I am happy that the goal of this phase of "Project Traci" is being met! My sleep pattern seems to be reset and I've been tired at a reasonable hour, sleeping between 6 and 7 hours a night, and (usually) waking up refreshed and on time. My energy levels have been much better, too...
Funny thing happened this morning -- put on my sweatpants in preparation for a busy day of cleaning, laundry and taxes and realized that I had to use the drawstring in the waistband to keep them up. I've owned these crazy pants for 12 years and that's the first time I've ever had to do that. What a great feeling! Now I wish I hadn't had to turn down the last-minute shopping trip to Montana that my friend proposed. I had such a busy week this week that I was too tired to even contemplate getting up early for a day-trip like that. Next time for sure, because I don't think I'll be able to get away with pinning the waistbands on my summer clothes this year...
Today's Menu
Breakfast: fieldberry yogurt with strawberries, coffee
Lunch: 3 egg vegetarian omelette (yellow & green pepper, portobello mushroom, onion, spinach), jasmine green tea, water -- I added a little bit of cheese because an omelette just isn't right if there's no cheese -- had the restaurant substitute sliced tomato for the toast/hash brown side
Dinner: Dr. Mike's taco salad (with salsa, tomato, onion, cheese) -- and a slice of pizza (couldn't resist...)
No snacks today -- slept in so breakfast was late and then so was lunch. Dinner was at a reasonable hour, so I didn't get to that "too late" starving stage I've found myself in a few times this week.
I'm looking forward to weigh-in #2 on Monday. And some awesome sleep tonight!
Saturday, March 24, 2012
Cycle 1 (Accelerate) -- Day 9/10/11/12
Well, that's a string of busy days! Heading into the weekend with a positive mindset...
Despite the crazy-busy of Tuesday/Wednesday/Thursday/Friday, I still managed to eat properly for the most part. Didn't manage all of the water on any of those days and I got run over by the coffee-train on Wednesday, but I'm still feeling great and have so much more energy than a month ago. The 6 hour sleeps are fantastic, too!
Tuesday: Hmmm, that seems so long ago, but it's only been two days. It was a quieter day at work, so I was able to keep to better meal times. Breakfast and morning snack were standard fare and lunch was my favourite -- the freaking amazing taco salad from the original book. I left early to get my boy to his Cadets group and there was a parent meeting happening at the same time, so dinner (unfortunately) was a gong-show. I wound up at Tim Horton's (closest option to the school, and they just don't do salads) -- two chicken ceasar wraps and a medium decaf. to go. I rolled up a free coffee. Yay, me...
Dr. Mike's food tip for Day 9: Experiment with seasonings -- no reason for the food to be bland. Good advice if you're going to try that green bean casserole...
Dr. Mike's exercise tip for Day 9: Vary your exercise routine. Really? What if you don't have one? Oh, right. Start one -- dummy...
Wednesday: Again, quiet at work which was great. I was up an hour early to see my girl off on her school ski-trip and was so exhausted by the afternoon -- probably should have backed off on the coffee, but that's hindsight. Anyway, I got lots done and ate well (was really hungry all day...wonder what that's all about...perhaps because of getting up so early?). Again, standard breakfast and snack with chicken-vegetable soup for dinner. I met up with my coworkers after instruction was done and treated myself to a glass of red wine and a yummy dip that was loaded with cheese and a lot of "legal" items (tomatoes, onion, red pepper, artichoke). It came with flat bread (baked) and nacho chips, but it was a smallish appetizer so I will be considering that my "cheat" for the week. No pizza pig-out this weekend for me!
Dr. Mike's food tip for Day 10: Plan ahead. Stock up on healthy foods and always keep some proper snacks with you so you won't be tempted by something quick -- like the Timmy's drive thru...
Dr. Mike's exercise tip for Day 10: "Listen" to your body. Pay attention to sharp pain and sudden fatigue -- don't overdo it!
Thursday: Well, back on the wagon today! Nothing of note to report -- great sleep, more energy, productive day at work. Breakfast was scrambled eggs/grapefruit/coffee, lunch was a huge salad with tuna and green tea, but when dinner time rolled around, I found I couldn't face another tomato-based concoction (as much as I love the turkey chili and chicken soup), so a quick stop at the grocery store fixed that. I grabbed a couple of frozen salmon fillets (yes, I chose fish -- twice today -- this is new territory for me...) and cooked them up with a little lemon juice and dill -- paired with the green bean casserole (lots of salt and pepper to give that any flavour -- thanks for the tip, Doc!), it was a fantastic meal!
Dr. Mike's food tip for Day 11: Condiments are OK as long as you choose the low calorie/ low carb/fat and sugar free varieties. I don't usually like the taste that goes with these choices, so have opted to cut them out completely for now. I make my own salad dressing (most days) from olive oil/balsamic vinegar. If I absolutely have to have cheese or bottled dressing or soy sauce, I use a bare minimum.
Dr. Mike's exercise tip for Day 11: Fitness takes time, so don't get discouraged if you've been a lazy-butt for years and aren't seeing immediate results. Keep a fitness log and keep going! Maybe I should get started...
