, and some leggings. Success!

Now the kids are down, and I think I convinced “J” to do Just Dance 2 with me. Then our South Lake friends are coming for dinner and Mexican train. Thinking BBq beef, spinach salad and roasted potatoes. Should be another fun night, but I am going to take it easy tonight for sure.

http://www.myfitnesspal.com/food/diary/otm25?date=2011-03-27.

Saturday 3-26, Swimming!

Well last night was good, the Chicken Cacciatore was delish, and I enjoyed eating the regular linguini noodles. Since I had exercised, I even allowed myself dessert, a couple of mini-beligian chocolate bars from Trader Joe’s and a Chai Latte with Foam. Yummo!

The rest of the night was spent watching streaming Netflix, Freakonomics based on a book that I highly recommend. The movie was good, but kept cutting out (weather maybe?) so I read my dime store novel in between and finished that up. It was a good read, getting hooked on Sandra Brown!

By bedtime we were beat, plus I knew we had to be up early for a birthday party in the morning, I slept like a rock. At 8:00 we got up and ready for “P”s friend “L”s birthday party, which featured an indoor pool! So I tried on my suits and discovered that the one I had bought for my high school reunion (when I was at my skinniest) fits perfectly. Of course I showed it to “J” and he thought it was too low-cut. I thought, “Oh, well! It fits great and is flattering, I am wearing it!” So I did, and it was really fun. "V" is really getting a lot more comfortable in the water, and "P" has been for a while.  My fellow Biggest Loser friend “T” complimented me in my suit and it felt good. BTW, biggest loser friend “T” looked amazing, other moms were telling me how great she looked and were wondering how much weight she had lost, she looks like a new woman!

So everyone is down for a nap, and I am blogging, then hitting Just Dance 2. Just found out that Katy Perry’s Firework is a free download on there too! Yay, new song! Then we are having pizza for dinner, Winco for the kids and “J” and Tortilla Pizza for me. Then we are going to the Rugrat’s Couple’s Night Out at Duffy’s Ale House at the Ace’s Stadium. Planning to meet up with lots of friends there, and secured a babysitter so I am exercising so I can drink tonight! Can’t wait for tonight!

http://www.myfitnesspal.com/food/diary/otm25?date=2011-03-26.

Friday 2/25, Snow Day!

Last night’s dinner was a good spread. I ended up eating 1 fish taco and a corn tortilla and mozzarella microwaved quesadilla. Then, although he had plans, “J” stayed home because of the crappy weather and we watched some T.V.



Yummy smelling Chicken Cacciatore!



Today I woke up to find that there was a 2 hour school delay, meaning that preschool was cancelled. So I stayed in bed late, which with young kids is until about 8:30am. As “J” was leaving the house, I told him to leave the shoveling to me, and go straight to the gym before work. So after a warm bowl of oatmeal, I geared up and shoveled the driveway. It took me 25 minutes, but really got me sweating. I came in and showered, then put some chicken, spaghetti sauce and veggies in the Crockpot for Chicken Cacciatore tonight. I will serve it with linguini and steamed broccoli. Just the thought is making me hungry! Then I made myself a new popcorn snack, sprinkled with Splenda and cinnamon. Yum!

Lunch was a quesadilla and banana for the kids, and a breakfast sandwich for me. Then I did a little bit of Just Dance and went back to my “junk-food” novel. Now I am smelling the Cacciatore and eagerly awaiting “J”s return. Looks like another quiet evening at home tonight, wish we had the next Tudors’ disk!

http://www.myfitnesspal.com/food/diary/otm25?date=2011-03-25.

Thurday 3-24, Numb

Last night’s Fish Tacos were great; a huge hit with everyone, even the kids! After dinner, I ran out to run some errands and the kids and “J” watched Toy Story 2. I got home in time for bedtime then we were going to watch Glee, but found out that it was a rerun. So Tudors it was. Totally sucked into that one!

Today started out early, got up and out at 8am, dropped the kids off at “S”s house and went to the dentist to get my other fillings. Everything went really well, I love my dentist Dr. Sala. Only problem was I had to be given extra numbness in the middle of the appointment, so I am still half numb and feeling like a stroke patient. After my appointment I picked up the kids and headed to the Dinos and Dragons Exhibit at the May museum which was really cool. The kids all loved it, although “V” clung to me for a good while because he was scared of the Dinosaurs. It was over at 11:30, and “F” and I weren’t quite ready to go home, so we took our sack lunches to McDonald’s to let the kids play. Unfortunately I was still really numb, so I just ordered a Non-fat Sugar-free Vanilla latte (only 80 calories) to try to get some caffeine into my system to flush out the numbness. We were there for a couple of hours, and then each headed our separate ways.

