Stress does not become me...

I came home yesterday afternoon to a note from the post office. They attempted to deliver a certified letter from City Hall. What could it be? I couldn't get it until morning and I couldn't put it out of my mind. Did they discover a lean on the property? Did our tax check bounce? It is my nature to assume the worst.

Luckily I did not eat... much. I made that yummy brocolli again for dinner (it is my favorite veggie), and I had a few low fat animal cookies and skim milk for dessert. That was about it. I went to bed but didn't really sleep - my mind was stuck on this letter. So I got up this morning and went through the usual routine except a raving lunatic had entered my body and my family felt it's wrath.

I am a yeller and everything annoyed me.

Thank God we had to go out to the bus stop (I am sure that's what my kids were thinking). I was lamenting about the letter when my neighbor blurted out - "WHAT is it? OMG, I was going to run over there right now to get it!". She had received a note as well! My other neighbor piped up. "I have it. They just need to notify you about the house being torn down." A collective sigh followed. The stress instantly left my body, followed by a little reflection. Why was I so stressed? Why do I always assume that I did something wrong? And, it's a good thing I chose not to binge over it... That would have been such a waste...

I have a new work schedule so this week is an adjustment. Today I'm going to work out, have lunch, work, swim, shower and pick up kids. Another full day of mom-hood. Tonight I'll have to apologize to my children and DH for being such a witch with a "B" this morning.

My diet is going well this week, and I am on track to see a nice loss come Monday or Tuesday when I next weigh in.

Biggest Gainer !

I weighed in this morning at 185. That is a GAIN of .5 and I was bumming! I know its a small amount and it could have been any number of things; but THIS IS A CONTEST PEOPLE and I let down my team. I have 9 weeks to make it up to them!

It's a new week- I have new resolve, and most importantly I have more sunlight... I am a SAD person and winter really kicks my emotional butt! I honestly can feel my self coming out of it!

I am logging my food and exercise on LOSE IT (which I still love). I have some good recipes and I am shopping for fresh ingredients to make them. Last night I made Ina Garten's roasted brocolli (a la Diet Girl) and it really was the BEST BROCOLLI EVER! I let you know what else I am cooking up in a future post---- gotta get the girl and get to work!!

Not Sleeping

It really is 3:25 a.m. and I am not sleeping. I've been awake since 2; layed there for a while until the dog threw up and I couldn't let that sit until morning. I decided to finish our taxes (done)and heck, why not update while I'm at it...

The quiche was AWESOME and I tweaked the recipe a bit - The whole thing is 399 calories! Not that I ate the whole thing, but on a bad day, it wouldn't be that bad...

Yummy SPINACH Quiche - Preheat oven to 375 and combine:

• 1 package of frozen chopped spinach (heat and squeeze out all excess water)
• 1cup EggBeaters
• 1/2 -3/4 cup low fat cottage cheese (I used FIBER ONE)
• 1/4 cup finely shredded cheese (I used Trader Joes Lite 3-cheese blend)
• A splash of skim milk
• 2 minced cloves garlic
• salt, pepper and whatever spices you like (I added Basil and Oregano)
• 1/4 cup fresh cut salsa (I bought mine at Stop & Shop, but you can chop up your own onion, tomato, pepper, favorite herb)

Spray PAM into a 9" pie plate or square baking dish and add mixture. You can sprinkle a little more cheese on top. Cook for 30 minutes (insert knife in middle, it should come out clean). Let the quiche set up for a few minutes before cutting. Serve with a salad.

I made one for dinner Friday, which my DH and one daughter actually ate. I made a second one yesterday morning for my mom and I after muscle fitness class. It made for the perfect lunch and snack later in the day. Weigh in this week will be Tuesday. I haven't been on the scale all week, but I've been pretty good food wise and as good as I could be exercising with the kids on vacation. I am so glad to have them back in school. I really need to get my life (house) back in order.

And now I am actually starting to feel sleepy, so before I lose the opportunity I am going to try and catch a few hours before church at 9:00 a.m.

Focusing...

For the most part I am on track this week - logging my food and exercise into LOSE IT on my
I-Touch (that I love) and trying to keep busy outside of the kitchen. I've only had one day above my calories.

The most motivating news of the week is that we are currently in 2nd place (out of 32 teams) in the Biggest Loser contest. We've only got 10 more weeks to go! The top team is definately our only competition - they are out for winning - just like the Wannabes. I can't slack; I won't let my team down; so I guess I'll just have to keep losing.

I am baking a crustless quiche tonight - I'll let you know if the recipe is worth sharing. It's got 150 calories for 1/4 of the pie!! There's something about volume that gets to me! I really hope it's good, because I am really hungry today.

Biggest LOSER - Week 2 Update

I am off to pick up my daughter, but wanted to give a quick update.

I LOST 2 POUNDS !!! Buckled down, exercised and stayed within my calories. That's 7.5 total and 5 lbs to go to get to into the 170s (barely).

I feel a renewed committment to the contest and my diet. Our challenge this week is to keep a food log (which I already do --- or have done religiously for the last 3 weeks). 10 weeks to go, and I still think that we'll be the winners!!!!

A Break!