Friday: Another day of good food behaviour while at work -- yougurt/strawberries/coffee for breakfast, turkey chili and green tea for lunch. Lots of water in-between. Then I came home, where there was shepherd's pie cooking. Yep -- the wagon ran me over again! I will admit to having 2 dinner rolls AND a piece of apple pie AND a glass of wine afterward -- apparently I can't be trusted to make good choices when I'm really hungry. I hadn't taken enough food to work with me for snacking (hello, food tip #10 -- dummy...) and was ravenous when I got home. My plan had been taco salad and tomato-leek soup. Guess I'll have that tomorrow instead of pizza...
Dr. Mike's food tip for Day 12: Probiotic supplements are a great substitute for the probiotic foods (yogurt, etc.) -- the supplement needs to contain 10 to 20 billion CFU's.
Dr. Mike's exercise tip for Day 12: Exercise is a great remedy for stress. Regular exercise causes the brain to release more serotonin which is a natural mood elevator -- great for warding off depression.
Weekends are usually awful for me. I get so busy with my household "projects" that I forget to eat. Hopefully I can stay on top of things and not fall into the trap I did tonight.
Despite the crazy-busy of Tuesday/Wednesday/Thursday/Friday, I still managed to eat properly for the most part. Didn't manage all of the water on any of those days and I got run over by the coffee-train on Wednesday, but I'm still feeling great and have so much more energy than a month ago. The 6 hour sleeps are fantastic, too!
Tuesday: Hmmm, that seems so long ago, but it's only been two days. It was a quieter day at work, so I was able to keep to better meal times. Breakfast and morning snack were standard fare and lunch was my favourite -- the freaking amazing taco salad from the original book. I left early to get my boy to his Cadets group and there was a parent meeting happening at the same time, so dinner (unfortunately) was a gong-show. I wound up at Tim Horton's (closest option to the school, and they just don't do salads) -- two chicken ceasar wraps and a medium decaf. to go. I rolled up a free coffee. Yay, me...
Dr. Mike's food tip for Day 9: Experiment with seasonings -- no reason for the food to be bland. Good advice if you're going to try that green bean casserole...
Dr. Mike's exercise tip for Day 9: Vary your exercise routine. Really? What if you don't have one? Oh, right. Start one -- dummy...
Wednesday: Again, quiet at work which was great. I was up an hour early to see my girl off on her school ski-trip and was so exhausted by the afternoon -- probably should have backed off on the coffee, but that's hindsight. Anyway, I got lots done and ate well (was really hungry all day...wonder what that's all about...perhaps because of getting up so early?). Again, standard breakfast and snack with chicken-vegetable soup for dinner. I met up with my coworkers after instruction was done and treated myself to a glass of red wine and a yummy dip that was loaded with cheese and a lot of "legal" items (tomatoes, onion, red pepper, artichoke). It came with flat bread (baked) and nacho chips, but it was a smallish appetizer so I will be considering that my "cheat" for the week. No pizza pig-out this weekend for me!
Dr. Mike's food tip for Day 10: Plan ahead. Stock up on healthy foods and always keep some proper snacks with you so you won't be tempted by something quick -- like the Timmy's drive thru...
Dr. Mike's exercise tip for Day 10: "Listen" to your body. Pay attention to sharp pain and sudden fatigue -- don't overdo it!
Thursday: Well, back on the wagon today! Nothing of note to report -- great sleep, more energy, productive day at work. Breakfast was scrambled eggs/grapefruit/coffee, lunch was a huge salad with tuna and green tea, but when dinner time rolled around, I found I couldn't face another tomato-based concoction (as much as I love the turkey chili and chicken soup), so a quick stop at the grocery store fixed that. I grabbed a couple of frozen salmon fillets (yes, I chose fish -- twice today -- this is new territory for me...) and cooked them up with a little lemon juice and dill -- paired with the green bean casserole (lots of salt and pepper to give that any flavour -- thanks for the tip, Doc!), it was a fantastic meal!
Dr. Mike's food tip for Day 11: Condiments are OK as long as you choose the low calorie/ low carb/fat and sugar free varieties. I don't usually like the taste that goes with these choices, so have opted to cut them out completely for now. I make my own salad dressing (most days) from olive oil/balsamic vinegar. If I absolutely have to have cheese or bottled dressing or soy sauce, I use a bare minimum.
Dr. Mike's exercise tip for Day 11: Fitness takes time, so don't get discouraged if you've been a lazy-butt for years and aren't seeing immediate results. Keep a fitness log and keep going! Maybe I should get started...
Friday: Another day of good food behaviour while at work -- yougurt/strawberries/coffee for breakfast, turkey chili and green tea for lunch. Lots of water in-between. Then I came home, where there was shepherd's pie cooking. Yep -- the wagon ran me over again! I will admit to having 2 dinner rolls AND a piece of apple pie AND a glass of wine afterward -- apparently I can't be trusted to make good choices when I'm really hungry. I hadn't taken enough food to work with me for snacking (hello, food tip #10 -- dummy...) and was ravenous when I got home. My plan had been taco salad and tomato-leek soup. Guess I'll have that tomorrow instead of pizza...
Dr. Mike's food tip for Day 12: Probiotic supplements are a great substitute for the probiotic foods (yogurt, etc.) -- the supplement needs to contain 10 to 20 billion CFU's.
Dr. Mike's exercise tip for Day 12: Exercise is a great remedy for stress. Regular exercise causes the brain to release more serotonin which is a natural mood elevator -- great for warding off depression.
Weekends are usually awful for me. I get so busy with my household "projects" that I forget to eat. Hopefully I can stay on top of things and not fall into the trap I did tonight.