Now I am home, and finally have enough feeling to eat my avocado sandwich without biting my tongue. “V” is snoozing and “P” is watching Aladdin again. So I am blogging, eating, and getting ready to boogie on Just Dance 2. It is dumping outside and I am half hoping that school is cancelled tomorrow. It would be nice to have a lazy day. Dinner plans tonight are leftover Quinoa Primavera and Fish Tacos. “J” is heading out (weather permitting) to get a drink with a friend tonight, so I am looking forward to a quiet night alone. Everyone stay warm, this one is supposed to be a big one!

http://www.myfitnesspal.com/food/diary/otm25?date=2011-03-24.  

Wednesday 3-23, Dancing the afternoon away!

So last night was good, a little too good. Bowling was fun, but I didn’t bowl. “F” and I cheered everyone on because my neck was killing me. Must’ve slept on it wrong or something. I did however; spend a lot of time at the bar. Ended up having 5 Skinny B*tches and laughing so hard my stomach is sore today!  This MNO was long overdue. So we ended up out until 11:00, then my designated driver “S” drove me home.

I woke up with my neck hurting even more! Two ibuprofen certainly helped. I drove “P” to preschool and “V” and I ran errands. Goodwill, Winco, and Ross rounded us out, and I ended up with two pair of cute skinny jeans, they are high enough on my waist that I won’t be showing my crack all day, but still a flattering style. And at $13.99 a total steal. Plus the skinny part means I can wear them with my cute boots!

Then we picked up “P” and ate sack lunches in the car on the way to St. Vincent’s Thrift Store. Here I found that they were having their 10 books for $1 sale, so I stocked up on books to read and leave in Ireland. Score! Plus, “P” found the elusive Aladdin VHS, so she was super happy! Then we went to ballet and found that the girls are really making progress both with their tapping and their “bluebird” dance. I can’t wait for the recital in June.

Now we are home, and I had a small snack of Bagel Thins and Laughing Cow Garlic spread, only 145 calories total. “V” is sleeping and “P” is upstairs watching her new movie, so I did a quick 50 minutes doing Just Dance non-stop shuffle. It’s definitely my favorite workout, save maybe walking with the girls. Just because it is so much easier to walk when you get to socialize, I barely realize I am getting exercise!

Tonight I am planning on  Fish Tacos with homemade guacamole, making me hungry already! Then once the kids are down, we will probably watch last night’s Glee and maybe an episode of the Tudors. Looking forward to laying low tonight after way too much fun last night!

http://www.myfitnesspal.com/food/diary/otm25?date=2011-03-23.

Tuesday 3-22, Weigh-In Day!

I know it's not my best pic, but I am
noticing a big difference in my
clothes, I love wearing this top now!

Well, another weigh-in day, and I have to tell you, this one made me nervous. Prior to this week I had been cautiously counting my calories, making sure to stay between 1200 and 1500 calories. However, I neglected my “exercise calories.” Then I read this post, http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/174065-starvation-mode-is-real-and-ugly and started to worry. The last thing that I want is to screw up my body when I am trying to get healthy. So I upped my calories to ensure that I get over 1200 net calories. And the verdict is: Success! Lost another 1.8 lbs and feeling great! That brings my total weight loss to 14.1 lbs.  Now I am feeling much more confident about doing this the right way, for long-term results, Yippee!

So I started the day off early, as I always do on Weigh-In day. Up at 7:30 and on the Wii board, then breakfast. “V” had his 3 year doctor’s appointment this morning, so we got up and went to that at 10:15. Good news is that he is a genius (well, I think so) and that he is steadily gaining weight! My proud moment was that everyone complemented his behavior and demeanor, it helped that he was right after a “hellcat” patient.  

Then we met up with my weight-loss mommy friends for lunch at the mall, then to do some laps. I was planning to go to Tacos del Mar, and had even placed my order, until I heard that they didn’t have Whole Wheat tortillas. Then I cancelled my order and left. That may seem a little extreme, but it wasn’t worth 50 extra calories to go flour! I stand by my decision to go to McDonald's, where I knew I could get something for less than 300 calories. The 2 ½ mile walk was great, and I even ran into a friend from high school who said she had been watching my progress on FB and was inspired by me and my friend Lady M to join MFP! Yay! Glad I can help out!

Now we are home, and “V” is crabby and sore from his shot, what a trooper. So both kids are down, and I am debating what to have for dinner. We ended up having steak breakfast burritos last night; I will probably make Quinoa Primavera for dinner tonight. Then I am off to MNO Bowling at GSR, I have already planned my cocktails into today’s calories!

