KCCC's 2011 Check-in

[kccc]

As planned yesterday. Dinner veg was cherry tomatoes. Had a glass of wine after.

Tuesday...
Exercise: Walking plus abs. Good ab workout, and I'm up to 6800 on the pedometer so should hit my 10,000 mark.

My old pedometer broke. I bought a new one last night, but don't love it - I didn't like the alternatives at the sporting goods store I stopped at, so went for cheap. Will hunt around online... They don't make my old one anymore, alas. This one is a bit noisy - I can hear a "click-click" as I walk.

Br - Yogurt and pear. 2 CaL.
L (planned) - one plate at dining hall.
D (semi-planned) - probably tortellini and pesto. I have some chicken breast thawing in the fridge, but don't expect it will be totally thawed and need to think about what to do with it anyway.

[Pangelsue2]

I looked through the list of names of people I remembered from the last time I was here. I recognized your name and Deb's. I wish it weren't necessary to be back but it feels right to be back. How have things been going?

[kccc]

Pangelsue,

It's nice to see you!

I've been at "maintenance" for a while now - but I stick around here because (1) otherwise I start getting "sloppy" and I know I can't really get away with that and (2) I like the people here.

I do a regular update on the "testimonials" thread, so you can get more info than you probably really want from there, lol!

Wishing you success at getting back on track!

[kccc]

Last night was a fail. I thought about calling it a NWS, but in that it wasn't really pre-planned...

Hubby finished classes and wanted a celebration. We got pizza. It was a late dinner, and I was hungry - and ate seconds.

And then, because I'd blown it, I had some chocolate. Yup, I "wrecked the car."

Sense returned at that point, and I quit.

Today is a new day.

Exercise- my favorite yoga class, which pushed me to the limit and felt SO GOOD. I needed that.

Br - Pear and leftover pizza (what can I say? I love it, and at least this amount was legit), 2 CaL
L - Salad and bread. I was taken to lunch by a colleague who wanted to pick my brains. The salad was big, and had a lot of cheese on it, so it really was a meal.
D - TBD. Either chicken or tortellini

Either my old pedometer measured too stingily or this one measures too generously - it's running about 25-30% higher than I expect. Last night I clocked in at 19,500! I would have thought over 10,000, maybe 14,000. Today I'm already at 6900 - and it's not a "walking day." (True, I had more errands than normal that included walking. Still...)

Weight was up this morning, to 145. (It was 143.5 yesterday, but Wednesday is my "official" day.) That's still within my range, and I know some of the "gain" is due to salt - I can feel it. To be expected after last night, I suppose. No big deal as long as I get back on track.

[Hoeka]

Br - Pear and leftover pizza (what can I say? I love it

Did quite a doubletake on your breakfast - somehow my brain registereed Beer & pizza for breakfast...
Pizza must be one of the best breakfasts around: all the food groups in one

[kccc]

Lol, Hoeka! I don't have beer at breakfast or any other time (never learned to like it - a social handicap I couldn't overcome).

Dinner last night was tortellini, salad, and kiwifruit.

Exercise today was walking and abs. My new pedometer is definitely too generous - I checked on the track. We have a tiny track that circles the basketball courts. 17 laps = 1 mile (and whoever thought a prime number was a good idea deserves a "dope slap" as Car Talk would say). I make one lap in 116 steps, plus or minus 2. The pedometer gives me anywhere from 20-50 extra steps per lap. Totally unreliable.

Bummer. I don't think I kept the receipt.

Br - yogurt and pear
L (planned) - tortellini with pesto, carrot, figs
D (planned) - chicken with teriakyi sauce, couscous or noodles, veg tbd.

Weight this morning back to 144, which is my "central" weight right now. So, yesterday's high was at least partly salt-related.

[kccc]

Yesteday as planned. Dinner included the chicken (a big hit with my husband), couscous, peas'n'carrots, and sliced peaches (canned in juice). And a glass of wine.

Today
Exercise class... which I bailed on partway through, and walked instead. The gym was overheated, and I started feeling sick to my stomach. I think I may have a mild bug.

Br - yogurt, figs, 2 CaL
L - one plate at dining hall, 1/2 veg (maybe more)
D - TBD. I think we're going out

My new pedometer is a total piece of... junk. It said I did 35000 steps yesterday!!! I know better. I fished the receipt out of the trashcan and will take it back and get a refund. Bummer.

[kccc]

Lovely weekend. I returned in the pedometer, and have ordered another I hope will be more accurate.

Went out to eat at a new restaurant on Friday. VERY good - and easy to eat a No-S-compliant meal. Which I did, except I allowed an S-event of a mini-cupcake. (Really mini, and really WORTH IT.)

Overall, a very sane S-weekend. We had root-beer floats (a family summer tradition) on Saturday afternoon - a scoop of good vanilla and 1/3 a single-serve bottle of root beer. Good stuff. Also had the first watermelon of the season. I consider it to be officially summer now!

Went strawberry-picking on Saturday, so on Sunday I made strawberry shortcake. Not your bought sponge cake that tastes like you could use it to wash dishes - a proper shortcake, made with a sweetened biscuit recipe (sort of scone-like) and REAL whipped cream. Yum! We have a lot of strawberries to use up, so the family can have more tonight. I'll just have the berries today, but that's okay - I LOVE strawberries, and love that I can have a ginormous serving (as long as it fits on my plate) during strawberry season.

Monday...
Exercise - Yogalates class
Br - Greek yogurt and... strawberries! Plus 2 CaL
L (planned) - 2 HB eggs, a bit of cooked sweet pototo, watermelon, banana. (Okay, I'm improvising, but it fits my "pattern" of protein, carb, and 2 veg/fruit.)
D (TBD) - fast food on the way to a meeting. I'll make do.

[Pangelsue2]

Pedometers are not really too accurate. I used to use one all day to see how close I came to 10000 steps. Sometimes, I would count the steps I took to go downstairs and deliver papers or something. I would check the steps before and after. It was rarely really close. I don't remember the name but I finally found one on line that worked a little better but that one had a switch to turn it off that was overly sensitive. Sometimes, while I was using it, it would turn off for no reason. I always wonder how the Biggest Loser calorie burner arm bands work. Supposedly theirs shows how many calories have been burned a day and they talk about how long they stay in a specific calorie burn range. I just checked them out on their website and they are very pricy at $275.00. It is called the Bodybug and supposedly is accurate to 90%.
Here is what it says it does:
• Uses specialized sensors to track calories burned
• Manages calories consumed via a web based program (FREE for 6 months with initial purchase)
• Tracks your steps with a built-in pedometer
• Phone coaching session to help get you started
• PC and Mac compatible
• Runs on a rechargeable battery

We live in Wisconsin and had a frost last night so I am officially jealous of your strawberries and watermelon. We are still eating last year's rubbery apples and paying huge amounts for fruit from warmer climates. Enjoy those berries.

[Strawberry Roan]

Ahh, root beer floats, watermelon and strawberry shortcake. Summer indeed.

We had summer for about two weeks, it was in the 90s now it is in the 40s. Oh well, it will warm up again, I am sure.

Just stopping by to say Hey and see what good healthy food KCCC is eating now.

[kccc]

We live in Wisconsin and had a frost last night so I am officially jealous of your strawberries and watermelon. We are still eating last year's rubbery apples and paying huge amounts for fruit from warmer climates. Enjoy those berries.

Here, we'll be done with strawberries by June - it's easy to miss them! I am making tons of strawberry shortcake for my family and eating strawberries myself. Yum!

Exercise this morning - walking plus abs. Not sure how far. I have ordered another pedometer, and hope it comes soon. (About a 10th the price of the one you mentioned, Pangelsue! I'm too cheap to pay that much... plus, if it's "mostly right" I'll be happy. The one I took back was WILDLY off!)

Dinner last night was really disappointing fast food. One plate, not the best choice... but not typical. Survivable. I wanted something else because it was so unsatisfying, but the moment passed. Once it was officially "after dinnertime," then I didn't even think about eating again.

Br - PB and banana on whole wheat
L - one plate at dining hall. Over half veg this round (they had stuff I liked)
D (planned) - pasta with clam sauce, salad, strawberries

The odd breakfast is because I'm taking an antibiotic 2x/day that I can't have with milk products! That really is making me re-think breakfast... This worked for today.

[Grammy G]

OMG..I remember you and I talking pedometers a looong while back when I was trying to find one that worked and I didn't either forget to remove before clothes went into laundry or I "popped off" as I moved around! I think good pedometers and accurate scales are elusive items!
I am missing fresh strawberries!! We are in Fl. when Plant City,Fl strawberries were in season and we all eat strawberries at least once a day! Plant City is THE strawberry capitol down there and rightly so..yum! Lucky you. We are in asparagus season here and that too is a lovely time. I love to roast it or grill it to just give it a bit of char and then use it hot or cold.
Have you tried your oatmeal with just no milk added? I eat it that way all the time! I just add a bit more water when I cook it and then throw in a soft banana (cut up) and some dried fruit and nuts. I think it is very good and don't miss the milk at all.
Isn't spring grand?

[kccc]

Hi Grammy G! The oatmeal-and-banana sounds good. I normally COOK mine in milk rather than water, so will have to adjust! (The PB&B is working okay for now.)

Dinner last night was mostly as planned. I didn't have time to get salad, and I forgot I had watermelon that needed using. So, had the pasta with watermelon and dried apricots. Odd, but good.

And I made strawberry shortcakes for the family, but didn't have any myself. Which was okay.

Br - PB&J, 2 CaL
L - reprise of dinner
D (planned) - well, semi-planned. I have pork sirloin and some sweet potatoes that need using... will figure out something with that!

ETA: Wednesday "official weight" was 142.5 - lower than usual.

I seem to be drifting down slowly, after a loooong maintenance. (I thought I was "done," actually, and was fine with that. But I'd take down as far as 135... anywhere between that and 145 works for me.)

