Day 29: Short and Sweet

I had to wear a belt yesterday. On my tightest jeans from my "fat pants" collection. Just had to share!

And PS - 1 Month Progress Photos coming on November 1st! Stay tuned...

Day 28: On Indulging

Well now. This post has been on my mind for a few days now. It's just now solidifying into a cohesive thought as I type this.

If you've read my blog in any capacity before, then you know I am a big believer in having a Cheat Day. However, my last couple of Cheat Days have been disappointing yet highly educational, especially in hindsight.

I've been approaching Cheat Day thus far with several planned indulgences in mind - stuff like buttered rolls, Indian food, gobs of almond butter and of course, that godforsaken Pumpkin Pie Blizzard. Over the preceding week, I have built these treats up in my head so much that by the time I get them, they almost can't help but be disappointing.; the buttered rolls were too starchy, I never got my Indian food, there IS such a thing as too much almond butter, and please do not get me started on that disgusting Blizzard (which I'm still lamenting).

Additionally, because I've got these treats so square in my mind for Cheat Day, I've found myself ignoring my natural desires for what sounds good right then and there. In other words, just because I crave Indian food on a Wednesday does not mean that I will still want it on a Saturday. I think I've done myself a Cheat Day disservice by deciding - days in advance - what I will indulge in for Cheat Day.

There is also one more problem that I haven't mentioned until now. Cheat Day - while it is meant to be a day of relaxing about food - does not necessarily mean that I have to go apeshit on the treats. I do not have to eat like I'm never going to have another meal, or another Cheat Day again. As much as Cheat Day is about relaxing, it is also about spending one day a week learning to eat like a real person who is not on a diet. In other words, it is about learning how to be intuitive about my eating. By stuffing myself full of guilty pleasures and ignoring what actually sounds good on that day, at that moment, I am actually robbing myself of the opportunity to learn how to eat.

So. Going forward.

I will still have FULL PERMISSION to eat whatever strikes my fancy on Cheat Day, whether it's Fettucini Alfredo, red velvet cupcakes or steamed broccoli. But instead of planning in advance all the things I want to indulge in and writing the menu for Cheat Day before it even arrives, I'm going to try to just go with the flow on Cheat Day. Waking up, without any expectations about food sounds grand; and definitely bang on with the spirit of Cheat Day.

So here's to some delicious eating AND some delicious learning for many Cheat Days to come.

Day 26 & 27: Now Weight Just a Minute

Well hello!

I need to go grocery shopping. It is dire straights in my fridge and cupboards. So much so, that I've had to get really inventive. Behold what I came up with for lunch yesterday:Your eyes do not deceive you. You are looking at a spinach sandwich. I toasted two slices of multigrain bread and spread on some light onion and chive cream cheese. Then, I stacked as much spinach as I could reasonable get between two slices of toast and voila! Spinach sandwich. It was actually pretty good! The spinach was very fresh and had a satisfying crunch and the flavour worked very well with the cream cheese. Those are pink grapefruit slices you see in the background there. Citrus always gets eaten last around here, probably because it keeps so well in the refrigerator.

I found some leftover frozen vegetarian chili that I made on October 10th and had that for dinner yesterday. Not picture worthy.

I had my usual oats (1/2 cup oatmeal, 1 tablespoon almond butter and fruit of choice - today was a green apple) for breakfast this morning and then went on a nice long run in the sun. I was hesitant about going but once I was out there pounding the trail, it felt amazing. So glad I went. On my way home, I splurged on this:

More of a financial splurge than a dietary one, it was just a non-fat decaf latte. But it was very well made and it really hit the spot. Note on the bottom of the cup it boasts "Vancouver's Best Cheesecake!" This is not a word of a lie. Last cheat day, I had the privilege of a little taste and wow. No words. I am actually thinking of ordering a small cheesecake for my birthday this year (November 29th, so you better start your shopping now!). The only tough part is that they have a zillion flavours and it'll be agony to decide on one... Thinking about this...

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Okay so I've decided I hate my scale. Not the act of weighing myself, no, the scale itself. It is a royal piece of crap. It consistently weighs all over the map - plus or minus up to 10 pounds sometimes!!! I checked out the reviews on Amazon (I really should have done this before I purchased it) and found out that I am not the only one experiencing this problem. In fact, it only earned 1 star for the rating. And of course, I've long since discarded the receipt and the box (big mistake on my part) so I can't return or exchange it either. Poo.

So, in light of this, I have decided to purchase a doctor's scale. I know it must seem crazy, but I really need some accuracy in my regime. Having a wonky scale makes it so hard to see my progress and that in and of itself is discouraging. So I'm doing my research and I'm getting one. Fortunately, they're not as expensive as I originally thought they were - only about $150-$200 for a decent one. I just have to do a bit of looking around to decide which one I want to order.

Weighing myself everyday seems to work well for me. I am past the point of getting discouraged or excited by minor fluctuations. This small semblance of control really helps to keep me focused and maintain a tight rein on weight. It's not for everyone. But I think for me, it's an important part of The Plan. And long term, I expect I will weigh myself often just to make sure that I don't regain any of my hard-earned weight loss.

Day 25: Back on Track

After a fairly unsatisfying cheat day, I am right back on track with my diet today and it feels great. Funny how after a day of eating too much not-so-great fare, my plain, wholesome, low-calorie food tasted extra fantastic today.

Instead of starting the day with my usual oatmeal, I was in a crazy rush this morning so I had this instead:A piece of toasted whole grain bread with almond butter. It was faster to prepare than oatmeal and we had to get out of the house fast in order to make it to my mum's house in a hurry. She agreed to babysit Baby Girl while I went for a run, but she herself had an appointment to keep later that morning so I had to shake a leg.