On a side note:

Congrats to all of my Biggest Loser buddies, we are getting so close to the end! We are all making so much progress, it is so encouraging! Loving that we are all doing this together, and that no matter who wins the free lunch, we are all going to be winners. But I am still planning to kick all of your skinny hinnies. You are going down.

http://www.myfitnesspal.com/food/diary/otm25?date=2011-03-22.

Monday 3-21, Guests are gone, now time to clean!

Well, my company is gone, and I sacrificed very little in the way of my diet this weekend. I count that as a success. Last night we headed to Claim Jumper and again, although I did my homework and knew what I was going to order, the menu was different when I got there! Luckily, I discreetly checked MFP under the table, and made a choice that way. Ended up with The Chicken Citrus Salad, but the nutritional menu was confusing, I couldn’t be sure if that included dressing or not. I played it safe and just didn’t go overboard on anything. I even tried a few calamaris that the in-laws ordered. It wasn’t the best I have ever had, but pretty good.

It was at Claim Jumper that I had another NSV. Ran into my ex who works there as a server. It has been several years since I have seen him, and I am proud to say he didn’t recognize me at first. I am not sure if this means I am so skinny he didn’t recognize me, or my hair is much longer, but either way, I felt good and I knew I looked good, and I was ever so grateful that I ran into him well into my weight loss journey. Cuz 5 weeks ago, it was not the prettiest picture. Either way, he was the one who broke my heart a lifetime ago, and it felt good to look good and to be in a good place. Uncharacteristically, he was modest, which leads me to believe that things have not turned out like he had thought. Not that I wish him ill will, but I am happy to be where I am at and not where he is at.

Then we had a relaxing evening watching Amazing Race, and got to bed around 11:30. This morning, my in-laws took off before I was even out of bed, but thankfully stayed long enough to say goodbye to the kids this time. I got up around 7:30am and I got the kids ready for school and the drive was way slippery. I had to stay in 4 wheel drive up until the freeway. A little treacherous. School went well, and then we headed back home. Thankfully our skating rink had transformed back into a street. I got the kids fed and started in on the guest room, collecting laundry and picking up. I got inspired and ended up vacuuming the whole upstairs and then taking vinegar to every mirror in the house. Vigorously. I ended up working up a sweat, so I logged it as exercise. This is certainly not something I do daily. So I have two loads of laundry in, and just put the kids down. So I am thinking about dancing a little, then planning for dinner. I am probably going to do leftover steak with Quinoa Primavera. We’ll see.

On a side note, I would like to welcome my dear friend “F” to MFP; I have been watching your progress in amazement, and am so happy that you are seeing such quick results. You may be the Biggest Loser yet!!! So happy for you skinny mama!

http://www.myfitnesspal.com/food/diary/otm25?date=2011-03-21.

Sunday 3-20, Snowed in

Well, we ended up having a nice dinner at home. All of the food turned out very good, “J”s steaks were amazing, and probably about 12oz each. Of course I ate just one meat portion, about 1/3 of my steak. The pesto fingerling potatoes were really good, maybe my new favorite side dish. And for dessert, this time I blended ¼ of the strawberries and poured it on top, it really moistened it up, yum! Then later, after the kids had gone to bed, all of the adults indulged in some Sekt, a German Champagne, and I finally got to use the crystal flutes I have been collecting. They were pretty, and held the 100ml serving size perfectly. It was very good, and well worth the 79 calories.

This morning we got off to a late start, but since we are just hanging around the house, I guess it doesn’t matter. Had some yogurt toast for breakfast, and while everyone else polished off leftover pizza for lunch, I made tuna sandwiches for “J”s mom and I. Pretty good. The weather is crazy snowy, but I am hoping that we may be able to venture out for dinner tonight. I am getting a little stir crazy with houseguests and two kids. We’ll see.

http://www.myfitnesspal.com/food/diary/otm25?date=2011-03-20.

Saturday 3-19 Around the world!

My in-laws rolled in at about 3:30 yesterday, and despite “J”s greatest efforts to get home early, he didn’t get home until 6:00pm, a half an hour late. So hungry and trying to stay close to home during the crappy weather, we ate at our local Bully’s. I tried to prep my menu before we got there, but then once we got there, I realized the on-line menu was incomplete. There was my favorite from years ago, The Piazza Chicken sandwich. So I asked “J” if he minded me entering my food at the dinner table, and chose that instead. So tasty, and not too bad calorie-wise. In fact, I splurged on a couple of SBs too! Much to my dismay, our evening was then filled with March Madness. Then we hit the hay around 10pm.