[kccc]

Yesterday's dinner was pork chops (that what was in the pkg, not sirloin) with caramelized onions, the sweet potatoes, broccoli, and salad. Yum!

Today
15-min minimum of exercise. (Time constraints)

Br - PB toast (2), 2 CaL
L - cheese and crackers, leftover broccoli and sweet potatoes, dried apricots. (Hodge-podge, but good)
D - TBD. I'm on my own b/c of a meeting.

[kccc]

Thursday was a FAIL. Not a huge one, I don't think, but still...

From work, I was leaving for a new event that I had decided to try - a business where you went in to paint. It was clearly set up to be very social (they served wine/beer) and geared toward non-artists.

I used to paint. It takes more time than I have. I miss it. So... I thought I would try this. Maybe it would make a space in my life for it, the way that yoga classes make time for exercise.

The problem was that I had barely time to make it to the session from work. I got there a little before it started (I'd mistaken the time, and thought I was late), with no supper. The session was supposed to go from 6:30-9:30.

The person running the business steered me to a little shop next to her, and said I could get food there. I went it... it did have food, but high-priced gourmet stuff. I went ahead and bought some - a seafood salad (the seaweed-based Asian kind - good!), bruschetta, crackers.

I just think I had more than one plate-ful. Certainly I ate in a "snack-y" way, during breaks in the painting.

Aaaand... I was disappointed in the session. It was way too paint-by-number-ish for me. It was still sort of fun to see how the set-up worked, and it was interesting how they broke down the "master painting" into steps that everyone could do. And I could see going as part of a social group, or taking my child to the kid-sessions.

But in terms of satisfying my own creative urge, it didn't work. Too constrained. And slow... I spent a lot of time just waiting for the next step.

It is not wise to eat while disappointed or bored. Just sayin'. It doesn't really help anything.

At any rate... it's over.

Today is a bit of a hard day, because it's Friday, but it FEELS like a Saturday. I've taken it off because my son is out of school (as of Wednesday). Summer camps start Monday, but yesterday my husband stayed at home with him and I went to work, and today it's the opposite. And I keep thinking it's Saturday. (Hm... last night felt like Friday. Maybe that was part of my problem too - Fridays are always a bit hard.)

At any rate... so far so good today.

Br - PB toast (one slice instead of 2), 2 CaL
L - one plate out at my very favorite place - my son and I met my hubby there for lunch, and that was just lovely. Very good food - asparagus and roasted veg and other favorites - and my favorite people for company.
D - planning a VERY nice meal to prevent snacking. I bought short ribs at the grocery. Corn on the cob, fresh green beans... not sure what else, but I do have a lot of nice fresh veggies to choose from.

And I'll see what I can do about exercise - even if it's just the technical minimum, that will feel good.

[kccc]

Friday turned out to be an "easy" day, totally contrary to expectations. I think having such a lovely lunch really helped, even though it was perfectly No-S compliant.

Dinner ended up being a bit different... I haven't cooked short ribs before, and had NO idea that they took so long! So I substituted the sausages we like, and the short ribs are in the crockpot for tonight. But we had fresh green beans, corn on the cob, and cherry tomatoes, and I made a "wheatless flat bread." (It's made with rye, and is sort of like a biscuit except you bake it in a big circle and cut it into triangles. A nice quick bread if the flour is on hand.)

And then hubby and I went for a walk together, and covered my usual walk-for-exercise route. That was lovely. It's nice that the little guy is getting big enough to leave at the house alone for short periods of time.

So... S-day. I just posted on the main board about how important it was to "plan" treats, so I'll think about that. We may go pick strawberries again and make more shortcake... they'll be gone soon, and we all love them (and had fun picking).

[Who Me?]

What is nicer than fresh berries?

[kccc]

Saturday was nice - we had our last soccer game, then a pizza party at a pizza buffet place to follow. I ate about what I usually do, and was fine.

Later, we had root beer floats - two small scoops of vanilla and about 4 ounces of root beer, but it feels so BIG and decadent made into a float!

For dinner, we finally had those short ribs with lots of veggies. Can't remember from there, to be honest - I know we had dessert. Oh, of course - strawberry shortcake! And then a few cookies late in the evening.

Sunday was fine overall. Some very enjoyable treats, no major "get it while I can" eating.

I will confess that I made a cake for a group event, and had leftover icing which I ate for my evening dessert. It was a homemade icing that I love, called "7-minute" or "boiled icing" - essentially, a cooked meringue with egg whites and sugar as the primary ingredients. You don't see it much anymore, perhaps because it has to be made on the stove over a double-boiler. I love love love it, and thoroughly enjoyed the icing-for-dessert. (I consider cake mostly a conveyance for icing anyway.) Not an every-day choice to be sure, but a real treat for me.

Solid meals every day. All good.

Monday
Exercise: Yoga
Br - 1/2 bagel with PB, pear
L (planned) - dining hall
D (planned) - salmon burgers, salad, fruit

[kccc]

Dinner was a bit different - I didn't realize I was out of canned salmon. Oh well. I subbed chicken quesadillas, and it was fine.

However, had a "fail." Son offered me two of his last "peeps" - which I love especially when they're very stale and chewy. (Okay, laugh. I know this is counter to all my normal views on "real food" and avoiding junk. Peeps are nasty by definition... and I still like them. Who said even rational people are rational all the time? At least I know this is laughable!) And he was being very, very sweet to offer to share his very last ones "because I love you, mom."

So I ate them, and enjoyed them.

Official fail, though not a big one. But I will be extra-careful about habit today, because it's too easy to rationalize these little things and let them grow.

Today
Exercise: walking and abs, with my new clunky pedometer. (Grr!)

Br - 1/2 bagel with PB, figs
L (planned) - one plate at dining hall
D (planned) - salmon fillets, veg and fruit TBD.

[Strawberry Roan]

I think the Peeps is an S Event, I mean really. how S weet

[Grammy G]

You know, I bet that from now on you are going to have warm fuzzy thoughts about peeps and the time your son gave up his last stale ones..your fav..to you. I would even go so far as to say you will probably tell his children about how much you liked stale peeps and how their daddy shared his laaast ones w/ you when he was little... maybe they will share with you too! None of this would have happened if you had said no to the peeps... this wasn't about food at all....... ' been there

[Blithe Morning]

It might have been a fail on the Habitcal but not on the Mothercal. Sometimes, a situation is worth the red mark.

[kccc]

Oh, Berry, Grammy, and Blithe, how you are making me smile!

Yes, it was a fail... and I don't regret it one little bit.

Normally, I try to avoid the "food is love" connection - in most cases, you CAN take the love and still refuse the food.

But every now and then... it matters.

I do think it's important to "count it as an official fail" (otherwise habit is at risk), but I also agree with Blithe that the "Mothercal" was totally green on this one.

[kccc]

Dinner was different than planned - hubby wanted to go back to work, so wasn't eating with us. So I just fixed tomato soup and grilled cheese sandwiches, plus fruit. It's one of the little guy's faves, but we don't have it often because hubby dislikes tomato soup.

I also had another CaL in the afternoon, during a meeting. Thought about wine in the evening, but decided that I really didn't need it. (A third CaL and a glass of wine seem sort of mutually exclusive to me - one extra drink is being flexible, two things extra is "creeping excess.")

Today

Had my very very favorite yoga class. Oh my, I was dripping at the end! It felt so good.

Br - "yogurt parfait" - alternate layers of cereal, strawberries, and yogurt in a small glass. The little guy loves it, and since I am working from home today and could have breakfast with him, I had some too.

L - one plate at my favorite place. I love this place - it's a health food store with a hot/salad bar. It's small, but it features seasonal veggies, hormone-free meats, and a nice variety. Everything is well-seasoned and well-cooked. I can always find something I like on it! And you pay by weight, and the plates are standard size - maybe a tad smaller than mine. So, it lends itself to No-S very well. One plate, no going back (well, unless you pay again, I suppose). I decide how hungry I am and what I would like as I fill it.

D (planned) - the salmon I'd meant to have yesterday. It MUST be eaten tonight, lol!

[idontknow]

Hi KCCC - just wanted to say thank you for the 'don't wreck the car' catchphrase. Part of my job involves working with students who find it difficult to control their behaviour and we are having a lot of success with this analogy. One boy in particular turns up at my office at the end of the day saying 'I messed up in lesson 4, Miss, but I didn't wreck the car!'. Meaning, of course, that he got into trouble, but he recovered and the rest of his day was successful. This is a really big deal for him and it is the only thing we have found that has had an impact on his behaviour all year.

I just thought you'd like to know that your influence is extending to an 11 year old boy in the UK who wants to do the right thing, but struggles to put it into practice. And thank you - I get so much from this forum and most of it has nothing to do with losing weight.

[kccc]

Hi KCCC - just wanted to say thank you for the 'don't wreck the car' catchphrase. Part of my job involves working with students who find it difficult to control their behaviour and we are having a lot of success with this analogy. One boy in particular turns up at my office at the end of the day saying 'I messed up in lesson 4, Miss, but I didn't wreck the car!'. Meaning, of course, that he got into trouble, but he recovered and the rest of his day was successful. This is a really big deal for him and it is the only thing we have found that has had an impact on his behaviour all year.

I just thought you'd like to know that your influence is extending to an 11 year old boy in the UK who wants to do the right thing, but struggles to put it into practice. And thank you - I get so much from this forum and most of it has nothing to do with losing weight.

IDK, that is incredibly touching! Thank you for sharing; it truly made my day. (As the mom of an almost-11-year-old, I can picture the age very well. Including the struggle for emotional control at times.)

I am not actually sure that I'm the originator of that phrase - though I can certainly take credit for popularizing it!

Like you, I get a lot from this forum... and much of it has nothing to do with weight loss!

[kccc]

Dinner was as planned - salmon, corn, fruit.