Monday, March 19, 2012
Cycle 1 (Accelerate) -- Day 8
Well! Colour me surprised! Weigh-in #1 this morning has me down 5 lbs -- registering 124 lbs before breakfast. That's awesome news, because it all seems to be falling into place -- sleep is better, more energy, less brain fog and now some bloat/fat has left me. There's the motivation to keep going!
Dr. Mike's food tip for today: Some fats are "friendly" -- Omega 3's boost your metabolism, so choose salmon or tuna whenever you can and use olive or flaxseed oil for cooking. I love the olive oil in my salad dressing with the balsamic vinegar -- so tasty and apparently really good for you!
Dr. Mike's exercise tip for today: Safety first, folks! Wear brightly coloured clothing when out walking or biking and remember to wear that helmet when you're out on your bike!
Today's Menu
Breakfast: 2 large eggs (scrambled), 1/2 grapefruit, coffee, multivitamin/Omega 3/probiotic capsules
Morning Snack: vanilla yogurt with chopped Granny Smith apple and cinnamon, mandarin-orange green tea
Lunch: Dr. Mike's tomato-leek soup, water
Dinner: baked salmon, green salad (with tomato, cucumber, carrot, cabbage, olive oil/balsamic vinegar), water
Great day at work, too! The boss was in to help with prep for tonight's instruction and that allowed me to find the time to eat on time. That certainly helps keep things on track, although it was almost too late by the time I managed to fit in a lunch break -- started to get dizzy and develop a headache, but managed to get past it just in time. The tomato-leek soup was pretty good, but not terribly filling. Note to self -- remember to pack a salad for next time...
Here's an article from Dr. Mike regarding hydration tips where he clarifies the why/why not of coffee and black tea vs. green tea consumption: Hydration Tips: What You Need To Drink, When and Why. I have posted the link under "Useful Links" below as well.
Dr. Mike's food tip for today: Some fats are "friendly" -- Omega 3's boost your metabolism, so choose salmon or tuna whenever you can and use olive or flaxseed oil for cooking. I love the olive oil in my salad dressing with the balsamic vinegar -- so tasty and apparently really good for you!
Dr. Mike's exercise tip for today: Safety first, folks! Wear brightly coloured clothing when out walking or biking and remember to wear that helmet when you're out on your bike!
Today's Menu
Breakfast: 2 large eggs (scrambled), 1/2 grapefruit, coffee, multivitamin/Omega 3/probiotic capsules
Morning Snack: vanilla yogurt with chopped Granny Smith apple and cinnamon, mandarin-orange green tea
Lunch: Dr. Mike's tomato-leek soup, water
Dinner: baked salmon, green salad (with tomato, cucumber, carrot, cabbage, olive oil/balsamic vinegar), water
Great day at work, too! The boss was in to help with prep for tonight's instruction and that allowed me to find the time to eat on time. That certainly helps keep things on track, although it was almost too late by the time I managed to fit in a lunch break -- started to get dizzy and develop a headache, but managed to get past it just in time. The tomato-leek soup was pretty good, but not terribly filling. Note to self -- remember to pack a salad for next time...
Here's an article from Dr. Mike regarding hydration tips where he clarifies the why/why not of coffee and black tea vs. green tea consumption: Hydration Tips: What You Need To Drink, When and Why. I have posted the link under "Useful Links" below as well.
Cycle 1 (Accelerate) -- Day 7
Yesterday I fell off the wagon -- and then promptly got run over by it. I don't regret the pizza at all -- had an excellent sleep and felt great when I woke up this morning. So I'm not going to dwell on my little stumble and will move forward and see what the next 10 days brings.
So far, this first week has resulted in much better sleep and a bit more energy. Today I had enough to do all of the laundry, clean the bathrooms and start digging out the boy's bedroom so I can dust and vacuum properly. If you wonder why I would need energy and motivation for that particular project, imagine an episode of "Hoarders" and you'll know what I'm talking about. I don't expect to finish it today, but have some time before I head out to work tomorrow afternoon, so I'll likely finish it then. We'll see...
Dr. Mike's food tip for today: Green tea contains chemicals that increase fat-burning and stimulate calorie-burning -- 3 cups a day is recommended.
Dr. Mike's exercise tip for today: Stretch your muscles for a couple of minutes after exercising to avoid dizziness, cramping and sore muscles.
Today's Menu
Breakfast: 2 large eggs (scrambled), 1/2 red grapefruit, coffee
Morning Snack: skipped -- still full from breakfast (using large eggs make a huge difference -- who knew?)
Lunch: Dr. Mike's tomato-leek soup (still a bit full from breakfast, so didn't eat a whole serving), multivitamin, probiotic capsule, Omega 3 capsule, mint green tea
Afternoon Snack: vanilla yogurt with red grapes (yeah, I know -- fruit after 2:00 is bad -- just couldn't face baby carrots today)
Dinner: baked chicken breast topped with salsa, green bean casserole (from the workbook)
With tomorrow being Monday, I guess it will be time for a weigh-in. I'll only be doing that once a week as the weight loss is secondary this time. I seem to be nearly back on track with the sleep and energy -- any weight I lose will be a bonus!
So far, this first week has resulted in much better sleep and a bit more energy. Today I had enough to do all of the laundry, clean the bathrooms and start digging out the boy's bedroom so I can dust and vacuum properly. If you wonder why I would need energy and motivation for that particular project, imagine an episode of "Hoarders" and you'll know what I'm talking about. I don't expect to finish it today, but have some time before I head out to work tomorrow afternoon, so I'll likely finish it then. We'll see...