This morning started early with Vaughn climbing into bed at about 7am. Again I was disappointed to see that snow was actively falling, and there was no chance of a morning walk. Bummer. So “J” and his dad headed to Raley’s to pick-up coffees, donuts, and some wine barrels. I know, they are all totally random things, but all very necessary. While they were out and my MIL was busy with the kids, I jumped on the Wii, and did a 34 minutes fitness routine. When I found that I had only burned 134 calories, I did the expert bike ride for another twenty minutes. Total 200 calories burned. So I joined everyone at breakfast and ate Puffins while everyone ate donuts, and treated myself to a post-workout chocolate milk. Yum!

Then we headed to the mall for a Kidgets Event, “Around the World” crafts, favors and Polynesian dancers, fun! We met up with lots of friends there as well. So it got late and we hit up the Food Court, I went to McDonald’s for their Honey Mustard Snack Wrap and side salad, a total of 310 cals. Not bad, and tasty. Wish more of those food court vendors would make their nutrition facts available, I would have more options!

  

On our way home from the mall we hit up Raley’s for some steaks for dinner. Unfortunately, weather prevents us from heading to Tahoe to see my sister “C”s play, so we had to make alternate dinner plans. So we will have Steaks, Fingerling Pesto Potato Salad, steamed broccoli with Pugliese bread, with Angel Food Cake and Strawberries with Whipped Cream, sounds good to me!

http://www.myfitnesspal.com/food/diary/otm25?date=2011-03-19.

Friday, 3-18, There's a storm a brewing!

So last night turned out pretty good. We went to our traditional Mexican dinner for St. Patrick’s Day at Hacienda last night (don’t ask me why, we just have been doing it since “P” was born). It was really good. My NSV for the day was that I passed on all chips and salsa (which is big for me) and only ate my entrée which was grilled red snapper tacos. Delish! As we were at the table, I was weighing my options, and when it came down to it, I would much rather have black beans and rice than chips and salsa. It was great.

Today was a busy day. We dropped off “P” at preschool then “V” and I went shopping for groceries, my in-laws are en route to our house from Vegas. So we wrapped that up and headed home. After we had unloaded the groceries, (“V” is a very good helper) we did Just Dance for 40 minutes. After that I hit the shower and “V” watched Sesame Street. Then we picked up “P” and headed to the South of town for a Rugrats event. We were an hour early, so we wasted some time at Wal-Mart before hand, and I found a really cute necklace and bracelet. I was glad I had some birthday money on me! Then we headed to U-Swirl where we had a pretty good turnout. I was still being cautious of calories, so I ended up weighing my frozen yogurt before putting on toppings, so I could make sure to track it right. It was a great treat!

Now we are home, and awaiting the arrival of “J”s parents.We always joke that they bring bad weather with them, and it looks like this trip is no exception, there’s a storm a brewing! I just got a call that they are in Fallon, so the fun is about to begin.  Here’s to hoping that I can calorically behave this weekend, we will probably eat out quite a bit!  

http://www.myfitnesspal.com/food/diary/otm25?date=2011-03-18.

Thursday 3-17, Happy St. Patrick's Day!

So last night was good, “J” got home around 6, which was early, but we had already eaten dinner. So he helped himself to leftovers while I did 30 minutes of Just Dance. That actually made me feel better. Then we watched the Amazing Race which we missed last Sunday, and once the kids were down, Glee which we missed on Tuesday. We were both pretty wiped out, so we both took a shot of Nyquil and hit the sack. It was funny, I was telling “J” that each dose of Day/Nyquil was 93 calories, and he mentioned, “You know for that many calories, you could have had 4 Skinny Bitches!” Now that is sad. If I had drunk cocktails instead of medication, I would have been comfortably numb, and had more fun getting there! Ugh!

Today started early again, I was rushing to get out of the house to walk around the mall before our play date. I had everyone dressed and ready, then realized that it is St. Patrick’s Day! Had to change everyone into green clothing and dig out our shamrock blinking crown as well. So we got to the mall around 9:30, did 2 laps then met up with Tracy for another 2 ½ laps. Then it was 11:00 and we met all of our friends at the play area for fun. Of course the kids and we got hungry so we had to go have a pit stop at the food court, then back to the play area. Moms had sack lunches, kids feasted on Hot Dog on a Stick. While we were there, my friend “E” mentioned Shamrock Shakes at McDonalds, so I looked them up on MFP, and found they are 420 calories for a small. So I opted for a small soft serve cone instead at 150 calories and two micro-cones for the kids.