I did have some crackers as I was getting dinner ready, because I'd been out in the heat all afternoon, sweating profusely, and was feeling a little shaky/nauseated. I ate a carefully-counted serving of whole wheat crackers, and left room for them on my plate. "Funny stuff," but I don't think a real fail this round. (NOT a habit to encourage though - guard those boundaries!)

Exercise
Walking plus abs. Should make my 10,000 steps easily today.

Br - PB toast, pear
L (planned) - chicken quesadillas, potato salad, dried apricots
D (planned) - Tortellini with pesto, salad, fruit

I'm dealing with packing extra lunches for the little guy (camps, unlike school, do not provide lunch) at the same time that I'm trying to use up stuff so it doesn't go bad while we're on vacation. It's a challenge, especially since the little guy is a bit picky and doesn't like sandwiches. So far, he's had leftover roast chicken, chicken quesadillas, and leftover tomato soup. Today he gets potato salad, cheese and crackers, and hard-boiled eggs. (Each day also includes 2 fruit/veg - apple and carrot sticks, for example, and a tiny treat. Today was 2 small homemade cookies.) He can have leftover tortellni tomorrow... and we're done for the week!

[kccc]

Today....
Gym is closed today.
I did a "mimimal" yoga routine before leaving for work. It counts. I don't feel it is enough, but IT COUNTS.

Br - Greek yogurt. I had a pear too, but it was mealy and I decided I'd rather be hungry than eat it.
L - Out. Leaving work early to go to a Dr's apt, will eat on the way.
D - TBD.

Oh my, will have to watch it on such an unplanned day! We need to pack for vacation tonight, and clean out the fridge. Lets see... we have a ton of watermelon to eat up, all nicely sliced. We have eggs. We have a bit of fruit, and frozen veg.

I could do tuna melts and watermelon and carrot sticks (can use them up too) - that would work.

And lunch can be the burrito place I like, where I can pick what goes on it and stuff it with veggies. (Like a salad in a flour tortilla, lol!)

Better.

[kccc]

Happy first day of vacation!

Yesterday as (belatedly) planned. Plus a packing frenzy, to get all our stuff in order.

Today we drove to the beach house we rented. About five and half hours, not including stops. Four of us CRAMMED in the car, with a cooler between the kids (little guy and friend...a little girl that he has been friends with since he was two, and who is like a daughter to me and a sister to him.)

We are renting a house for a week, and have to pack in a good bit. Linens are not provided, and take up a lot of room. So do household basics...detergent and the like. Even so, I spent about 1.5 times our normal weekly budget when I went to the grocery after we got here. Of course, some of that was needing to buy staples, and some of it was a higher than normal expense on snacks and pre-prepared foods. I got already cooked shrimp for supper, and some already cooked chicken for tomorrow. (Still cheaper than eating out!)

So...
No exercise, but I hope to do some evening yoga.
Br - Greek yogurt, 2 CaL
L- Chinese buffet. I had a second plate, but not a very full one.
D - Pre-cooked shrimp, salad, watermelon, potato chips.
S - cheesecake, chocolates, wine

We all came here two years ago, and I shamelessly bribed the kids to going to the beach at sunrise with me. I bought some donuts, and said they'd be at the beach at sunrise and anyone with me could have some and anyone at home could eat cereal. After the first morning, they loved being there early. Both kids wanted to know if we were having "donuts at sunrise" again this year. So, we are.

I am so happy to be here. Even the trip down was a pleasure.

[idontknow]

Love the idea of donut sunrise - hope you have a great holiday

[Grammy G]

You are such a good mom to share your sunrise! I would have said, " Here are donuts on the counter for anyone who stays here so I can have my coffee in peace and quiet and watch the sun rise! If you come with me and the donuts get eaten before we get back, you can have cereal or toast." Enjoy..enjoy..enjoy!

[kccc]

Definitely an S day - but a lovely one! Started with our "donuts at sunrise".

B - 4 Mini donuts and 2 Cal. One cafe au lait very early, one at our sunrise breakfast.
L - chicken, corn on the cob, watermelon
S - Mini cheesecake for dessert
S - snack of 2 pb crackers and a banana
D - sausage, salad, peach slices (canned in water), carrot sticks, chips and salsa
S- ice cream "drumstick"

After breakfast at the beach, hubby and I took turns watching the kids so we could each get a walk in. Didn't think to take my pedometer, but my estimate from clocking the parallel highway later is about 1.5 miles. Felt good.

We were all ravenous at lunch because of having breakfast so early, so we ate at 11:30...and got hungry in mid-afternoon as a result of the early lunch.

Oh well. Need to cut down a bit tomorrow. "Vacation mod" of one s-event per day will kick in...

[SkyKitty]

Enjoy your holiday KCCC. I'm green with envy, it seems to have rained every single day this month here.
Your holiday sounds a lot like the one we have planned for later this year, renting a house by the beach, we don't have kids but are going with friends and their two boys (age 3 and age 6).
Have fun

[kccc]

Skykitty, if you are not a parent, pack an extra large dose of patience. My son was a total pain in the...neck yesterday, and it took all I had in me not to lose my own enjoyment in the day. (He is a bit of a Drama King; the best way to deal is just to ignore him and not get sucked into the drama yourself. Sometimes he'll get over it on his own, but he just can't be jollied out so it's a waste of energy to try.) Today he seems to be over it, which is good.

I ate rather a lot yesterday - regular meals plus chips in the afternoon plus quite a lot of salt-water taffy. But I'm also getting a lot of exercise, rather effortlessly, so will just relax about No-S until I get home. When it's just a week, there's a limit to the damage...and I don't want to eat a LOT of junk these days. The family had ice cream again yesterday, and I chose the chips instead. (I've been both thirsty and wanting salt, perhaps just from being outside so much.)

We did donuts at sunrise aLgain this morning, then had a second breakfast of eggs and toast about 9:30. Kids are off to a waterpark with hubby, and I get a day to myself!! Yay!

[SkyKitty]

Ohh yes, think I might need an extra suitcase just for the patience
Although it will be our 3rd holiday with both the boys, plus one before the younger came along, plus they all stayed with us twice now so at least we know what we're letting ourselves in for.

See I think credit is due for not having both the ice cream and the chips, on holiday I might have been likely to have had both even if I only really wanted one...just because I could. But my thinking is if you don't give yourself guilt over relaxing on holiday you're more likely to stick to it more strictly afterwards, without feelings of resentment.

Enjoy doughnuts on the beach again

*skykitty goes off to google what on earth saltwater taffy is*

[kccc]

Ohh yes, think I might need an extra suitcase just for the patience
Although it will be our 3rd holiday with both the boys, plus one before the younger came along, plus they all stayed with us twice now so at least we know what we're letting ourselves in for.

If you're going in with your eyes open, it's all good. I think having more than one set of adults is a good plan - you can tag-team with the kids, but still get time with other adults. I had a lovely day-by-myself yesterday, but would have loved to spend part of it with hubby.

Yesterday... I did a 45-minute yoga routine, with NO interruptions! Read a bit, knitted a bit, then walked down to the shops, where I'd planned to have lunch. Alas, the choices were nastier-than-foreseen, which led to a bit of permanent-snacking when I got back. Stopped in time to be able to enjoy dinner, at least.

And... I rented a bike and rode about 7 miles, in two different rides.

This is a personal triumph for me. I have not been on a bike (other than stationary ones at the gym) in 30+ years.

I had a bike as a child, but when I outgrew it, we weren't living in a good place to ride, and it wasn't replaced. In college, I tried riding a friend's. It was a bit too big, had gears and handbrakes (both new to me). When a truck came up behind me and blew his horn, I wobbled, fell... And dislocated my elbow. After that, I never got back on the horse...er, bike. Mostly, it was spiraling lack of opportunity. I didn't have a bike because I wasn't sure I could ride; I couldn't find out, because I didn't have a bike.

And I've always been a bit wistful. I approve of bikes. They're environmentally responsible. Good exercise. A family activity...or could be, if Mom could ride.

Here at the beach, they rent them cheaply. These are the bikes I remember from my childhood...wide tires, no gears (it's flat on the coast), coaster brakes. And this is a perfect place to ride - miles of bike paths with no cars. Even so, I almost chickened out.

And then I got on...and just rode away. Like magic. Like flying. I guess what they say about "never forgetting how to ride a bike" is true.

I rode with the biggest grin in the world. A little uncertain at first, but the longer I rode the more confident I felt. I was amazed at how much my "range" expanded - how far I could go in how little time. I discovered a picnic place I hadn't known about. Mostly, I just rode on the oceanfront bike path, and enjoyed.

A really, really, good day.

Kids came home happy, but very sunburned despite liberal application of sunscreen. Need to plan indoor activities today...taking it lazy this morning...

[sophiasapientia]

KCCC -- It sounds like you are having a glorious, well-deserved vacation! Major kudos for your biking outing yesterday! What a terrific success!!!! (Spoken by someone who grew-up in inner city Detroit & never learned how ride. ) I hope that you continue to enjoy your time away. It sounds just lovely.

[Grammy G]

Good for you! Simple pleasures are the best, aren't they? I bought a bike for myself a few years ago and I love it! (When I was growing up, I had only brothers so had to ride a boys' bike ) I choose a beautiful pink number that has "flat foot technology" which means I can stand very easily when I come to a stop. I too ride at the beaches (in Florida)! ..and people actually shout,"That's a really nice bike!" as I go by..I love it! I bought myself another bike,exactly the same, here at home. The bike shop ordered it in for me and I get many comments when I ride it here (on bike trails) too. What fun for a grammy! I won't ride in the streets..I am just to nervous about that anymore. I am sure you will have fun if you decide to do some family bike-hikes! Enjoy every minute!!

[Blithe Morning]

I love riding my bike! I'm so glad you rediscovered it. My favorite bike paths are scheduled to be underwater this summer so I won't get much time on the bike this year. Fortunately, I have some wide streets I can ride on.