Dr. Mike's food tip for today: Green tea contains chemicals that increase fat-burning and stimulate calorie-burning -- 3 cups a day is recommended.
Dr. Mike's exercise tip for today: Stretch your muscles for a couple of minutes after exercising to avoid dizziness, cramping and sore muscles.
Today's Menu
Breakfast: 2 large eggs (scrambled), 1/2 red grapefruit, coffee
Morning Snack: skipped -- still full from breakfast (using large eggs make a huge difference -- who knew?)
Lunch: Dr. Mike's tomato-leek soup (still a bit full from breakfast, so didn't eat a whole serving), multivitamin, probiotic capsule, Omega 3 capsule, mint green tea
Afternoon Snack: vanilla yogurt with red grapes (yeah, I know -- fruit after 2:00 is bad -- just couldn't face baby carrots today)
Dinner: baked chicken breast topped with salsa, green bean casserole (from the workbook)
With tomorrow being Monday, I guess it will be time for a weigh-in. I'll only be doing that once a week as the weight loss is secondary this time. I seem to be nearly back on track with the sleep and energy -- any weight I lose will be a bonus!
Sunday, March 18, 2012
Cycle 1 (Accelerate) -- Day 6
Well, that's much better! I slept very well last night (a solid 6 hours with a couple of "breaks") and felt quite refreshed this morning. It seems to help that the cleanse function of this cycle is finally starting to work...
Dr. Mike's food tip for today: Coffee, tea, pop, energy drinks, juice and sports drinks do NOT count toward your water intake. Nor does wine, unfortunately. In fact, for every cup of one of those drinks you have, you need to add 8 oz. of water to your day. If you want flavour in your water, add a slice of lemon or lime.
Dr. Mike's exercise tip for today: If 17 minutes of exercise is too much to do in one shot, break it up into 2 smaller workouts -- whatever it takes to get yourself moving
Today's Menu
Breakfast: 2 large eggs (scrambled), Del Monte peaches (packed in water), cranberry/pomegranate green tea, multivitamin, probiotic capsule, Omega 3 capsule
Morning Snack: Granny Smith apple with cinnamon in vanilla yogurt (I think I'm starting to like this more than the red grape/vanilla yogurt combo that I love so much...), coffee
Lunch: again, no time for such nonsense
Dinner: Delissio Rising Crust PIZZA! Yup, pizza -- 2 slices of bacon-cheeseburger, 1 slice of Hawaiian, 1 slice of Canadian...
I know, I know -- the day started out so promising. The tomato-leek soup was in the fridge at work all ready to go when it was time for my break. Unfortunately, my break didn't happen. I went in to my office at 10:00 for my first parent meeting and between meetings (one where I had double-booked myself -- way to go, dummy), meetings showing up early, people dropping in unexpectedly, emails that had to be sent and phone calls that needed returning, I finally managed to come up for air at 2:30 -- which is when I got to eat the yogurt. Thank goodness for my helper -- he managed 4 hours of instruction, all the testing that was going on, ran interference for the teachers and got started setting up Monday's instruction. It wound up being a super-productive day for both of us!
Needless to say, I was ravenous when I got home and said "screw it" and joined the family in the pizza pigout...
Let's find the bright spot in the food failure. I managed ALL of my water and then some. There -- always look for the cup to be half full and you'll find something positive. And, tomorrow is another day...
Dr. Mike's food tip for today: Coffee, tea, pop, energy drinks, juice and sports drinks do NOT count toward your water intake. Nor does wine, unfortunately. In fact, for every cup of one of those drinks you have, you need to add 8 oz. of water to your day. If you want flavour in your water, add a slice of lemon or lime.
Dr. Mike's exercise tip for today: If 17 minutes of exercise is too much to do in one shot, break it up into 2 smaller workouts -- whatever it takes to get yourself moving
Today's Menu
Breakfast: 2 large eggs (scrambled), Del Monte peaches (packed in water), cranberry/pomegranate green tea, multivitamin, probiotic capsule, Omega 3 capsule
Morning Snack: Granny Smith apple with cinnamon in vanilla yogurt (I think I'm starting to like this more than the red grape/vanilla yogurt combo that I love so much...), coffee
Lunch: again, no time for such nonsense
Dinner: Delissio Rising Crust PIZZA! Yup, pizza -- 2 slices of bacon-cheeseburger, 1 slice of Hawaiian, 1 slice of Canadian...
I know, I know -- the day started out so promising. The tomato-leek soup was in the fridge at work all ready to go when it was time for my break. Unfortunately, my break didn't happen. I went in to my office at 10:00 for my first parent meeting and between meetings (one where I had double-booked myself -- way to go, dummy), meetings showing up early, people dropping in unexpectedly, emails that had to be sent and phone calls that needed returning, I finally managed to come up for air at 2:30 -- which is when I got to eat the yogurt. Thank goodness for my helper -- he managed 4 hours of instruction, all the testing that was going on, ran interference for the teachers and got started setting up Monday's instruction. It wound up being a super-productive day for both of us!
Needless to say, I was ravenous when I got home and said "screw it" and joined the family in the pizza pigout...