Now we are back home and I am taking a small break from preparing for my in-laws to come in tomorrow. Cleaning, setting up beds, doing laundry and cleaning the bathrooms, oh my! I am ready to relax though, and after a bit more tidying, I am going to sit down and finish up the romance novel my friend ”K” gave me. Wish we had a sitter for tonight; this is “J”s favorite holiday! Might just go out for dinner with all of us, and he can shoot whiskey at home!

http://www.myfitnesspal.com/food/diary/otm25?date=2011-03-17.  

Wednesday 3-16, Feeling Yucky!

Had a wonderful dinner and visit with “M” and “J” last night. The Red Snapper turned out great, as did the Pesto Potato Salad. The best part for me was of course the company, but also the Angel Food cake with Strawberries and Foam. Delish! They stayed until about 9, then we said goodbye. It was a great visit, hope we can do it more often! My “J” stayed up until midnight working on his deposition for today, and I hit he hay around 11.

Woke up today and had to get everything ready for the kids (“J” had already left early for his depo in Sacramento). It’s days like these that I really appreciate that my husband gets up with the kids, feeds the, brushes their teeth and then sets them up with toys in their rooms so I can sleep in each morning. So there was more work for me today on top of preschool, errands, ballet and now home. Kind of in a funk today, I think I am fighting off something. Took a shot of Dayquil and I am going to go rest. Hoping that “J” makes it home before the kids go down for the night, you never know with traveling for work!

http://www.myfitnesspal.com/food/diary/otm25?date=2011-03-16.

Tuesday, 3-15 Weigh-In Day

So last night was great. The Planning Committee planned a lot of fun things for the Rugrats, and I realized just how close our Ireland trip is! Dinner was good, I am glad I planned ahead. The Jerk Chicken sandwich was awesome! Went over to Whole Foods afterwards, and found their prices to be insane, Red Snapper for 13.99 a pound! Glad I waited for today at Raley’s to get it for $6.99lb!

Today is Weigh-In Day, and I am happy to say that I have lost another 1.3lbs. That brings me down 12.3lbs! So excited, and I am even proud to say that as of last week, I am in the lead of our Biggest Loser group. Not everyone has weighed in today, so we will see where I rank after that. But as of right now, I have lost 7.43% of my body weight, not bad for 5 weeks! Can’t wait to have all of the rest of the weight behind me as well!

So we went for our playgroup to the mall for a walk and play again. The 4 of us moms and all of the kids did 1 ¾ laps, then “F” and I did another 2 at about 3.5mph. Felt good since I woke up in a funk today. Exercise and being with my friends cured most of that. I was out of lunch foods to bring to the mall so I brought along leftover birthday party salad, and ordered a McDonald’s Grilled Honey Mustard Snack Wrap. Yummo! And pretty low-cal!

After a quick swing by Raley’s, the kids are down and I am getting ready to have our friends “M” and “J” over for dinner tonight. She is doing Biggest Loser with us as well, so I am planning to make Red Snapper Parmesan, Fingerling Potato Salad, and Steamed Broccoli, with Sugar-Free Angel Cake and Strawberries for dinner. Hope it turns out as well as it sounds! Wish me luck!

http://www.myfitnesspal.com/food/diary/otm25?date=2011-03-15.

Monday 3-14 Another NSV!

Last night was far more fun than I had anticipated. Our good friends came to visit from Tahoe, and we all ate leftover pizza, salad and cake. We also had some Vodka Diets. I had far too many, and on a day when I didn’t exercise, I started feeling super guilty. So I talked my friend into doing some Just Dance with me. Then I drank even more. My “K” friend and I had entirely too much fun, and even got a little juvenile with some prank calls. So needless to say, they spent the night. I was spinning by bedtime, and woke up throughout the night; alcohol is so not conducive to a good night’s rest for me!

Morning was far too early, and bright. I started off with Advil, vitamins, shower, breakfast and a cup of green tea. I usually stay away from caffeine, but I thought it may help since today was my volunteer day at “P”s preschool. Someone asked to switch with me, so I helped out in the Baby room with “V”s teacher Miss “P.” It was a nice change of pace, nice to take a break from disciplining. And nice to spend some time watching what “V” does at preschool. Miss “P” was full of praise for “V.” He makes me so proud!

So we headed back home and I was going to have my leftover chili, but “J” had taken it to work. I ended up with “V”s party salad with a hardboiled egg, leftover endamame, and my salad spritzer red wine vinaigrette. Not bad. Now I am researching Legends Sports Bar menu for what to order tonight at the Rugrats Planning Committee Meeting. I have settled on Jamaican Jerk Chicken Sandwich with onion rings. According to my calculations, should be about 635 calories. Not bad, and onion rings sound like a big splurge. I will still be under my calorie goal, so I may even order a cocktail!