[kccc]

I remember someone once telling me that "When you're a mom, you don't get vacations. You just get life in other places." There's some truth to that, especially when you're in a house. There are still meals to get, laundry to be done, kid-herding at bedtime, etc.

However, I mostly still feel on vacation...I'm not driving in to work everyday, and that alone is huge! And I don't feel obliged to do nagging tasks in a house-that's-not-mine.

Yesterday was a life-in-other-places day. Kids were whiny, plans didn't work out, son had to have the law laid down and was sulky as a result. To cap it off, just as I was going to bed, much too late already, the little girl we have with us started throwing up. Too much heat and junk food, I think. (We all ate a lot of junk during our evening game of Trivial Pursuit, which was otherwise the best part of the day.)

I stayed up with her a while, then tucked her in and cleaned up. (Vile. My son hardly ever throws up, and when he does, very little of it escapes the toilet. I am grateful.) Hubby stayed up and helped clean up - good man! - and is still asleep.

But it's a new day. We are getting a slow start. However, child seems fine this morning, and her mom says she usually bounces back fast. So... Let's hope for a good day today.

[Grammy G]

Hope everyone is well and ready to g-o! Poor you..poor little munchkin,, ill away from home!

[kccc]

We took it easy yesterday, and little girl seems better. Some ups and downs in terms of temper...ready to abandon my son to be raised by wolves, maybe they'd have better luck than we have. (KIDDING! He has been a trial, though, in all the ways that most push my buttons. I suppose this is part of him learning limits, and us learning to think of the long term and have patience. I've always said being a parent is one of the most intense personal-development experiences around...)

Today is our last full day. Lazy morning, and then the kids and hubby are going back to the waterpark. We went down to the beach early, and will again this evening. And we'll do an evening game of putt-putt.

My eating has been a bit more than planned, though I've anchored it firmly in 3 meals, which is good. Have still had more snacks/sweets than intended. Rather like a string of "good" S-days...I'd be happy with any of them on a weekend, but so many in a row feels like too much. I've also exercised more, though. Will be interesting to see the results when I get home. My guess is a small weight gain that will go away quickly.

[Pangelsue2]

Thanks for the comments about our plant sale. Sad to say. I would gladly show you the yard but my husband would have to do all the educating. I am a kind of "that pretty one in the front yard with the pink flowers and pointy leaves" kind of gardener. He knows the genus, common name and habits of everything in our yard. But don't ask him or my daughter to balance a check book. That is my area of expertise. I make sure there is plenty of fuel to keep their creative machines running. I like numbers though so I am all right with that. The neighbors used to think my husband was mean because I cut the lawn and did the trimming and raking etc. and he planted the flowers and shrubs. It took a while for them to figure out that after sitting at a desk all day playing head games with numbers, I liked the energy-using bullwork and after a day working with the handicapped, he liked the artistic outlet. Who knew! It worked for many years but now my knees, feet and dizzies won't let me do much of that anymore. I am ready to downsize but he isn't so he wants to try it alone for a while.

[Grammy G]

KCCC..I am posting to move this to the top of the board oolala (I think) moved up an old thread by mistake. Hope you are getting settled in after your vacation!

[kccc]

Thanks, Grammy,

We're home now, and trying to get re-settled. Have done some grocery-shopping, but need to do more.

Last day was lovely... Kids went to the waterpark with hubby, and I rented a bike again and went ALL over the island! It was really wonderful. I may have to get a bike for myself. When they got back, we played another game of mini-golf. I could see that son was making an effort to be a good sport. Still needs to work on it, but an improvement.. progress, not perfection. We had a much better time as a result.

This morning, we did our last donuts-at-sunrise...and there were three dolphins to bid us goodbye. A lovely farewell.

So now, it's unpacking and re-stocking and getting set for next week...

[Strawberry Roan]

KCCC,

I work for an attorney who bikes to work each day (10 miles each way) She then showers (we work in an old Victorian home so it has actual bathrooms and bedrooms, etc.) and dresses for the day. Says she HATES when she has early court and misses her bike ride.

I live on a gravel road in the country so I can't bike outdoors but I do bike a half hour or more each evening indoors. Makes me feel young again.

I say, Go for it, Get a bike when you return if you have a safe place to ride.

Sounds like you had an exhausting yet rewarding vacation.

[kccc]

Berry, your boss has a great routine! On a normal day, I drive to work early, work out at the gym, and dress there... and, like her, HATE when an early meeting disrupts that routine! (I don't get the end-of-the day-exercise she does, though...)

Hubby and I are talking about a bike for me at some point. He thinks he would ride his more if it were a "family activity".

But now... back in the saddle. There was a picnic on Sunday for the local Rock Club (as in minerals, not music) that hubby belongs to. We all went - I have gotten to know some of the other spouses slightly over the years, and like them. However, I left a bit early and made it to a Sunday yoga class, which I thoroughly enjoyed! My guys got home at the same time as I did, which worked out well.

We're in pretty good shape for the week, actually. Because we had a washer/dryer at the beach, we came home with mostly clean clothes and just had to put things away. A day at home - even with church and the picnic - let us get grocery shopping and other minor chores done.

It also feels good to be back on No-S. My weight was 144 this morning (couldn't resist checking, though my "official weight day" is Wednesday). I left at 141.5, so we'll see how it is on Wednesday - probably still "up" a tiny bit, but nothing major.

Since it was just a one-week vacation, I essentially took a string of S-days this time. Most of them were "good" S-days - three real meals plus a few treats - but it still is amazing how much a couple of treats a day add up in the long run! I am glad I got as much exercise as I did, or I think it could have been much worse. And I am glad that we ALL stuck close to normal routine - not getting wildly off our sleep-schedule, and eating regular meals at mealtime. That helped tremendously, IMHO.

A lovely vacation with lots of good memories. And it makes me appreciate my normal life as well, which is also good.

Monday
Exercise: Yogalates class. Good one. Nice to do yoga 2 -days in a row- I can feel how much more open I am.

Br: Greek yogurt and banana
L (planned) - leftover rotini, 2 boiled eggs, figs, carrot sticks
D (planned) - rotisserie chicken, corn on the cob, beans from the garden (yay!) and possibly salad.

[snapdragon]

Sounds like a nice family trip. I love when we have a washer and drier too.Makes coming home so much less stressful!!!!!
I like reading your check ins especially because you include what you ate. good to get a realistic idea what others are doing consistently

[Grammy G]

how wonderful to come home with clean clothes! Simple joys are the best!!
Before you buy a bike, please google "Flat footed Bikes" and read about that technology. I carried an article from a magazine around with me for 2 years about the new Electra brand bikes that allowed riders to stand "flat footed" while still on the bike. I have short legs (because I'm 5'3'' could be the reason!!) and so standing when I stopped was an issue. Once we started wintering in FL., I saw an ad for a bike shop that sold Electras and it was only one mile or so away! I was so excited! That night, I did something to my back and could hardly walk..sent hubby to bike store to scope it out. He returned with the news that he bought himself a bike.. he liked that technology so much! (By this time, there were other bike companies jumping into flat-footed technology). When I recovered, I went to the shop and test pedaled several models and ordered my flamingo pink bike, which you know I love. Since I got mine, several other ladies "of a certain age" in the 55+ community where we winter have gone to the same bike shop and gotten "flat footed" bikes..we have all chosen different styles and no one has a pink one like mine! We have been out biking with kids and grandkids (on rails-to-trails which are everywhere here in PA) and it is always fun. We were out a few weeks ago and "Granddad" was last to come down the trail. Our 5 year old grandchild turned and shouted, "Look here comes Granddad and he doesn't have training wheels anymore!" Gave everyone around a chuckle! Once again..those simple pleasures...

[kccc]

@snapdragon - I do post "regular" meals, but tend to stop posting when I'm eating too many "S's"! Partly because I'm embarrassed, partly because it just gets to be too much work to track it - which is why "accouting" diets don't work for me!

@Grammy - you are a mind-reader! I had already made a mental note to ask you about your bike, and here is all the info I wanted! Thank you! I don't think I'll get one right away, but I may consider it as a retirement present. (Or not... I have some other things in mind, so will have to choose, lol!)

@Pangelsue, I meant to reply earlier to your description of the yardwork... my hubby and I often don't conform to gender-expectations, so I was amused by your account. (Sometimes we do... I cook, he takes out the trash... but he sews better than I do, and I hate doing it.)

Work is LONG today. I've done a lot, and am ready to go. I'm really feeling the sitting after a week of moving!

[kccc]

Dinner as planned last night, except the last of the watermelon instead of salad. Plus a glass of wine.

Br - Greek yogurt and fresh blueberries, 2 CaL
L (planned) - salad with rotisserie chicken on top; 3" corn on cob; small serving leftover green beans, banana.
D (planned) - pasta with clam sauce, veg/fruit TBD

Exercise this morning - walking and abs

[kccc]

To my surprise, I was out of canned clams. They went on the grocery list, and we had tortellini with pesto, salad, and a fruit cup (banana and blueberries) instead. All good. I'm glad I keep a well-stocked pantry/freezer.

Br - 1/2 bagel with PB and banana, 2 CaL
L (planned) - one plate at my favorite place
D (semi-planned) - chicken sauteed with soy sauce and hoisin over rice, veg tbd.

Will get to yoga today. Oh, and I made 10,000 steps yesterday.

Today is work-at-home. That helps with "re-entry" into work. I so hate that drive!!

ETA: Forgot to mention that my "official weight" for this week was 142. Not bad after vacation! I think that's about where I was when I left.

And dinner plans have totally changed, thanks to some sale items when I went to the grocery (that, and the fact that I forgot to thaw the chicken breast!) I have chicken legs in the crockpot for bbq chicken, and corn-on-the-cob (free with a $5 purchase!) that we'll have with it. Probably salad and veg with that. All good!

[kccc]

Glad we did the bbq chicken instead... had enough for a friend of my son's, so we could do an impromptu dinner invite. The little guy was SO pleased to have a friend over who could stay through dinner.

