Whatcha Eating/Doing today? TGIF

Didn't see this posted yet so I thought I'd get it started :)

First I would like to thank Friday for finally showing up! I have been busier than a one eyed ca****ching two mouse holes this week, and it's time for a break!

B: Egg and cheese breakfast burrito (homemade)
S: Banana, yogurt
L: Salad with WW pasta, FF thousand island dressing
S: Apple slices
D: Grilled chicken and greek salad from Mr.Gyros om.nom..nom..nom
S: a Drank! Houlihan's here in KC makes a Skinny Raspberry Mojito with my name on it!

Have a beautiful, blessed, peaceful day everyone :)

TGIF indeed! What a week. It's been a little tough here with mom-in-law not doing too well and my boss going crazy with everything he wants to get done before his three week vacation to Fiji (lucky).

I admit to some serious stress eating this week and that's not good in combination with a sprained ankle keeping me from running. On the plus side, I have been really committed to finding a way to exercise every day that doesn't overstress the injury. I biked seven miles yesterday and have been using the elliptical for at least 40 minutes in the morning. I may not be able to run until the ankle is stable enough to keep it from rolling, but I won't let that get me out of shape!

Food today is going to be pretty standard. Husband won't be home for dinner, so I'm going to keep it simple.

Breakfast: Coffee
Lunch: Roasted or grilled chicken and vegetables
Dinner: A scrambled egg with 1/oz. swiss cheese, baked beans with Canadian bacon (so low cal and delicious), and some broccoli and tomatoes.
Snack: Plain yogurt and a small slice of whole wheat pecan beer bread.
Snack 2: Roasted peaches and blueberries.

Going to do my best to keep it at that and not graze around the house. Keeping a bag of baby carrots around helps, but I should get some kale to make chips for the crazy salt cravings.

Have a great Friday all!

B - Frozen waffle with peanut butter
S - String cheese and coffee
L - Leftover Refrigerator  Soup
D - ?

Currently having my 2nd cup of coffee.
B- Vans Protein Waffle w/ ricotta and fresh berries
S- Mini Babybel cheddar cheese, cantaloupe
L- Wendys Chili
S- Unjury Chicken Soup Protein
D- Not sure...

we are going to my SIL's 65th birthday party    where dinner will be a buffet! I have my Premeir Protein Chocolate and a Kashi Granola bar for my back-up plan. lol

We are going shopping for her gift basket at Bath and Bodyworks and Ulta. Then we are going to drive from Detroit to Cleveland in time for the party that starts at 7pm. Going to be a bust day!  Have a fun and active day!

FRIIIIIIDAY! More importantly, my babies come back tomorrow. Yay!

So today...work then a workout then home to clean and prepare for their homecoming.

Yesterday the uber-hot trainer at the gym struck up a conversation and asked me a question I didn't have a great answer to: "What is your goal?"

What IS my goal for the gym? I mean, I don't want to be weak. I want endurance. I want to be able to run. Frankly, I want to be a be able to do anything! But is that a goal? And moreover, am I going about this thing haphazardly? They have reasonable rates on training sessions so I may order up a few in the fall just to go over everything and make sure I am pushing myself appropriately.

Anyhoo, eats:

1. A bite of cold pizza (for some reason today before I did my protein shake I needed a bite of something salty).

2. Vanilla Click Frapp

3. I think I'm going to lunch with a friend so wherever we decide to go.

4. Greek yogurt/PB2 and I have money to buy Fiber One. Yay!

5. The last of my peanut curry veggies with salty fish

I always seem to do better when I have a specific goal in mind (i.e. lifting my body weight, running an 8k, doing Warrior Dash). Otherwise it's hard to stay motivated. I'd say that if you have the money to consult the trainer to go for it. I've gone about training haphazardly and probably caused the injury I have now from over training in an attempt to "push myself."

Some goals are smaller, but really useful. Like having my heart rate return to it's resting pace a minute after I finish running, having a low resting heart rate in general (it's 45bpm now!) or decreasing my body fat percentage by 1-2%.

Good luck!

 Well see the Y has a lot of tools for following a program but none of them are geared toward any specific goal. They have a program called Fit Linxx. It really plays into my sense of self and external competitiveness. You earn “levels" based on the amount of cardio time you put in and weight you lift (these are assigned points values). So you are competing to advance yourself in levels (totally a mind thing, there is no physical reward) but then the Y publishes a list every month of the top weight lifters and top cardio time and I LOVE getting on that list and always strive to get higher and higher.

 

They also have a bike program called Expresso. Basically it’s one of those bikes where the tv shows the scenery you are “riding" through. But what’s unique about Expresso is that you have what is called a ghost. Your ghost is you riding at your absolute best pace and time. Every time you log on you have computer riders around you but your ghost is always there. If your ghost passes you, you are going slower than your best time and pace. I hate to let my ghost get ahead of me so my time keeps improving and improving.

So as you can see, the programs meet my motivational needs. I guess I should just set a few benchmarks to keep track of my progression.

 

One thing that occurred to me last night (in the middle of leg pressing 320 lbs.!) is that I am 4.5 years post-op. It’s about time I phase out from comparing everything to what I would have done when I was obese. I want to start comparing to what I did a year ago and get better from there. I haven’t been obese in nearly 5 years. It’s great that I’m not anymore but that can’t be my benchmark anymore. Does that make sense? 

Yes, I totally get that. I feel good now when I think about how much I've increased the weight lifting I can do since February, or how my endurance has improved since I started cross-training.

I love those arbitrary systems too. I use www.fitocracy.com in the same way. You get points for different exercises and "level up" as you go along. It's silly, but it works and it's fun to try to move up the leaderboard. And it's a really friendly community too.

 I just took mine and it's 47.

Sometimes when I'm lieing in bed at night it is in the 30's at that FREAKS me out as a nurse because it's so brady.  But everytime I bring it up the docs are unconcerned about it.

Still freaks me out though.  Even 47 kinda freaks me out, but as much as I work out I should consider myself athletic now and that's normal...

I was surprised by it too! It set off the infusion machine at my iron treatments every time. It's usually between 42-46. It used to be in the high 60s before I started running, so it's a neat way to see a health improvement.

My husband on the other hand is naturally tachycardic. I've seen him completely relaxed and at 70-80 bpm! The doctors have never been concerned given how extremely healthy he is otherwise.