My NSV (non-scale victory for those of you not on MFP) for today was that I dug out some footie pajamas I had bought for myself a while ago. I didn't have time to try them on, but they were sized 14 so I thought I would be in the clear. Not so much. I could not zip them past my thighs. And certainly not my birthing hips! Today I ran across them and since all of my jeans are feeling loose, I tried them on again. They are still a little tight around my hips, but I got them on! If I go down a couple more inches, I could wear them to bed! Yay!

http://www.myfitnesspal.com/food/diary/otm25?date=2011-03-14.

Sunday 3-13, Daylight Savings and "V"s birthday party

So the concert last night was great. I swear, my little brother is one of the most talented musicians that I know. He taught himself to play sax because his band needed a sax player. He first picked it up last week! So we fully enjoyed watching as “T” switched from flute to sax, to drum, to percussion gourd and then to maracas. In his other bands he plays bass, drums, flute, and just about anything else he touches! So amazing! “J” and I met up with my other musically talented brother and his adorable girlfriend, my mom, our friends “F” and her husband “B” it was a great show. But with the time change, we got home and to bed at 3am. Yikes!

So we woke up early at 8am, and I sent “J” to the store to pick up some last minutes for the “V”s party. It was a big group, but manageable, and really fun. “V” had a blast and was very grateful for all of his gifts, his manners made me really proud. There was a lot of scrambling but everyone thought it was great. After the last guests left, “J” and I attacked the house cleaning, and I started feeling exhaustion setting in. So the minute we had finished with the floors and loading the dishwasher, I immediately fell asleep in the recliner.

So we are now up and about and waiting for our South Lake friends to come by for dinner. We are all monitoring our diets, so I hope everyone is ok with leftover party pizza, a salad and Costco cake. I have been calorie careful today, it is only the second time since I started this whole thing that I have not exercised so I want to stay within my calories for the day, weigh-in is only a couple of days away!

http://www.myfitnesspal.com/food/diary/otm25?date=2011-03-13.

Saturday, 3-12 Happy Birthday Brother!

First of all, Happy Birthday to my oldest younger brother, "D!" I know it has been a good one, and we have been thinking of you all day. Love you!

Busy day today, barely any time to write. I am getting ready for “V”s birthday party tomorrow. We have family in town and trying to get the house in order. I have eaten really well today, and proud of it. I started my day off with Skinny Buns and cream cheese and salmon, yum. Then I hit the office and did a major overhaul. We have had a busy day around the house, and I had prepared by throwing my chili into the Crockpot at 8am today. So dinner was good, and since I had a pretty low calorie day, I treated myself to a Cadbury Crème Egg for dessert. Now we are waiting for my friend “S” to come over to babysit so we can go watch my brother’s band Jahzilla play at a local bar. Hoping to make it a somewhat early night as it is daylight savings. Limiting myself to 1 Skinny Bitch tonight so I can function in the morning, wish me luck!

http://www.myfitnesspal.com/food/diary/otm25?date=2011-03-12.

Friday 3/11

Last night’s fundraiser was a success; we raised a lot of money for the school. I didn’t realize that I would not even get a chance to sit down all night; I worked hard selling those raffle tickets! So “J” and the kids dropped me off at 5:30, I had eaten an artichoke to hold me over. While I set up, “J” took the kids to Uncle Vinnie’s so he could have pizza and they could have breakfast. He was even so kind as to bring me a slice while I was working. By the end of the evening I was beat, and one glance at MFP showed why. I exercised too much for the calories I had eaten yesterday, my net calories were less than 800, and it should be over 1200! So on the way home I ate another half of pizza and treated myself to a Cadbury Crème Egg. I had more calories I could have eaten, but I really do not like to eat after six. So the moral of the story is, be sure to eat enough during the day, or you will regret it later!

Today was another busy one, dropped “P” off at preschool and “V” and I hit up the Goodwill, Dollar Store, Party City and Winco. It was nice to be able to mark a lot of things off my to-do list. Then “V” and I raced back to get “P” and drove to South Meadows to pick up “J” for lunch. We went to In N Out, but not before I did my research. Determined not to make the same mistake as yesterday, I made sure I ate enough calories at lunch! So I ordered the cheeseburger, protein style (sans bun, wrapped in lettuce, I like it better this way), and ¼ of a basket of fries. Grand total for lunch: 430 calories. Not bad for fast food! And delicious!

Then the kids and I headed back home after dropping “J” at work. It was still early for nap, so I turned on Just Dance and busted out 45 minutes with the kiddos. I am getting much better at all of the songs, I probably have a 10000 score or better on about 60% of the songs. And yes, I have danced to ever single song, and even two that we downloaded. It is so cool to see “New High Score” after dancing to a song. Can’t wait to bust a move next time we go to a dance club, and of course to consequently embarrass everyone with me!  