Let's find the bright spot in the food failure. I managed ALL of my water and then some. There -- always look for the cup to be half full and you'll find something positive. And, tomorrow is another day...
Friday, March 16, 2012
Cycle 1 (Accelerate) -- Day 5
OK, I don't get it...
I had ZERO carbs yesterday outside of the permitted fruit portions and I felt like crap again today. Slept much better (6 straight hours again), but I had a headache that just wouldn't quit. Must be something else (the weather is going to change in the next 24 hours -- that sometimes does it for me). Or maybe it's work -- we're busy, busy, busy right now and I haven't been able to keep regular meal times.
Today I wanted pancakes. I got yogurt. Seems like a pretty unfair trade off...
Dr. Mike's food tip for today: Drink your water! It helps flush body waste and metabolize stored fat. OK, Doc, point taken...
Dr. Mike's exercise tip for today: Recruit a workout buddy -- hubby (um, not likely), children (the daughter will be up for a walk), friend (my friends are very busy themselves and scattered throughout the city -- planning a workout with them would be a logistical nightmare...lol! But they are encouraging me in other ways and that is just as valuable!) -- you're less likely to jam out of your workout if someone else is counting on you.
Today's Menu
Breakfast: strawberry yougurt with diced strawberries added, pomegranate green tea, multivitamin, Omega 3 capsule
Morning Snack: skipped this -- took my headache back to bed after the kids left for school and had breakfast quite late...
Lunch: Ricky's Restaurant's BCLT Salad with chicken -- B = bacon bits, C = cheese, L = lettuce, T = tomato (lots of greens and other good stuff like spinach, carrot -- unfortunately the chicken had some kind of breading -- gotta remember to ask when the menu doesn't specify), water
Afternoon Snack: small yogurt (Silhouette 0+ toffee flavoured), mint green tea
Dinner: baked chicken breast, Dr. Mike's green bean casserole (from the workbook -- pretty good, a bit bland for my taste)
I love my Fridays off! The highlight of the day is a lunch date with my kids where we catch up on the news of the week and make plans for our weekend which always includes pizza/movie night and another evening of fun food and entertainment. Since the family got "fun" food tonight (burritos with all the fixings), I decided to try something new, hence the green bean casserole. Not necessarily "fun", but definitely different.
Part of the afternoon involved grocery shopping and I picked up the ingredients for the tomato-leek soup from the workbook -- smelled amazing while it was cooking -- going to try that tomorrow...
I had ZERO carbs yesterday outside of the permitted fruit portions and I felt like crap again today. Slept much better (6 straight hours again), but I had a headache that just wouldn't quit. Must be something else (the weather is going to change in the next 24 hours -- that sometimes does it for me). Or maybe it's work -- we're busy, busy, busy right now and I haven't been able to keep regular meal times.
Today I wanted pancakes. I got yogurt. Seems like a pretty unfair trade off...
Dr. Mike's food tip for today: Drink your water! It helps flush body waste and metabolize stored fat. OK, Doc, point taken...
Dr. Mike's exercise tip for today: Recruit a workout buddy -- hubby (um, not likely), children (the daughter will be up for a walk), friend (my friends are very busy themselves and scattered throughout the city -- planning a workout with them would be a logistical nightmare...lol! But they are encouraging me in other ways and that is just as valuable!) -- you're less likely to jam out of your workout if someone else is counting on you.
Today's Menu
Breakfast: strawberry yougurt with diced strawberries added, pomegranate green tea, multivitamin, Omega 3 capsule
Morning Snack: skipped this -- took my headache back to bed after the kids left for school and had breakfast quite late...
Lunch: Ricky's Restaurant's BCLT Salad with chicken -- B = bacon bits, C = cheese, L = lettuce, T = tomato (lots of greens and other good stuff like spinach, carrot -- unfortunately the chicken had some kind of breading -- gotta remember to ask when the menu doesn't specify), water
Afternoon Snack: small yogurt (Silhouette 0+ toffee flavoured), mint green tea
Dinner: baked chicken breast, Dr. Mike's green bean casserole (from the workbook -- pretty good, a bit bland for my taste)
I love my Fridays off! The highlight of the day is a lunch date with my kids where we catch up on the news of the week and make plans for our weekend which always includes pizza/movie night and another evening of fun food and entertainment. Since the family got "fun" food tonight (burritos with all the fixings), I decided to try something new, hence the green bean casserole. Not necessarily "fun", but definitely different.
Part of the afternoon involved grocery shopping and I picked up the ingredients for the tomato-leek soup from the workbook -- smelled amazing while it was cooking -- going to try that tomorrow...
Cycle 1 (Accelerate) -- Day 4
Well, I paid for those cookies with sleep. I had a really light sleep and felt absolutely awful and wrung-out this morning -- had to go back to bed for a couple of hours after the kids left for school. Way to go, dummy...
Ah, well, I guess that's scientific proof that one shouldn't eat cookies at 10:30 PM.
Today was busy at work, but I made a point of finding time to eat that lunch. Of course, it was rushed, but at least I ate...
Dr. Mike's food tip for today: Probiotics are friendly bacteria that help your digestive tract form a barrier against bad bacteria and also help you lose weight.
Dr. Mike's exercise tip for today: Put your gym times (if that's how you're getting your exercise in) on your calendar and plan your workout for early in the day -- get it over with before you do anything else and you'll feel better for the rest of the day. I guess if you're like me and just walking, you should put that on the calendar, too. And if you're using a smart-phone calendar application, you can set it up so you get nagged until you do it!