Exercise - walking plus abs. We did pikes, which I love.

Br - Greek yogurt, banana, 2 CaL
L (planned) - leftovers. BBQ, small piece corn on cob, salad, figs, potato salad. (This sounds like a lot, but most of it is small servings. It all fits in the usual containers, just half this and half that...)
D (planned) - Eggplant parmesan. I'm getting a veggie box tonight, and know there are two eggplants in it. Woo-hoo!

Have been musing on Grammy G's quote from the Four Agreements on another thread. "Always do your best... no less...no more." That "no more" is interesting. How many times does over-extending lead to resentment and a "snap back"? I know when I try to be the perfect wife/mother/daughter to the extent that I ignore my own needs, I eventually explode as the unmet needs and frustration build. No good for me... or for the very people I'm trying to "be perfect" for!

That happens physically too - years ago, I tore a hamstring muscle trying to do "more than my best." In my yoga class, they constantly harp on "working to the edge" AND "honoring your body". The greater emphasis is on "honoring," so that you protect yourself (and accept where you are). Consistency of practice will increase your capability and extend your "edge", but you can't force its development. (Which is also true emotionally/spiritually - you can "grow" habit, kindness, etc., like you grow a muscle.)

I've used the statement "babysteps will take me where I want to go" when I'm frustrated with my slow progress in some area. The corollary I'm now seeing: sometimes they're the ONLY way to get there.

So today, I will do my best... no less... and no more.

[Grammy G]

KCCC.. the first time I read the "do you best..no less.. no more, I had to actually sit myself down. It was that powerful a message to me! It had never entered my mind that I had been trying to do "more than my best" in most areas of my life and I was paying the price. What an eye opener!!

[kccc]

KCCC.. the first time I read the "do you best..no less.. no more, I had to actually sit myself down. It was that powerful a message to me! It had never entered my mind that I had been trying to do "more than my best" in most areas of my life and I was paying the price. What an eye opener!!

Thank you for sharing. I have actually read the Four Agreements, but my reaction at the time was sort of "well, duh!" - it seemed (mostly) like very obvious stuff to me. (But I'd been reading/thinking about this kind of stuff for a long time.) I may have to pull it out again and look at it with "a beginner's mind."

My food box was delayed until today. Which was okay... I had enough bbq leftovers to pull together a meal with a few quick additions. (Aside...I cooked 4 chicken legs in the crockpot. For some reason, when I pull it off the bone after, my family eats smaller servings than if they see the whole leg/thigh piece. From those 4 legs, I fed a supper to me and 2 kids, made a lunch for me and my hubby, and then fed the 3 of us one last meal! Eight person-meals... if I leave them whole, I'd only get 5-6.) So, dinner was bbq chicken, potato salad, peas'n'carrots, and blueberries. Oh, and I didn't eat my corn on the cob at lunch, so the guys had corn on the cob - there were only two pieces, but I had enough food that I didn't mind skipping it.

Today...
Br - yogurt, banana, dried mango (added because I had less-than-a-serving of yogurt), 2 CaL
L - TBD. I'd planned to go to the dining hall, but I'm working at home instead (long story).
D- potluck at a friend's. I know there will be pasta with pesto, and I'm taking a fruit salad. I think I can do one delicious plate and enjoy.

[Grammy G]

KCCC..the first time I read Four Agreements, I had only heard Oprah and Ellen (on the same show) talking about it's content. i bought it and began reading it..the first "agreement" is something about using your words in a kind manner..no gossip..no putting people down. Sounded good to me..so I jumped right in ..but.. I thought, for some reason, that I had to be perfect (sound familar??)at that first agreement before I was to move to #2. Well..I was working at the time and sometimes I just could NOT resist the gossip. So, for months, I never read any more of the book. I would just reread the part I couldn't get perfect and mentally kick myself for being weak. One day I thought, "ya know, I'm never going to get this perfect..I bought the book, might as well read the rest." the next page told me not to expect perfection. I bought a deck of Four Agreement cards with little thoughts about a specific agreement posted on each card. I keep the deck in my little meditation area and pick one to think about every few days. I find that very useful in my journey...still haven't perfected any of the agreements though!

[kccc]

Grammy, I will pull out my copy of the Four Agreements and look at it again. Love your story - it sounds SO like something I would do!

Lunch yesterday ended up being tomato soup, ham and cheese sandwich, and dried mango.

Dinner... well, it turned into a Friday Fail. Not terrible, but I recognize the pattern!
- One plate of pasta and fruit and crackers.
- A glass of wine.
- A slice of homemade key-lime pie
- More pasta - a bit - and "picking" at cheese and crackers (wrecking the car further...)

Then, at home, staying up late playing mindless games on the computer and eating trail mix.

On the plus side... That's it. I could have been worse. And even though i had a lot of the usual triggers (including insufficient "alone" time, which is part of why staying up late), I went to bed before midnight.

This morning, I had a yoga class - they're doing early-Saturday classes this month. Yay! It was great!!

Br - 2 CaL. After yoga, I had a light breakfast plate at my fave place. Included a slice of chocolate croissant (but just a slice, not a whole one)
L - leftover tortellini with pesto, fruit salad, and peas and carrots. Candy "jellies" from Trader Joe's and a mini chocolate bar for dessert.

Dinner... TBD. That chicken breast has to be used up. We have a lot of food, due to our food box... mushrooms, tomatoes, green beans from the garden... good stuff. I'm thinking a stir fry over rice or a grain blend.

[kccc]

Posting halfway through an S-day is hubris. They always start out well; it's after 3:00 that they nose-dive (if they're going to.)

Downsides: definite permasnacking going on. Some of that was "resistance" to work I needed to do. I see it, but still do it. Sigh.
Plusses: Though there was some chocolate mixed in, the portions were reasonable. Mostly, I was going for dried figs and nuts. I DID stick to three meals, and did NOT eat to "icky."

Major additional plus: Got extra exercise - and it felt good.

This morning: Yogalates teacher was out sick. My exercise buddy and I did a Pilates routine and a yoga routine that I had loaded on my iPhone. We then basked in our own virtue.

Br - yogurt, fruit cup - fresh pineapple and blueberries, yum! I am loving all our fresh fruits and veggies!
L - I have packed one, but it's boring. I may go to the dining hall instead.
D (planned) - rotisserie chicken, green beans from the garden, potatoes, and fruit of some sort.

[Pangelsue2]

I love "basking in your own virtue". Says it all. Thanks for the nice thoughts on my booklength post. I felt so good about it. Especially not feeling like roadkill all day Monday. It was wonderful of you to reconfirm that for me.

[kccc]

Sue, you are MORE than welcome! Your thread was useful to me too. Even though I know "if hunger is not the problem, food is not the answer," I still turn to it sometimes! (But I'm learning... as we all are...)

==
Yesterday as planned, plus a glass of wine. Lunch was the dining hall, though I "virtual-plated" part of my brought lunch (figs and a bit of cucumber-tomato salad). Glad I did - the dining hall selections were not the best. But I managed to find something okay.

Today (Tuesday)
Exercise - Walking plus abs. Pikes included - LOVE those.

Br - part of my brought lunch from yesterday, which made a more exciting breakfast than lunch, lol! Apple, whole-wheat crackers, and almond butter (a nice change from PB). Liked it.
L - dining hall again - meeting with someone.
D - Tuna melts, at my son's request. Veg/fruit TBD - we have plenty on hand.

[Pangelsue2]

OK, I am soooo going to steal that phrase about hunger not being the problem. That is going on my refrigerator. Story of my weight problem as far back as I can remember. The battle I am fighting this time is me, not the food. Thanks for giving me a battle cry.

[kccc]

OK, I am soooo going to steal that phrase about hunger not being the problem. That is going on my refrigerator. Story of my weight problem as far back as I can remember. The battle I am fighting this time is me, not the food. Thanks for giving me a battle cry.

Steal away - I stole it too! I think it's on the "quotes" sticky on the No-S thread, which is a gold mine for great one-liner ammunition for your mind!

[kccc]

Dinner ended up being leftover chicken, potatoes, and salad for me. We all had something a bit different.

Today
Will be at home, and have a lot of work to do. Will not be able to go to yoga class, for multiple reasons, so need to figure out a plan.

[kccc]

Br - Whole wheat toast with almond butter and banana, glass of milk.
L - Chicken sandwich on WW, with LOTS of salad on it. (I used Greek yogurt mixed with a little Gorgonzola for the spread, which really zipped up the sandwich); pear; dried figs.
D (planned) - Eggplant Parmesan, homemade bread, salad and fruit. That's the plan, anyway.

No exercise yet. Will see what I can do.

[kccc]

Yesterday as planned. Subbed mushrooms for the salad so I could have salad for lunch today. Had a glass of wine later.

Did some gentle yoga before bedtime. Perhaps not ideal, but acceptable.

Thursday...
Exercise - cardio class
Br - Greek yogurt and pear, 2 CaL
L - leftover Eggplant Parmesan, homemade focaccia, salad.
D - Something fast, because I'll be home late. Probably chicken quesadillas or grilled cheese sandwiches. We have pears and apples and a few strawberries for fruit, and carrot sticks or frozen veg.

Always nice to have something resembling a plan, no matter how sketchy!

[kccc]

Thursday night ended up being tuna melts, peas'n'carrots, and apple and pear slices. Plus a glass of wine.

And then 4 cookies from the pan I was baking for a potluck tonight. Fail. But at fender-bender fail, not a wreck. (Aside: I make small cookies these days. I used to never get the amount that a recipe called for. Now I get over. My recipe was supposed to make 24, and I think I got 28.)

Mark it and move on.

Friday

Exercise: Walking. The gym is closed on Fridays now, but my exercise buddy and I know where there's a shower in one of the women's rooms on campus, so we arranged to meet at the usual time and walk. Go, us!

