New Car!!!

That's right!  Chris and I are going to pick up our 2011 Chevy Equinox this morning.  This will be my first brand new car and I am super excited!

After we get the car, we're going to wedding.  I'm glad we're going to have nice weather for it, because lately the weather has been pretty unpredictable.

I haven't been particularly good over the last week.  I did get to the gym like I should, but I ate a little more pizza than I should have.

On Friday, I sat in the sauna for 20 minutes before work.  I've used the sauna at my gym before, but it's much quieter early in the morning.  It was so relaxing that I told Chris we should build one in our house when we renovate our second bathroom.  Of course, that isn't likely to happen, but a girl can dream.

Off to start a busy Saturday!

Easter.

I had a very nice Easter Sunday with my family.  We ate indulgent foods and had good conversation.  These were my contribution to the menu:

I am pretty dang proud of those cupcakes.  They are lemon cupcakes with lemon cream cheese frosting and candied lemon peels on top.  The oatmeal raisin cookies were good, too.  In fact, I at the last one about thirty seconds ago.

After dinner, my dad took my sister and I out to the pasture to see the calves that have been born this spring on the farm.  There are few things in this world that are more adorable than a baby cow.  Although, the kittens that he showed me before dinner were pretty cute, too.

I've been pretty good this week aside from the Easter feast.  Chris and I are making a concerted effort to eat at home more often and that helps a lot.  It is much easier to cheat when you are sitting in a restaurant looking at a menu of items full of delicious fat, carbs, sugar, and salt.

We are supposed to get some severe weather tonight.  I hope the power doesn't go out!

"Flash Fried Chicken"

I made a Rocco Dispirito recipe today called "Flash Fried Chicken."  I never thought that a healthy version of fried chicken could taste so good.  Thanks, Rocco!  I will definitely be making it again.

I have not been particularly good this week.  As usual, I went to the gym like I should.  That has not been a problem for me.  Food is definitely my downfall lately.  Unless there is some drastic change in the next week, I will not be making weight on May 1st.  In fact, this month's results may be the worst yet.  Where has my motivation gone?

A Birthday and A Shower.

I've been good for the most part lately... Although there have been a few exceptions.

Last night I indulged in four, yes four, Oberons.  If you are not a Michigander, then you may not know that I am referring to Bell's Oberon, a delightful summer beer.  I have no excuse, other than it had been a very long time since I'd spent a night out on the town with friends.  I had a wonderful time at Club Bart in Ferndale and I hope to go there again some time.

I did not drink so much that I could not enjoy the lovely baby shower that we threw for my sister today.  My niece is never going to wear the same outfit twice.  I hope that she wears out the pink Converse Chuck Taylor All-Stars that I bought her.  Lord knows that she has enough pink outfits to wear them with!

The truffles that we made for favors seemed to be a hit!

Flowers.

I saw a little yellow flower in one of my beds today.  It's small, but it's a start.  I have lots of daffodils and tulips that are just about ready to bloom as well.

I really want to get a garden in this year, and I need to get moving on it.  I've been so busy with other things lately that I haven't had a second to consider it, but I'm hoping that I can at least get the grass dug up next weekend.  It would be wonderful to be able to walk out to the backyard and get fresh vegetables this summer.  I will definitely have to put some fencing around it to keep the dog out (and those pesky rabbits).

I have been eating very healthy lately, but I have not been sticking to the 17-Day Diet rules.  If it is such a struggle to stay on the program, then the program probably isn't for me.  I won't deny for a second that it produces great results, but it took no time at all for those results to reverse themselves when I started eating carbs again.  I am going to do my best to eat healthy foods and drink plenty of water.  If the scale isn't showing it then maybe I am just meant to be at this weight.

I'm not throwing up my hands in defeat.  I am just coming to the realization that my weight is just a number.  If I eat right and exercise, then I'll leave the rest up to nature.  Perhaps this is just who I am.  Honestly, which is less healthy: 1) being 15-20 pounds overweight, or 2) constantly obsessing and stressing out over being 15-20 pounds over weight?  I think the stress will give me a heart attack before the weight does.  Life is too short.  If it's a couple of years shorter because I'm a little overweight, then at least I'll die happy.

Long Weekend.

I have spent a long weekend in my kitchen and I am one tired lady.  I did not eat well.  That is mainly because I was making candy all weekend, and I didn't feel like making dinner due to all of the candy making.  We ended up eating out more than I would have liked.

You have probably noticed that I am not posting every day lately.  I just don't feel that I have anything new to say on a daily basis.  I am going to continue posting, but not every day.  I am still going to weigh in on the first of every month.

We hit 80 degrees today.  Yay!  Spring is finally here!

Fail.

Pizza for dinner.  End of story.

Cheesecake and Blue Jeans.

Will my arms be sore tomorrow?  When I lifted today, I increased from 10 pound dumbbells to 12 pound dumbbells.  I definitely felt more fatigued, but I'm not feeling sore yet.  It seems to take 36 hours to set in, so I guess I'll find out tomorrow.