Dinner tonight will be a medley of random letter P leftovers. Pot roast, pork, and pizza. I might do a breakfast burrito. Also, I bought these cute fingerling potatoes that came with a pesto salad recipe on the back I have wanted to make. We’ll see how it goes. After that I will be going to Book Club at “K”s house. I am planning to bring my favorite snack, popcorn. No one has read the book, so we will probably give in another month, but we all can’t wait to get together!

http://www.myfitnesspal.com/food/diary/otm25?date=2011-03-11.

Thursday 3-10

Last night was busy and “J” and his friend “J” went out. So I ended up watching Glee, which I had missed on Tuesday, and baking cookies for the bake sale at “P”s preschool fundraiser. That took forever, and there was a lot of mess to clean up. I chose not to sabotage myself and baked white chocolate chip cookies, which I hate, so I wouldn’t be tempted to sample. I don’t even know how they taste! But I was so kind as to send “J” off to work with some today. Slept hard and woke up early.

Rise and shine! I had to be at the dentist to get some fillings. So we were up, dressed and fed by 7:50am when I dropped the kids at the neighbors’ house. Then off I went to see Dr. Sala, who I love. I was scared at first, but didn’t feel anything. So that was good. The nurse told me that I had gotten a lot of anesthesia, so I should drink caffeine to flush it out and exercise. When I returned home and picked up the kids, I had a cup of plain green tea and made plans to meet “F” and her kids at the mall for a walk. I guess the dentist will be good for a healthier lifestyle.

So it was 10:00 am, and the kids and I headed to Costco, and then to the mall. There we met “F” and did 1 ½ miles around the mall, then went to the play area and finally to the food court for lunch. Kids got Hot Dog on a Stick, “F” and I had sack lunches, thank goodness my numbness had worn off. Then we headed home, I put the kids down and did 45 minutes on Just Dance. Now I am tracking it all on MFP and going to pre make some PB&J’s to freeze for the kids’ lunches this week. Then off to the fundraiser to sell raffle tickets. The timing is weird for meals so I think I will eat an artichoke before I leave, then eat something later.

BTW, my NSV (non-scale victory) this week is that I fit into all of my jeans now, except the ones that are now too big! The 10s are still a little tight, but I expect to be back in them within a few weeks. Yay!

http://www.myfitnesspal.com/food/diary/otm25?date=2011-03-10.

Wednesday, 3-09

So last night was great, but I can’t say so much for dinner. We got out of the house and arrived right in time for our reservation at Beaujolais. The wait staff was mediocre, and the food was about the same. We started with cocktails; the seasonal salad: mixed greens, beets and half a tomato, & escargot in garlic butter, both were pretty good. Really I prefer Rapscallions’ escargot with Roquefort. I had looked through the website and was going to order the Lamb Shanks, but then found that they were no longer on the menu. So I chose the Beef Bourguignon, knowing I would control my own portion. “J” ordered the Squab. It was then that I realized that Beef Bourguignon is glorified Pot Roast. I took Spanish in school, not French! The meat was, well pot roast, (I ate only 4 oz of the meat for portion control) the sauce was flavorless, and the potatoes boring. The veggies were good. “J”s squab was great with a sweet port sauce and delicious roasted potatoes. I was jealous. Finally for dessert we ordered some Blood Orange sorbet, and that was really good. It was kind of disappointing to drop that much money on crappy food, but it is always a pleasure to have a date night with my hubby. All was not lost. Live and learn!

Afterwards, “J” and I met up with “F” and her husband “B” to the Waterfall. I had heard that there was a Hookah bar downtown, and around Valentine’s Day there was a Groupon for it, so I bought it for “J.” So we all met up there for Raspberry Mint Hookah and more cocktails. We had a great time with "F" & "B." Funny thing was that we all learned that “Waterfall” is aptly named, some pipe or something burst in the ceiling and it poured water from the ceiling the whole time we were there! But the service was good, and with the Groupon, each couples’ total was $12. We will definitely go there again, I recommend it! Had so much fun we didn’t get home until 11:30.

Today started early again. We got up; I took “P” to preschool and headed to South Reno for some Thrift shopping with “F.” Found some cute things including some Disney trading pins for only $1 each and a toy accordion for “V” that is super cool for $3. We lost track of time and rushed back to pick-up “P” and then rushed to get “P” the Grade 1 purple ballet leotard at Reno Town Mall. Of course, she is so petite; they don’t have her small size in stock, so we are waiting for our special order. We ate lunch in the car and then headed to ballet. Got a chance to catch up with the other parents while “P” and “V” danced and then headed to Raley’s to pick up lettuce and crab for the crab salad I am making tonight. Now is downtime with both kids down (well “P” is screwing around in her room but “V” is asleep) I am going to wait for them to get up from nap so we can Just Dance together. Then “J” should be home at 5:30 and it should be a low key evening, hoping to get half way through our final Tudors disc from Netflix.

 http://www.myfitnesspal.com/food/diary/otm25?date=2011-03-09.