Today's Menu
Breakfast: 4 egg whites, scrambled (with red pepper, mushroom, 1 tbsp of salsa), Del Monte diced peaches (packed in water), cranberry/pomegranate green tea, multivitamin, probiotic capsule, Omega 3 capsule
Morning Snack: vanilla yogurt with Granny Smith apple & cinnamon
Lunch: Dr. Mike's Chicken Vegetable soup
Dinner: large green salad* with tomatoes, baked chicken breast, Kraft Mandarin Orange dressing
* I've been using bagged salad (yes, terribly lazy) -- this one had pieces of carrot, radish, purple cabbage and a few snap peas.
No official workout/exercise today (are you shocked?) but, again, lots of walking at work -- not really exercise, but I was on the move all day. I have the day off tomorrow and the weather has been nice, so I might just go for a real walk and listen to the birds singing down by the pond.
Ah, well, I guess that's scientific proof that one shouldn't eat cookies at 10:30 PM.
Today was busy at work, but I made a point of finding time to eat that lunch. Of course, it was rushed, but at least I ate...
Dr. Mike's food tip for today: Probiotics are friendly bacteria that help your digestive tract form a barrier against bad bacteria and also help you lose weight.
Dr. Mike's exercise tip for today: Put your gym times (if that's how you're getting your exercise in) on your calendar and plan your workout for early in the day -- get it over with before you do anything else and you'll feel better for the rest of the day. I guess if you're like me and just walking, you should put that on the calendar, too. And if you're using a smart-phone calendar application, you can set it up so you get nagged until you do it!
Today's Menu
Breakfast: 4 egg whites, scrambled (with red pepper, mushroom, 1 tbsp of salsa), Del Monte diced peaches (packed in water), cranberry/pomegranate green tea, multivitamin, probiotic capsule, Omega 3 capsule
Morning Snack: vanilla yogurt with Granny Smith apple & cinnamon
Lunch: Dr. Mike's Chicken Vegetable soup
Dinner: large green salad* with tomatoes, baked chicken breast, Kraft Mandarin Orange dressing
* I've been using bagged salad (yes, terribly lazy) -- this one had pieces of carrot, radish, purple cabbage and a few snap peas.
No official workout/exercise today (are you shocked?) but, again, lots of walking at work -- not really exercise, but I was on the move all day. I have the day off tomorrow and the weather has been nice, so I might just go for a real walk and listen to the birds singing down by the pond.
Thursday, March 15, 2012
Cycle 1 (Accelerate) -- Day 3
Good morning! I slept 6 hours straight last night -- that's better than I've been sleeping for weeks now! It's really encouraging to have this result happen so fast.
I'm not going to bother with my food journal today -- I ate my usual breakfast and morning snack and that was it until I got home from work. Work was insanely busy, super productive and included a really positive visit from my boss (who is also back on the "path" after a busy weekend of entertaining). Unfortunately, busy=no lunch + an hour of overtime + late dinner (Dr. Mike's Chicken Vegetable soup with a wee bit of parmesan cheese sprinkled on it -- yummy!). I did manage most of the water today, though.
And then I ate a cookie...
Six cookies, actually...
In my defense, they were small (Anna's ginger cookies)...
I think this is about the point where I caved to the carb craving last time. Sigh...
I'm not going to bother with my food journal today -- I ate my usual breakfast and morning snack and that was it until I got home from work. Work was insanely busy, super productive and included a really positive visit from my boss (who is also back on the "path" after a busy weekend of entertaining). Unfortunately, busy=no lunch + an hour of overtime + late dinner (Dr. Mike's Chicken Vegetable soup with a wee bit of parmesan cheese sprinkled on it -- yummy!). I did manage most of the water today, though.
And then I ate a cookie...
Six cookies, actually...
In my defense, they were small (Anna's ginger cookies)...
I think this is about the point where I caved to the carb craving last time. Sigh...
Wednesday, March 14, 2012
Cycle 1 (Accelerate) -- Day 2
I want a cookie...
Badly...
So far, so good, but here I am at the end of the day, and all I can think about is a cookie -- that chunk of biscotti I seriously considered having with my tea while I was out with my friend. She talked me down, but that craving was really strong. I don't remember it being this tricky last time out...
I did much, much better with my water intake today. It helped to get two glasses out of the way before I left the house for the day (one with lemon, one plain).
Dr. Mikes' food tip for today: eat as many cleansing veggies as possible -- dieters who eat a variety of veggies have less body fat. I'm not so worried about the body fat this time, but am going to make more of an effort to get along with the veggies in my fridge...
Dr. Mike's exercise tip for today: use visualization while you exersise -- picture the new, toned "you" during the daily workout. That's great advice for people who work out...
Today's Menu:
Breakfast -- 2 poached eggs, strawberries, pomegranate green tea, multivitamin/probiotic capsule/Omega 3 capsule
Morning Snack -- vanilla yogurt with red grapes, large black coffee
Lunch -- green salad (with tomato, celery, cucumber), 1 tbsp. Kraft Signature dressing* (extra virgin olive oil with fig balsamic vinegar)
Dinner -- Dr. Mike's turkey chili, small green salad, 1 tbsp. Kraft Balsamic vinaigrette**
* 1 tbsp = 45 calories
** 1 tbsp = 60 calories
All salad dressings are not created equal, it seems. You have to be careful and read those labels carefully.