Br - Greek yogurt with some strawberries sliced in, pear, 2 CaL
L (planned) - dining hall.
D (planned) - potluck at a friend's.

I am debating about doing the "Friday slide" for these potlucks. Last time, I planned to stick to No-S, but didn't. I always find Fridays difficult and when I slipped, I went home and "wrecked the car" a bit more. I think I would actually do better by "planning" to start S-days now and end them early on Sunday. Or allow "one S-event" and pick something I like. Something that would FEEL festive, but not excessive. Hard to figure it out...

[Grammy G]

Why don't you just see how you feel about it when you get there? I sometimes think I will need to"S" an event and then find..nope..I'm good with one plate of food and no dessert...other times, I would feel deprived if I couldn't have a little of this and a piece of that...Then I just use one of my S days. I am really liking not having the S days together. I think it is helping me curb any thoughts of eating without reason for two straight days. I am tending to just do a "little something" at one meal or a dessert with a meal. Enjoy..whatever you decide to do!

[kccc]

Well, this was NOT a good weekend. I started on Friday, and did NOT end on Sunday. In between, I ate a lot and sat a lot (going to my parents for Father's Day, and sitting to talk to them.) Plus work stress from projects-that-must-be-done-over-the-weekend.

I did get in a Saturday yoga class, and some stretches on Sunday. Not a lot.

All the same, weight this morning was higher than normal. Howver, I count Wednesdays as my "official weight day" (late enough for the immediate rise from the weekend to subside; early enough that it's not artificially low from all 5 N-days). So, we'll see then.

In the meantime, it's an N day. A bit of a rough one - we're "mobilized" today, and food is being provided. Will manage, though.

[Pangelsue2]

It is sometimes hard to juggle schedules and eating especially on N days. I try not to think of those days as over indulgences. They are really more unavoidable inconveniences. To me, these are things like if someone fussed and made something just for you or you are held hostage at a job function or being somewhere where food choices are limited or eating a snack because you are really hungry and a meal is due but not forthcoming soon. To me those are totally different than days where the diet is thrown out the window by choice when other choices were available. Sometimes, unplanned S's happen and as you always say, mark it and move on.

[kccc]

Yesterday (Monday)

Exercise - 15 minutes of stretching. Not ideal, but acceptable. However, I also hit 10,000 on the pedometer just from running around.

Br - 1/2 bagel w/cream cheese, banana, 2 CaL
L - Veggie sandwich, chips, apple. (Rather a nasty veggie sandwich - a real disappointment. At least on No-S I don't have to feel guilty about chips.)
D - tortellini, broccoli, apple slices, focaccia

Today (Tuesday)
Exercise: Walking plus abs

Br: Greek yogurt, apple, 2 CaL
L: Leftover tortellini and broccoli, apple, focaccia
D: TBD. I have some cooked chicken thawing, and need to figure out what to do with it. Am low on non-frozen veg right now - haven't been grocery shopping. Hubby did a run for milk, but he never picks out fresh stuff. (Off to internet search.)

I have been grumpy and whiny these last few days. The trip to my parents left us discombobulated in terms of the routine - didn't get grocery shopping done, etc. We are having some issues with the little guy that are straining the family a bit.... plus my husband went from "I'm not taking a class this summer... " to "well, I'm just going to audit.." to "well, I'm auditing but I need to do the homework so I get it..." In terms of impact on the family, the end result looks almost identical to "taking a class," and I feel blindsided. Add all that to work stress, and the result is not pretty.

I think my general annoyance with hubby came through loud and clear yesterday, when I was running to get everything done and he looked up and said "is there anything I can do?" I gave him a "yes!" that included a "well, duh!" subtext, then listed four things I was trying to get done and told him to take his pick.

So, have to give him points for asking and for doing one of the four tasks. And then just let things go... accept that I am not in control of the universe. Though some days, I really am convinced that I ought to be.

Today is better. And I intend to adjust my own attitude, even if I can't fix everything around me. I will ask for help where I need it, instead of simmering in resentment, and I will NOT make myself crazy over things that I can't control.

So there.

[snapdragon]

I went through most of last soccer season without a plan for dinner and it really messed me up. O forgot the basics I used to follow like prepping some foods the night before and having homemade freezer ready meals. Some of my strategies are buying bulk amounts of meats on sale and freezing them in various marinades. I also buy lean ground beef and make my meatball recipe but freeze it raw so it doesn't affect texture. I make Italian style meatballs and kebabs a more middle eastern flavored mixture. these things make cleanup a lot easier because I hate that part I do the bulk of chopping and prepping once every two weeks or so, and saves me a lot of the what's for dinner stress. Perhaps some of these Ideas can be helpful to you.

[kccc]

Thanks, snapdragon! I need a planning "re-do" - I'm over-relying on the same few meals, and I know it's only a matter of time before the family gets tired of them and never wants to see them again!

What is your meatball recipe? I never make them, and the little guy loves them when he gets them elsewhere. A good recipe that I could pre-freeze would be a nice addition to the usual menu!

I did pre-thaw meat for tonight, and think I'll make either chicken'n'dumplings or chicken enchiladas. Probably the dumplings - we do chicken quesadillas a lot, and while not identical, they're similar enough to the enchiladas that the dumplings make more of a change. And I have most of those ingredients on hand. I also have some green beans from the garden, which everyone likes.

(And at least I have been feeling my annoyances instead of stuffing them down with food.)

[snapdragon]

I don't really use a recipe I just throw together ground beef bread crumbs a few eggs, lots of garlic and minced onions, some Italian seasoning crushed red pepper and parm. Sorry if that doesn't help but for most my recipes I go to either www.allrecipes.com or www.food.com and do a search, and compare recipes.

[Pangelsue2]

Allrecipes is my go to as well. Always very good and usually easy. Never had a bad recipe from them.
2 to try that work for me.
Minestrone soup
1# of hamburger browned with one chopped onion.
Put in a crockpot with large bag (or 2 small bags) of mixed frozen vegetables, a quart of your favorite pasta sauce and a quart of beef bouillon.
Let cook for however long you like but at least 6 hours. Before serving add a can of kidney, chili or garbanzo beans. Pasta with it is optional. I get lots of kudos every time I make this.

Another go to is Mexican Lasagna
Spread 8 ounces of cream cheese on 8 flour tortillas. (or however many will feed your family). Sprinkle them with canned green chilies. Roll and place in a lasagna pan. Brown 1# of hamburger and 1 chopped onion. Add 1 can of green (or red) enchilada sauce. This can be kind of hot so I sometimes add a can of regular tomato sauce too. Pour over the rolls in the lasagna pan. This can sit until you are ready to heat it. Takes about 30 minutes in the oven. We like to top with pepperjack cheese.

Also, I wanted to add that I think every good wife in America has heard the loaded "can I do something to help" question and given the standard response that is sure to melt them to the ground." Just like every good husband has received that look and then helped anyway. It's one of the rules in the manual you get when you get married. Did you get a user's manual?
I can sympathize with the class thing. Modern couples over program their lives and then wonder why they get cranky. We ought to all do less and just be more but that is not the way of the 21st century.

[kccc]

Thanks for the recipes and support, Sue and Snapdragon. Sue, I laughed out loud at the "marriage manual." No, I didn't get one for my marriage OR for the kid. We've been making it up as we go along all these years! Who knew?

Yesterday I got home so late that I called the guys on the way and we met at a restaurant. Not ideal, but could have been worse. It was a burrito place, but they make them to order and I like mine filled with tons of veggies, so it feels like a splurge (because of the chips) but not a really awful meal. Mentally, it was a good choice.... especially when I realized that the cooked chicken I thawed was actually cooked ham, so I would have been at ground zero for cooking ideas. (I need to label my freezer bags! )

Today: Yoga class exercise
Br - Greek yogurt, watermelon
L - one plate at dining hall, half veggies.
D - Hoppin' John, made with the ham once I had time to think about it, potatoes, green beans, watermelon.

Weight this morning was 143. Not ideal, but acceptable. (In "the range" - but I've been at the bottom of it lately, and wasn't today.)

Life has been frantic lately. I am trying to smile and breathe. Today is usually my work-at-home day, but I chose to drive in because we're in the middle of a big technical transition and some of our folks were just buried - we've all been working hard on it, but they're catching all the inane or angry questions from people who didn't listen in advance. As much as I hate the drive, I feel good about this choice - it was clear the front-line staff really appreciated the help. Mostly in terms of moral support, I think, though there were things that I genuinely could do. I know I earned big points with my fellow department head who manages this group. And it just felt good to take care of people who needed it. I don't directly manage subordinates, but I'm at a level where watching out for the people downstream is part of the job description (or ought to be), and I felt I did well on that today. And that feeling of satisfaction goes a long way.

Of course, I now have my own deadlines to meet... but that's okay. I'm pretty much on target.

[Pangelsue2]

I hope they realize what a good employee they have. Not many people would come in when they didn't have to so they could deliver better service and help co-workers. It sounds like my old job used to be. We were a group who at one time did that for each other on a regular basis. By the time I left there were a few of us who were still totally that close but things had changed considerably. I am glad it gave you a good feeling. Work should do that for you. I am also glad to hear there are still places that are that great.

[kccc]

Pangelsue, I work in education (small college), and I think that there's more of a "sense of mission" there than in most corporate arenas. A sweeping generalization, not always true, but...

Yesterday was also busy, but I exercised and ate decently.

Exercise - walking plus abs. Hit 12,000 plus.
Br - Greek yogurt, watermelon
L - one plate at dining hall. Had to virtual plate b/c of how they served the entree I wanted (in a bowl), but think I did okay.
D - pork sauteed with onions, potatoes, fresh pineapple, broccoli, focaccia. Rather a full plate, and I knew I was eating more than I needed, but did it anyway. (It was all very good.)
TWO glasses wine. It was that kind of day.

But... my weight was back to 142.5 this morning. Of course, it's Friday, when it's normally lowest, so that's not wonderful. But it is quite acceptable.