Tuesday 3-8, Weigh-In Day: Mission accomplished!

So today started off great, so happy to find that I have accomplished my goal and beyond, down 11 pounds exactly. I love seeing these numbers go down and love my BMI going down as well. I am 166.9 lbs and have a BMI of 24.6, which is not overweight anymore, I am normal! Feeling so good, now I am shooting to drop 7 more pounds to be at 160. So exciting. So “J” and are going out on our monthly date night, and heading to Beaujolais for some fine French Cuisine, so I am scouring nutrition info for comparable meals, so I can still keep track of what I am eating. We’ll see!



Finally out of "Overweight Zone"



A "normal" BMI

So I woke up, weighed-in, and then got ready for the day. We went by Raley’s to pick up some cookies for the Rugrats get together this afternoon, and I picked up some other things (including a package of Cadbury Crème Eggs, at 150 calories, they are so worth it). Then we headed to the mall to meet up with “S” for a walk. We did 2 ¾ laps, then let the kids play. Then she and baby “V” headed home, and the kids and I headed to Chuck E. Cheese for the Rugrats Event. We let the kids play there. My kids are really picky, so I always bring a PB&J for them, and I treated myself to the salad bar. I am trying to behave so I can indulge tonight.

Now we are back home and I am planning to rest while “P” is watching Mulan upstairs and “V” is down for his nap. I ended up having a late last minute get together last night with “S” and “F” at a bar. We all went out at 8pm, after the kids were down, then stayed out talking and nursing our 1 cocktail each until 11:45. It was great to be able to vent to my friends, this has kind of been a rough week. It was much needed, but now I am tired! Going to whip up something quick for my brother “T” to have for dinner while he is watching the kids, then lay down, I have been working hard!

http://www.myfitnesspal.com/food/diary/otm25?date=2011-03-08.

Monday 3-07

Well, enchiladas last night were great. I used the Crockpot pork from the other day, mixed it with spinach, and the leftover chopped up stuffed mushrooms, rolled them into a tortilla, topped them with diced green chilies and enchilada sauce. Baked at 350 for 30 minutes, yum! “J” loved it, and the kids had quesadillas.

Today we all went to preschool, “V” to the baby room and “P” and I to her Frog room. It was a pretty trying day. Lots of reprimanding, and it was only me doing it! Frustrating. The weather was crazy and crappy, so playing indoors did not alleviate my stress. Just glad that I am done working there for the week.

We came home, I fed the kids PB&J’s and apples, and I ate the last of my leftover tortilla soup and 4 Cuties. I am so happy that Cuties are back in season, my favorite 35 calorie snack! I caught up on emails then once the kids’ shows on PBS were over; I went into the living room and did Just Dance with the kids. I was shooting for 30 minutes, ended up doing it for almost an hour! So fun! So I got my workout in despite Mother Nature.

Trying to plan out my food for dinner, as I have noticed my sodium intake is going over my allotted 2500g a day. I have looked up everything and realized that it may be ok for me to have a little extra salt a day. I drink massive amounts of water, exercise regularly; have super low blood pressure and Vasovagal response, which all indicate it is ok for me to have more salt. So I am going to keep an eye on it, but not be too bothered if I go over. This brings me to tonight. I am planning on leftover enchiladas and salad from last night, and a Sweet Cherry layered pudding for dessert. I am boycotting High Fructose Corn Syrup, so I am substituting Oregon canned cherries for the sugar free cherry pie filling I used to use. Here’s the recipe, its 191 calories, and worth every bite:

Recipe for a layered pudding with vanilla instant pudding, graham crackers, and cherry pie filling.

Ingredients:

·         14 whole graham crackers

·         1 package vanilla instant pudding -- (6 ounce size)

·         2 cups milk

·         1 cup whipped topping

·         1 can cherry pie filling -- (21 ounces)

Preparation:

Line a 9-inch square pan with whole graham crackers, breaking crackers if necessary. Prepare pudding with milk as directed on package. Let stand 5 minutes. Blend whipped topping into the pudding. Spread half of the pudding mixture over the crackers; top with remaining pudding and crackers. Spread cherry pie filling over top layer of crackers. Chill 3 hours.
Serves 9.

http://www.myfitnesspal.com/food/diary/otm25?date=2011-03-07.