Feeling pretty good at the end of the day!
Badly...
So far, so good, but here I am at the end of the day, and all I can think about is a cookie -- that chunk of biscotti I seriously considered having with my tea while I was out with my friend. She talked me down, but that craving was really strong. I don't remember it being this tricky last time out...
I did much, much better with my water intake today. It helped to get two glasses out of the way before I left the house for the day (one with lemon, one plain).
Dr. Mikes' food tip for today: eat as many cleansing veggies as possible -- dieters who eat a variety of veggies have less body fat. I'm not so worried about the body fat this time, but am going to make more of an effort to get along with the veggies in my fridge...
Dr. Mike's exercise tip for today: use visualization while you exersise -- picture the new, toned "you" during the daily workout. That's great advice for people who work out...
Today's Menu:
Breakfast -- 2 poached eggs, strawberries, pomegranate green tea, multivitamin/probiotic capsule/Omega 3 capsule
Morning Snack -- vanilla yogurt with red grapes, large black coffee
Lunch -- green salad (with tomato, celery, cucumber), 1 tbsp. Kraft Signature dressing* (extra virgin olive oil with fig balsamic vinegar)
Dinner -- Dr. Mike's turkey chili, small green salad, 1 tbsp. Kraft Balsamic vinaigrette**
* 1 tbsp = 45 calories
** 1 tbsp = 60 calories
All salad dressings are not created equal, it seems. You have to be careful and read those labels carefully.
Feeling pretty good at the end of the day!
Monday, March 12, 2012
Cycle 1 (Accelerate) -- Day 1
Here goes...
The time change this weekend did not do me any favours -- this morning I felt like I was hit by a train sometime over night. Of course, the butter tart binge before bed probably didn't help matters either...
Weigh-in #1 was this morning, and I was tipping the scales at 129 lbs. That was a bit of a surprise. I say it was a "bit" surprising, because, well, there were butter tarts, pasta, burritos, wine and spicy perogy pizza last week in addition to the Timmy's treats and assorted cookies with my coffee. That pretty much sums up my weekly eating habits since the holidays. No wonder I feel like crap...
So back to the beginning with me! I picked up the workbook today and will be using it to track my day. Sometimes it's hard to remember what went down when I get home from work, so the book will be my constant companion and blog writing helper. So far, I like it. It's laid out very well and includes places to record your meals, water, exercise and musings for the day. It also includes 17 new recipes (some variety for those of us who are dying to get our hands on the cookbook next month and don't have a lot of time to troll the Internet for suggestions) and grocery shopping lists. Very nice!
Today's Menu:
Breakfast -- 2 scrambled eggs, 1/2 white grapefruit, pomegranite green tea, supplements (probiotic, multi-vitamin, Omega 3)
Morning Snack -- 6 oz vanilla yogurt with chopped granny smith apple & cinnamon, mandarin orange green tea
Lunch -- Dr. Mike's Chicken Vegetable soup, water
Afternoon Snack -- no time for such nonsense -- sucked back some water and carried on with the craziness that was my work day...
Dinner -- large green salad with tomato, red pepper, celery, cucumber, tuna, balsamic vinegar/olive oil, pomegranite green tea
Looking at my food log, I realize that I made it through the day without a single cup of coffee. And I can't remember wanting one. However, I do find myself wanting a cookie. Good thing there aren't any in the house anymore...
Dr. Mike's food tip for today was a reminder to set realistic goals and not beat yourself up too much for slipping. Move on and start watching for the triggers that trip you up so you can avoid them. No negative self-talk allowed!
So, what are my goals? Sleep. Fewer headaches. Energy. Maybe lose the last few pounds that were missed the first time out (and the friends that they seem to have made) that would be 9 lbs to drop. Totally doable.
Did you exercise today, Traci? Not officially. I was in motion pretty much all day today. Dr. Mike's exercise tip for today was to get 17 minutes of easy exercise, like walking around the mall, so I'm counting my hectic running around at work. Probably a huge cop-out, but whatever...
Did you drink all your water today, Traci? No...when do I ever??? I will do better tomorrow!
The time change this weekend did not do me any favours -- this morning I felt like I was hit by a train sometime over night. Of course, the butter tart binge before bed probably didn't help matters either...
Weigh-in #1 was this morning, and I was tipping the scales at 129 lbs. That was a bit of a surprise. I say it was a "bit" surprising, because, well, there were butter tarts, pasta, burritos, wine and spicy perogy pizza last week in addition to the Timmy's treats and assorted cookies with my coffee. That pretty much sums up my weekly eating habits since the holidays. No wonder I feel like crap...
So back to the beginning with me! I picked up the workbook today and will be using it to track my day. Sometimes it's hard to remember what went down when I get home from work, so the book will be my constant companion and blog writing helper. So far, I like it. It's laid out very well and includes places to record your meals, water, exercise and musings for the day. It also includes 17 new recipes (some variety for those of us who are dying to get our hands on the cookbook next month and don't have a lot of time to troll the Internet for suggestions) and grocery shopping lists. Very nice!
Today's Menu:
Breakfast -- 2 scrambled eggs, 1/2 white grapefruit, pomegranite green tea, supplements (probiotic, multi-vitamin, Omega 3)
Morning Snack -- 6 oz vanilla yogurt with chopped granny smith apple & cinnamon, mandarin orange green tea
Lunch -- Dr. Mike's Chicken Vegetable soup, water
Afternoon Snack -- no time for such nonsense -- sucked back some water and carried on with the craziness that was my work day...