Now to work...

[Grammy G]

meatball recipe from Italian grandma of next door neighbors..isn't that as good as it gets?
2 pounds hamburger//1 large onion//3 eggs//1 cup bread crumbs//2 tablespoons parsley// a little milk//opt: freshly grated cheese
put the onion and eggs into a blender until egg is reduced to very small pieces..or just chop the onion// mix everything together adding milk as needed..the mixture should be stiff//form into balls and plop into hot sauce and cook until done or cook in water or broth to used later.
(We often use this same recipe to stuff peppers or cabbage.)

[kccc]

Thanks, Grammy G! I will have to try that.

Friday was a fail, but a small one - we went to a buffet after a highly stressful day. I managed to limit it to one plate, but then had a serving of Trader Joe meringue cookies when I got home. It was a 100-calorie "fail" (they are mostly egg white, sugar, and air), but still a fail.

Saturday started with yoga - always a plus! But it included a bit too much snacking and ended with a party at which I definitely over-ate. (I enjoyed the party, though!)

Sunday... so far, so good. A real breakfast and lunch, with no S's yet. But the day is young. No exercise yet either - something to consider.

[kccc]

Managed to fit in 10,000 steps on Sunday - with a LOT of marching-about-the-house, lol!

Also fit in quite a few S's. They tend to multiply as the day goes on. Chocolate and dessert were the main ones.

Dessert was a new recipe that I'll make again. It's an old-fashioned one, called Snow Pudding or Floating Island. Basically, a home-made lemon geletin with meringue folded in. Light and refreshing in the summer. (Aside: This isn't the first time I've made a homemade jello-type dessert. It's amazing how much better homemade tastes than boxed.)

I've noticed that I tend to like lighter desserts than I used to. Interesting.

A fun thing... I was at the store and remembered that I needed lemons for this recipe, but couldn't remember how many. "Six" stuck in my head, so I bought a bag of 8 b/c they were cheaper that way. When I got home, I realized I needed 6 tablespoons of lemon juice (about 2 lemons).

Fortunately, there's a handy quote about what to do when life hands you a lemon. I recruited the little guy and the friend he had over, and they happily squeezed lemons for real lemonade, which we unanimously declared "the best ever."

Today...(Monday)

Exercise - yoga class
Br - Greek yogurt with bananas and strawberries, 2 CaL
L - one plate at dining hall
D (planned) - BLTs, strawberries... some other veg TBD.

[Grammy G]

Love the lemon story.. "If life gives you lemons......etc"
I was thinking @lemon (and orange) ade a few days ago and remembered that a neighbor from Turkey (this is in the 60's on an army base!) made the best lemonade. She used very few lemons for a pitcher but..she grated the rind into the lemonade as well as using the juice! I decided to just try a little orange rind grated (fine) into a glass of water and wow! I was so good! I wanted just a touch of flavor and got it. This is a good way to stretch those lemons (which you didn't need to do!) or just make water a little more refreshing.
Oh..those meatballs can, of course, be frozen raw or cooked. They also can be baked, fried, nuked. Get the kids to make them when your son has a friend over. Just hang out close by..I had a son put some hot sauce in a few when I left the kitchen. (He also added blue food coloring to the mashed potatoes one Thanksgiving and dyed a few raw eggs on Easter. Really he was/is a good guy and is now getting his "pay back" in the form of two daughters who put his antics to shame. I love it!!)

[kccc]

Grammy, sounds like you had your hands full with your crew, lol!

Monday as planned... fruit was strawberries and banana slices. And I had a glass of wine later.

I also got in 10,000 steps on top of my yoga. A couple of out-of-building meetings at work gave me a head start, then the little guy asked if I'd play frisbee for a bit, which added more steps... by then I was close enough that I was willing to march around to add the rest. Bonus: I can read and walk. So, I read some light fiction that's been on my bedside for a while, and enjoyed. (Much better than eating and reading, which I sometimes have difficulty with on weekends.)

Tuesday...

Exercise: Walking plus abs. Currently at 6200, so should hit my 10,000.

Br - Almond butter and banana on whole-wheat. Yum! 2 CaL.
L (planned) - the leftovers I brought for yesterday and didn't eat. Mac'n'cheese, carrot sticks, apple, dried figs.
D (semi-planned): I'm thawing some chicken breast, and have some sweet potatoes I want to use. Not sure how it will all come together, but that's on the menu. Plus garden green beans - possibly the last.

[Grammy G]

Almond butter and banana on whole wheat is my fav. breakfast! Pepridge Farm makes a whole wheat raisin bread which we love..and I usually add a few dried cranberries, bleuberries, or cut up dried apricots to the toast too.... Isn't this a wonderful lunch too???

[Pangelsue2]

I am busily writing down recipes and remembering making Floating Island dessert many years ago. I will have to try it again. I also agree with you that for the most part, I am getting more enjoyment from lighter desserts lately. On Saturday I had a lovely chocolate ganache bar at the Farmer's Market. Normally, I would have bought 2, one for each of us but decided to split on with the DH. I was glad I did. It was wonderful, but I don't think I could have eaten a whole one without feeling kind of sick after it. It was incredibly rich. We are changing and growing. Yay!!

[kccc]

Sue, I never used to like lemon desserts - thought they just weren't rich enough. But I'm finding I like them a lot more. Still love chocolate, but there ARE desserts that are too heavy for me now. (Who knew?)

Grammy... on your meatball recipe... you said until the "eggs" are in little pieces - did you mean onion, or are the eggs cooked? I assumed raw, as a binder. Also, please describe the cooking process more. (I really have never made them - I'm not much into hamburger-based meals personally, would rather eat vegetarian, but the kiddo thinks meatballs are the BEST, so I'll learn.)

Yesterday as planned, except instead of using the sweet potatoes I made a sort of Chinese with the chicken, some onion and broccoli, and used brown rice with it (I had some frozen, and just threw it into the sauce). Green beans went well with that, plus we had watermelon. And later, I had a glass of wine.

I did make my steps, but barely - it included some late marching-around-the-house!

Weight this morning - 143. Still up a bit (about a pound) and looking around I can see that I'm nibbling a bit as I prepare dinner, having slightly more S-days/failures than my norm... not terrible at this point, but to be watched. It's a bit of a stressful time with a lot of transitions, but at this point in my life I have coping methods that work better than eating if I just remember to use them.

Br - 2 eggs, 1 slice toast (made into a scrambled egg sammich - childhood fave), 2 CaL
L (planned) - cheese toast with tomato slices (another childhood fave that no one else in the family likes) watermelon, figs.
D (planned) - salmon, those sweet potatoes that need using, watermelon, and a veggie TBD. Maybe salad.

I don't know about exercise. Working at home, and have a dentist's appointment that will eat up my "lunch time". Probably a 15-minute minimum. Which is okay. Not ideal, but acceptable.

[Grammy G]

yes, KCCC, the eggs are raw and the daughter-in-law (of the recipe author) is the one who doesn't like chunks of onion and so processes the onion and eggs in a blender so that there are no onion pieces in the meat balls..only the flavor. I just finely chop the onion myself. Mix everything together with your hands and add just enough milk so that the mixture will form into balls. You do not want this soupy at all. I don't think it matters much how lean the ground beef is. I usually go for 85% lean. I sometimes buy "meatloaf mix" and use that..it is a mix of pork and beef and has a little different flavor. I would add the cheese..whatever kind of hard cheese you would use with a red sauce and pasta. Form balls of whatever size you choose. We prefer smaller ones..about 1 1/2 inch in diameter. If you have some sauce cooking, simply put the raw balls into the boiling sauce and cook until they are done (not long but depends on the size). (This is how I usually make them. ) You can freeze the raw meatballs and just pull out as many as you need. You can bake the raw meatballs in a 350 degree oven until done or fry them in a little oil. Each method of cooking yields a little different flavor. Baking a big batch of meatballs and then freezing them is something I often do to. Then I have meatballs to pull out and use with BBQ sauce for sandwiches..or a few on a salad or pizza...or with red sauce and pasta. Making meatballs is not complicated..you probably can't go wrong if you just check and be sure the meatballs are cooked through. good luck!

[kccc]

Grammy, thanks. I know I sound clueless... I can cook, honest, but I rarely use ground beef at all. I make my spaghetti meatless, and also my various forms of chili. And I loathe meatloaf, so don't bother with that. Will give this a try and see how it goes. But not this week... will have to go to the store first!

Finished lunch. Oh, my, I could live on cheese toast with tomatoes during the summer. My family would rebel, but I'd be a happy camper.

[SkyKitty]

Oooh, cheese on toast is my ultimate comfort food. I usually have worcestershire sauce on mine, but now I'm thinking if I have tomatoes, which sounds yummy, it would be slightly healthier so bonus!

I will now sit here dreaming happily of cheese on toast (with tomatoes) as sadly my dinner this evening, home-made vegetable pie was bland, bland, bland!

But yay for No S, I will have cheese on toast soon, whenever I want in fact!

[Pangelsue2]

Cheese on toast is one of my ultimate comfort foods. The first day of our honeymoon, he made me cheese and tomato toast with a little onion powder sprinkled on top. It will always remind me of that wonderful day. Hey, now I want one too. There will be a run on tomatoes and cheese at the supermarket tonight. haha

[kccc]

Lol, I've started a cheese-and-tomato trend!

I'm on a lemon kick as well. I bought another bag today, organic, just because I liked having some in my water. I've been drinking lemon water all day! And I made more Snow Pudding for my family... I'll make myself some on the weekend.