I am SO psyched. This morning I taught my last swim class for a while. I am still going to guard, but I totally needed a break from the kids. It's been 2 years and I am burnt. This morning I totally considered playing sick, but then I wouldn't be able to work out... Suck up, go in, knock out the final 90 minutes of kid-torture... This sounds so bad; I know I am a good teacher. The kids like me and the parents do too. I know what I am doing. BUT I am tired of the few, who wreck it for everyone else. There's always one screaming kid, one over protective psycho-parent who makes it not worth my time. So now I get to guard. I get to stay dry for a few months. Yeah for me!

Finding Balance

Last week I spent every spare minute thinking about my diet, my exercise and my Big Loser team. The house took a turn for the worse; the laundry stacked higher, the kitchen floor turned into a sandbox, forget about the shower... The bills that were supposed to be paid are late (I never do that!!) and the taxes aren't finished. Obviously I need to find some balance.

Its all about needing some uninterrupted time with out the kids to get household chores done. Last week, I went to the Y during my mornings. It's my preferred time to exercise, yet it's the only time I have without kids. This is my quandry. This week I had to regroup. I haven't had an opportunity to go to the Y in the last three mornings, but I will this afternoon because I have to get my minutes in. I won't let my WANNABES down. I guess this is the good thing about being in this competition. I am going to have to be more thoughtful. I am going to have to be more scheduled. I am worth my time for sure, but that doesn't mean I can let the rest of my responsibilities slide.

5.5 Down, 11 weeks to go!!

186.5 on the big doctor's scale at the YMCA. That's a loss of 5.5 lbs for the week, and for my team of Wannabes a group loss of 15.5 lbs! We totally rocked it! We won't have our standings until later in the week, but I am confident that we'll be one of the top teams.

My next personal goal will be 179. I have not been in the 170's since before I was married (1996). That's a LONG time, but I am pretty motivated right now. 7.5 pounds - mid March? Totally doable. I worked out hard today on the Expresso Bike and did a mile on the treadmill. The boot camp class Saturday was killer and at the rate I am going, I'll be in fine shape when I start Triathlon training in April with my sisters. I can't wait to get back on my real bike!

Food-wise, I only had one day last week (yesterday) when I was over my calorie budget (1600). I'm just going to keep doing what I am doing, because it's obviously working. My secret: It's OK to be a little hungry; and it's worth it to keep the mouth closed. (Knitting is also helping---I finished my first pair of mittens!!)

Day 3 - Doing Great!

First, I complained about the lack-luster competition. The Executive Director wrote:

• "Please be assured that I am looking into this in further detail and I anticipate that your experience is going to change greatly. I hope that we exceed your expectations for the next eleven weeks. Please keep me posted!"

Looking back on my e-mail; I think I seemed a little bitchy. I should have probably sat on it a day or two, but maybe not. What's done is done.

Second, I have been 100% on program for the last 3 days. I am psyched, not hungry, and I am really positive about losing this weight. I have the support of my family (I hope), my team and hopefully the staff at the Y (I'll see how my reception is tomorrow).

The Biggest Loser - WEEK 1

Not much fanfare at the YMCA – the person running this thing really missed out on an opportunity to create some excitement at time when membership is down and things are generally slow. They could have WELCOMED participants (a dry erase board would have sufficed), taken “Before” photos, provided some motivation; instead there was nothing, but a black and white information sheet that pretty much mimicked the e-mail sent the previous week. We (one of my team mates and I) had to go searching for someone to help us get started. The wellness staff member who was pulled from the floor to record our starting weight and show us our folder location was less than motivating and wouldn’t even spend the time to take a starting body fat percentage (they have a hand-held machine so it’s not like it would put them out). The whole contest idea was reduced to recording our individual workouts, and a sheet to log weight training twice a week (use the nautilus machines in row 2). The BIGGEST LOSER has been stuffed in the back of a file drawer without even a label to remind us where it is! HMMPH. I will take a moment to think about how this looks to me; an overweight person at a gym. It feels like something the staff is not embracing all of its members. It feels like FAT is some sort of COODIE that no one wants to touch; especially a “buff” trainer of athletes, and that this is obviously a contest that not everyone supported. I am a little disappointed.

“I guess we’re going to have to motivate each other,” said my teammate Michelle. And so we will.

My starting weight on the giant doctor scale was 192. As usual, it’s higher than I wanted to see, but expected, given the equipment. Michelle’s weight was 171, Tammy’s 163. I am the fattest of the bunch. I have my work cut out for me, and I am going to make a serious effort to lose the weight this time (REALLY SERIOUS). I had a GREAT first day, stayed within my calories and had a solid work out. Today I hope to repeat. I am just back from the gym where I took my first ride on a new “Expresso” stationary bike. IT was GREAT. This will be my new GOTO workout. My heart rate for the entire ride averaged 138 so you know I was working and it was fun to race along a computerized course. I think I had a touch of vertigo when I got off. The bikes have a corresponding website where you can monitor your progress and design your own avatar. In the future, I can even race against a ghost of myself from a previous ride to try and better my times. I LOVE new gadgets, and this is a keeper!

I have once again asked my family (primarily DH) for support by not bringing home junk (6 cans of Pringles) or takeout, or suggest that we go someplace where I will be tempted to eat something I really don’t want. TWELVE weeks of clean living is all that I asked for… By the time the Biggest Loser is over I will have a solid loss behind me and my eating habits should be firmly established. My teammates are both excited and positive. We want to win!

Will this be my time?