Apparently, tomorrow is World Health Day.  My employer is on a big health kick right now, so they made sure to make us all aware of tomorrow's significance.  They are letting us wear jeans at the office to mark the occasion (among other things).  If wearing jeans is good for me, why can't I wear them every day?

I didn't eat anything "bad" today... until I finished dinner.  Last night after posting, I made two cheesecakes that will be converted to truffles this weekend.  I wanted to test my theory that a chocolate-coated, bite-size cheesecake would work as a truffle.  The theory has now been confirmed.  Go figure, chocolate-coated cheesecake is good.

More Vegetables, Please!

I hope you can sense my sarcasm.  I had a heaping plate of raw veggies for lunch and a heaping plate of stir fried veggies for dinner.  If I eat another carrot, I might turn orange.  I've decided not to eat anymore... until lunch time tomorrow.

I better than most days today.  Hopefully I can keep it up.

On Monday, I wore eight pound ankle weights during my entire leg workout for the first time.  Normally there is no one on the basketball court at the gym in the morning, so I've been using it when I work my legs.  So, picture me with ankle weights on and ten pound dumbbells on my shoulders pacing around the court doing various exercises.  (We're at 36 pounds of extra weight if you weren't counting.)  Lunges, squats, leg lifts, back kicks, front kicks... Now you understand why my glutes are sore today.

I worked my abs today.  50 crunches on a Bosu, 50 crunches with leg lifts on a Bosu, 50 "regular" crunches, 50 reverse crunches, a 30 second plank, and a 30 second plank on each side.  Are you starting to understand why this plateau is so frustrating?  I don't take a 2 minute break between exercises... I do these nearly continuously because I want to keep my heart rate up.  Of course, my muscles do need a little break sometimes.

Tomorrow is arm day.  I plan to step up from ten to twelve pound dumbbells.  We'll see how that goes...

Busy Day.

Chris and I normally do our grocery shopping on Sunday evening.  The grocery store is particularly busy at that time, so we decided to shake things up and go this evening instead.  By the time we ate dinner, did the shopping, got home, unloaded the groceries, and finished a few chores it was 8:30.  I go to bed at 10:00, so that leaves me with an hour and a half to relax.  Well, less than that because I've obligated myself to write in this blog every day and I don't consider this relaxation.

I don't know about you, but I can't just go, go, go and then immediately get in bed and fall asleep.  I need to wind down.  I'm not so sure that this Monday night shopping thing is going to work for me.

I realized yesterday that I never posted the payout amount for the weight loss challenge.  I probably forgot because it was a stinking $35.  I was hoping to at least double my money.  Oh well.  Now, I'm just hoping that I won't need to lose ten pounds when next January rolls around.

I wonder if other bloggers hear the "Doogie Howser, M.D." theme music when they write in their blogs at the end of the day.  Maybe it's just me because I'm a big "How I Met Your Mother" fan.

So Ashamed.

I worked so hard for about 75% of this month.  I was seeing major results on the scale at the gym.  Why then, am I only at 168 pounds on the scale in my house?

That's right, I'm officially five pounds behind schedule.  I've decided that killing myself for the whole month of April to catch up is probably not the answer.  I have 18 pounds left to lose by the end of June, so I have increased my monthly goal to 6 pounds.  Please remember my quest when you pray, meditate, cross your fingers, or whatever it is that you do.  If any of you have the power to melt fat with your mind, I could use some help.

I do have a concern.  I am trying really hard right now.  I'm eating great during the day, even if my dinners have been less than figure friendly.  What happens when I finally arrive at that magical number of 150 pounds?  I don't want to be on a diet forever.

I know, I am supposed to change my ways and create a new lifestyle.  "This isn't a diet, this is the way I am now.  I love non-starch vegetables and lean protein so much that I want to eat it for every meal for the rest of my life."  Please.  How boring is that?  I would be lying to myself.  I love pasta and bread.  I love fried food.  I love sausages and red meat.  I especially love sugar.  If I'm not eating these things, I'm on a f-ing diet.

I love making food and I love when I've made something so good that the person eating it can't help but smile.  I don't know anyone that smiles when they eat a plate of raw vegetables.  Who says, "Oh my God, these carrots are sooo good!"?

I guess the bright side is that eventually I'll get so sick of eating like a rabbit that I'll lose my appetite altogether.  That should result in some weight loss.  I've already had a few instances where I made dinner, usually when we have salads, and I look at the finished product and have no desire to eat it.  I guess I have to eat for sustenance, not enjoyment.

FML

Tomorrow, I Promise.

I know, I didn't weigh in yesterday.  It wasn't because I was avoiding anything.  Trust me, it isn't going to be good regardless of a few days.  I promise I'll do it tomorrow, I don't have time today... I'm running out the door now.