Here's the recipe I used:

1Tbsp plain gelatin, sprinkled over ¼ C cold water
1 C boiling water
2/3 C sugar
6 tablespoons lemon juice (about 2-3 lemons)
2 egg whites (I use pasteurized, since they won't be cooked)

Let gelatin soften about 5 minutes.
Pour boiling water over softened gelatin in a medium mixing bowl. Stir until gelatin is dissolved.
Add sugar and lemon juice. Chill about 15-20 minutes, until mixture begins to congeal.
Whip until airy with electric mixer. Set aside.
Beat egg whites until still and fold thoroughly into gelatin mixture.
Chill until firm. Serve with whipped cream or custard sauce if desired.
Makes 5 servings according to the recipe. We got 6 the first time I made it.

[kccc]

Happy Thursday!

Exercise - cardio class
B - Greek yogurt, dried apricots, 2 CaL
L (planned) - PB&J on homemade bread (makes all the difference), watermelon, figs
D (planned) - sausages, sweet potatoes (I cooked them last night, but they weren't done when we sat down and by the time they were, we had enough - especially since I made bread.), veg TBD, watermelon.

I had to scramble to make lunches for everyone last night - we don't have leftovers from salmon! But I'd made homemade bread, so that helped. Hubby got the last of the salad, and some leftovers from Tuesday that I'd planned to take for me but gave him; little guy got PB&J (really almond butter and jam) because we're out of ham AND his lunchbox got left at camp (not his fault - I picked him up early, and he was at an activity site and the lunchbox was back at the main base, and I chose not to go back.).

Bought more lemons for lemon-water, which I have a taste for right now. And we're eating TONS of watermelon, and enjoying it so much! I love that I can do this on No-S... have what I want and enjoy. And I made and froze pesto this weekend, so have that to look forward to at some point.

Thinking on possible improvements to my food choices... I eat more fruit than veg, and am aware that it ought to be the other way around. But... right now, it's not happening. Maybe at some point I'll be ready... for now, I'm just realistic.

(TMI alert). I am struggling with hot flashes, and finally looked them up to see what I could do about them. First, after reading what some women deal with, I don't have it so bad! Second, deep breathing helps, so that's a habit to cultivate. (Plus other things that I already do - dressing in layers, wearing cotton, etc.) Third... there are triggers. Most of them don't apply (smoking) or are not in my control (summer weather). But two potential triggers are caffeine and alcohol. My beloved 2 cups of java in the morning and my sometimes-glass of wine in the evening. I'll have to think on this... and track whether or not they really are triggers for ME. (Evidently, a LOT of variability in experience and "what works" from person to person.) We'll see. But, as I said, my biggest reaction from reading about them was "well, I really don't have it so bad." (I have short, fast ones, followed by chills. Sometimes they come in clusters, like someone is playing with the temp dial, but they're not all the time and they end quickly. I just keep throwing off and pulling on my jacket all day, and fanning myself with whatever is handy... Could be MUCH worse, from descriptions.) Ah well...

[kccc]

Dinner as planned, except cooked apples in place of watermelon. Broccoli for veg. And a glass of wine later.... which did NOT seem to be a trigger for hot flashes! (In the great cost-benefit analysis of life, I've decided to keep my coffee and occasional wine. So there.)

Happy Friday!

Exercise: walking. A good one, outside, with a friend. (Fitness center is closed on Fridays over the summer, but my exercise buddy and I know about a shower on campus....)
Br - Greek yogurt, raisins, 2 CaL
L - Dining hall, one plate
D - Friend's potluck.

I need to figure out how to manage the Friday potlucks better. I like them a lot in terms of socializing, but tend to over-eat. Will work on it tonight. I'm thinkin'....

[kccc]

Well, I've not been posting because I've not been eating well.

Friday... I had one plate at the potluck, then went a bit nuts on dessert. (Key lime pie, two rather large cookies). Stopped then, so better than could be.

Saturday and Sunday - ate real meals, but also a lot of sweets. We got a brand of ice cream that I swear has something addictive in it. I intend to swear off that stuff today. (Usually I don't even like ice cream that much, but it's hot enough here...)

On the plus side, I got in 10,000 steps on Friday, Saturday, and Sunday, and went to yoga on Sunday.

But. I weighed this morning, and did not like what I saw. My weight is creeping up, and it's not really that surprising given my recent eating patterns. I am not liking this. It's not awful for a Monday morning, but not what I want to see. And certainly not what I want to see at the beginning of yet-another-S-day. How much worse would it be tomorrow?

The reality is that habits are for a lifetime, and sometimes they do get sloppy and need a "re-boot." I've been here before, and under similar circumstances. (Work/life stress is high right now. I'm dealing better than I have in the past, but that doesn't make it go away.) And the potlucks - which I love in terms of socializing - are throwing me for a loop. They hit at my "weakest point" because Friday nights feel like the end of the week and a release. Need to think on that - and have a bit of time to do so, since our hosts will be out of town for a few weeks.

So...
1) Go through the quotes sticky, to see what strikes me for current inspiration.
2) Continue meals - that's one bright spot, that I've kept to that habit.
3) Remind myself that treats are to be enjoyed. I've definitely been doing some "because I can" eating that simply isn't enjoyable.
4) Look for alternatives to eating for stress-release, amusement, etc.

Fall down seven times, get up eight... and be grateful that the "falls" are shorter and "getting up" faster and easier than it used to be.

[kccc]

Monday... did well until about 4PM. That seems to be my "downfall time"! We ate at our neighborhood pool party which is also a BBQ fundraiser for the swim team.

I didn't like the food. Last year, there were sides that made it okay. This year, it was a bbq plate, a hamburger plate, or a hot dog plate. Not a veggie/fruit to be seen - main dish, chips, dessert. (Okay, there was coleslaw on the bbq plate. But I don't like most coleslaw, because I don't like mayo.)

And I ate it. Then I ate other stuff, devolving to cookies. Oh well.

But I did fit in some exercise. At this point, I feel "wrong" if I miss exercise, even if just some evening stretches. So that's good.

And I am so grateful to be back on N-days. At least they're stable.

Happy Tuesday!

Exercise - cardio class
Br -Greek yogurt, banana, 2 CaL
L (planned) - chicken quesadilla with salsa, watermelon, figs
D (planned) - honey-dijon shrimp over rice, veg/fruit TBD.

[Pangelsue2]

Sometimes, holidays and fun days highjack our best intentions. I don't count days like your coleslaw hamb plate days as my fault. I figure I am being held prisoner and have to eat what is available. That is not my choice. The potlucks are another matter. I had to eventually give up going out with the gang at work on Fridays because I would eat with abandon because it was end of the week and I wanted to celebrate. It is hard to find something to do to celebrate the end of the week that doesn't involve eating. Have you considered making Fridays S days if the socialization is the best part? Or sometimes, I have had good luck with taking something home from a potluck for later consumption. Many times the next day it doesn't look so great and I skip it. It still allows me to ooh and aah about the dessert with the other friends but I don't have to decide to eat it until later. That is sort of like shopping with friends. I so often buy things I wouldn't have bought on my own when I am shopping with friends. I have rued many a purchase when influenced by others.
Anyway, I think you are doing the best thing by not focusing in on what you are eating but why. That, in my opinion is far more helpful in the long run. When what you want and what you are doing become farther apart, ask yourself who moved.

[kccc]

Sue, you're right about "being held hostage" sometimes. But you know, there's always a choice. I could have decided to wait until we got home. I could have eaten some and left some. I could have eaten it, and then stopped, instead of letting "that wasn't what I wanted!" be an excuse for eating more - which is what I would have done on an N-day, but couldn't seem to manage on an S-day.

I guess, after all this time, I still need structure. And I'm beginning to think I always will. Which is fine - No-S works for me as a way of life.

Yesterday - realized I had a task in the evening that was going to take a big chunk of time, plus was running late getting home, so caved and ordered pizza. Served with watermelon. It worked.

Today... don't know. I am too busy and not planning well. That is something to watch.

[kccc]

Okay. Better. Knocked a lot of little errands off before yoga, and now am ready to get work done.

Exercise - my beloved kick-butt yoga class. Which helped center my mind as it made me drip with sweat.

Br - banana, and 2 CaL. Didn't have time for more... and, oddly, didn't miss it, even though I had my yoga class before I had lunch.
L - One plate from fave place. Tilapia, roasted and fresh veg, a bit of tortellini salad for my carbs = total yum!
D (NOW PLANNED) - I have bbq chicken in the crockpot, and intend to have sweet potatoes and a cantaloupe I just bought with it. And maybe roasted eggplant if I get it picked (yes, in my garden!) in time.

I feel so much more on track.

Now, to work.

[Strawberry Roan]

Oh the thoughts of sweet potatoes, eggplant and cantaloupe all at once makes me drool. Love 'em all.

[kccc]

Oh the thoughts of sweet potatoes, eggplant and cantaloupe all at once makes me drool. Love 'em all.

AND... they're all perfectly good N-day foods! That's one thing I love about No-S - you get so much of what you love!

Well, mostly. The sweet potatoes were no longer good, alas. But the eggplant, from our garden and picked just an hour before cooking, was divine. Wish we'd had more - it was our first eggplant and not very big, so we basically had one slice each. Since the sweet potatoes were gone, I baked bread and roasted some red onions along with the eggplant. Overall, a great meal. I also had one glass of wine in the evening.

PLUS... in addition to my yoga class, I got 10,000 steps today. Some of that was just normal-walking-around, but what got most of my steps was an evening walk with the family and a friend's dogs. (She has health issues, and we have signed up for the dog-walking rotation. My son is delighted to be helping out this way!) It was a lovely walk - we all enjoyed it.

So, a day that started feeling "jangled" has ended up being wonderful.

[kccc]

Happy Thursday! (I have stolen this from someone... Berry?... and love it.)

Exercise - walking and abs.

Br - banana, homemade bread and cheese (eaten in the car b/c I had an early meeting)
L - one plate at office-provided meal. I hope it's okay - I often feel "held hostage" at these things, as Sue calls it.
D - leftover chicken, goodies from my fruit/veg box coming today.

And.... a planned S-event. We're having a thank-you party for someone in our office (much deserved) and I got a very special cake. I intend to have one slice and enjoy every bite!