Dinner -- large green salad with tomato, red pepper, celery, cucumber, tuna, balsamic vinegar/olive oil, pomegranite green tea
Looking at my food log, I realize that I made it through the day without a single cup of coffee. And I can't remember wanting one. However, I do find myself wanting a cookie. Good thing there aren't any in the house anymore...
Dr. Mike's food tip for today was a reminder to set realistic goals and not beat yourself up too much for slipping. Move on and start watching for the triggers that trip you up so you can avoid them. No negative self-talk allowed!
So, what are my goals? Sleep. Fewer headaches. Energy. Maybe lose the last few pounds that were missed the first time out (and the friends that they seem to have made) that would be 9 lbs to drop. Totally doable.
Did you exercise today, Traci? Not officially. I was in motion pretty much all day today. Dr. Mike's exercise tip for today was to get 17 minutes of easy exercise, like walking around the mall, so I'm counting my hectic running around at work. Probably a huge cop-out, but whatever...
Did you drink all your water today, Traci? No...when do I ever??? I will do better tomorrow!
Sunday, March 11, 2012
Here I go again...
Well, I'm back...
Last time out this project was about re-inventing myself. It started by just wanting to feel better -- lack of energy, mental fog (or is that a "brain cloud", Joe?), and an intense dislike of what I saw in the mirror every day led me to make some dramatic lifestyle changes. It worked. Though I didn't quite reach the weight loss goal I had set (it wasn't really about that, but it was fun to watch the number go down every few days), I did reach the clothing goals and I had so much energy I couldn't believe it -- don't remember ever having more. As an added bonus, I found I was thinking more clearly than I had in ages and that mental clarity helped me make some major decisions regarding what and who I spend my energies on. What a great feeling!
What is it all about this time? Mostly, it's about sleep. I love sleep. More than I love chips. Now, don't get me wrong -- I sleep. Just not deeply and all night -- I'm right back where I was when I started out last June. The mental fog is back, too, and brought with it a great lack of energy and motivation do more than sit on my butt. I also find that I am far more irritable than I was and really need a nap in the afternoons. That is not an option when you're working full time, so what's a girl to do?
Get back in the saddle, that's what! The holiday pre-diet was a spectacular failure but that's not going to be the case this time.
Though I learned some valuable eating and nutrition lessons last time out, I have reverted back into some old habits:
Last time out this project was about re-inventing myself. It started by just wanting to feel better -- lack of energy, mental fog (or is that a "brain cloud", Joe?), and an intense dislike of what I saw in the mirror every day led me to make some dramatic lifestyle changes. It worked. Though I didn't quite reach the weight loss goal I had set (it wasn't really about that, but it was fun to watch the number go down every few days), I did reach the clothing goals and I had so much energy I couldn't believe it -- don't remember ever having more. As an added bonus, I found I was thinking more clearly than I had in ages and that mental clarity helped me make some major decisions regarding what and who I spend my energies on. What a great feeling!
What is it all about this time? Mostly, it's about sleep. I love sleep. More than I love chips. Now, don't get me wrong -- I sleep. Just not deeply and all night -- I'm right back where I was when I started out last June. The mental fog is back, too, and brought with it a great lack of energy and motivation do more than sit on my butt. I also find that I am far more irritable than I was and really need a nap in the afternoons. That is not an option when you're working full time, so what's a girl to do?
Get back in the saddle, that's what! The holiday pre-diet was a spectacular failure but that's not going to be the case this time.
Though I learned some valuable eating and nutrition lessons last time out, I have reverted back into some old habits:
- Coffee -- far too much every day. It's "roll up the rim" time again, and that's not helping, because when you're in line for your daily cup of java, why not get a breakfast sandwich or a bagel with cream cheese to go along with it? Several times a week...
- Vodka coolers -- not necessarily a "bad" treat to have on the weekend if you make sure you drink extra water -- which I don't...
- Red, red wine -- same as the vodka coolers...
- Water -- not nearly enough every day -- been drinking coffee...
- Carbs with every meal -- potatoes, rice, bread = bad, bad, bad...
- Chips and dill pickle dip -- once I get started, a large bag of Ruffles only lasts for two days -- then what happens with the leftover dip? You buy more chips...
- Butter tarts and cookies -- not all the time, but often enough...and always more than one. They go so well with all that coffee...
- Toast -- I love toast, any time of the day, with jam -- not a bad thing, unless it's 11:00 PM and you're craving it to the point of distactability. At least it was the good, multi-grain stuff...
- Veggies/salad -- haven't been going there at all unless someone puts it on my dinner plate for me...
- Fruit -- ditto...
It's going to be very helpful that a friend is starting a cleanse today -- she is a dedicated health and nutrition enthusiast and I always find her Facebook posts to be very motivational. We've vowed that "no crap shall pass" our lips for the next few weeks.
So, as I sit here enjoying the last butter tart for a while, I am cooking up my Chicken Vegetable Soup and Turkey Chili for the week, having laid in a large supply of cleansing vegetables and lemons during the grocery shop earlier today. Planning to buy the workbook on the way to work tomorrow and then I'll be all set for Part 2 of Traci's 17-Day Diet Project!
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