I had a great long run. That toast really held me over. And by the time I got home, I was ready for a real breakfast so I had this:My oats! But I fancied them up with a cup of cottage cheese (great addition to oatmeal, btw) and a crispy fuji apple. And of course I topped the works with LOTS of cinnamon. I was quite full after this meal.

I was planning on going to a yoga class in the afternoon. I put Baby Girl down for her nap and started getting ready to go. But then, this powerful wave of exhaustion washed over me and I proclaimed to Husband those famous last words, "I'm just going to close my eyes for 15 minutes. Wake me up if I fall asleep." Well, he did wake me up after 15 minutes as instructed, but by then I was a lost cause. I decided to skip the 2pm yoga class and go to the 4pm class instead. I just really needed a nap! Baby Girl had the right idea! So I had a delicious Sunday nap and it felt wonderful.

I woke up refreshed at 3pm and again, had every intention of going to yoga class. But somehow I got caught in a weird sort of alien time warp and next thing I knew it was 3:45 and I wasn't even dressed and there was no way I could have made it to class on time. So I missed yoga altogether today. Ah well. Baby Girl and I shared this snack:
My dad stopped by shortly thereafter to pick up his computer (which Husband was fixing for him). We decided to go downstairs to the coffee shop for a quick latte as neither one of us had our coffee for the day. I had an unpictured (forgot to bring my iPhone) tall non-fat decaf latte and it was good, although very bitter today.

I threw together an early dinner. Realizing that I hadn't really had any vegetables yet, I boiled some whole wheat pasta and made a sauce that I threw together out of red peppers, yellow peppers, onions, garlic and wilted spinach. I also added a little bit of jarred tomato sauce just to give it more of a sauce-like texture. Plus lots of italian seasoning.

It was pretty good, actually.

I even had enough calories leftover to enjoy this little treat after Baby Girl went to bed.

Nothing like a cuppa tea and my current favourite 100 calorie snack pack.

A perfect end to a lazy Sunday.

Day 24: Oh for the Love of Cheat Day

What a weird day for eating.

My day started with this:

A big bowl of oatmeal with cinnamon, almond butter and bananas. I had planned to have one of my crusty rolls with butter and a cup of tea but oddly, my usual oatmeal just sounded better somehow. So I went with it.

Afterwards, I went for a run with my dad. And on the way home we stopped at a new coffee place and I got an unpictured non-fat decaf almond latte. It was good, if not maybe a bit too sweet. I also had a sample of a white chocolate and raspberry scone and a teeny bite of pumpkin cheesecake. Yum!

For my daughter's lunch, I whipped up some Annie's Organic White Cheddar Mac & Cheese and thought I'd follow suit for my own lunch. So we decided to share the box. While it was cooking, I had this for an appetizer:

A gorgeous toasted flax bun with butter. Drool.

To make lunch a little healthier, I added some green peas, some wild pink tuna and a dash of black pepper.Then I did something that most people will think is crazy. But in my family, we ALWAYS put ketchup on our mac & cheese! Yeah baby! This was a total "comfort food" kind of meal. And because I've been craving bread with butter, I paired lunch with this warm buttered roll.The mac & cheese was pretty tasty but the roll was disappointing. I wanted something crusty and this was more powdery. Eh.

Holy carbs, right?!

After Baby Girl woke up from her nap, I took her to the park where we met some friends. My girlfriend and I shared a few bites of chocolate together - some individually wrapped dark chocolate squares, smaller than the size of a matchbook. I had two. But they weren't that great, kind of waxy actually, and I didn't really care for them. And I forgot to take pictures!

Husband met us at the park and walked us home. I guess all my talk about my big Blizzard plans started to get to him because he decided that he wanted a milkshake. I had a few sips of that. Soooooo good.

Dinner got all screwed up. Because Husband had a late lunch meeting today, AND a HUGE milkshake on the way home from the park, he proclaimed that he would not be wanting dinner. He said, "If I get hungry, I'll just have a piece of fruit or something." Now normally, I'd be very supportive of the idea of not having to cook. But, since we were going to order Indian food tonight, I kinda had my heart set on it. And since our preferred Indian place has a $25 delivery minimum (and is just a few too many blocks to walk to) I had a conundrum on my hands. Certainly, I could not eat $25 worth of Indian food on my own. And I really didn't think I could deal with having leftovers in the house. So, after a lot of back and forth, and a solemn promise from Husband to make it up to me next Cheat Day, I decided to just go downstairs and grab some sushi instead.

California roll, yam roll, agedashi tofu and miso soup.

It was good, not exactly what I wanted, but good nonetheless.

I devoured it.

And for the big finale, the much anticipated, long awaited PUMPKIN PIE BLIZZARD:

And guess what? IT TOTALLY SUCKED. It was pretty gross and tasted so fake and yucky. I couldn't even finish half of it. Never EVER again. After all that waiting, I was so very disappointed.

So it was a Cheat Day that had it's ups and downs and sadly, for the most part, did not live up to my high expectations. Ah well, there's always next week. I am now sitting here at my computer at 10:30pm feeling full but still wanting something.... But I'm really scared of what the scale will say tomorrow. Especially after all that salt and soy sauce! Yikes. If you hear a loud shriek early tomorrow morning, rest assured, it's just me. Screaming from Canada.

And I must admit, after all the indulging I am REALLY looking forward to three healthy, light meals tomorrow. And a nice long run and a very hot yoga class. That is all sounding so good right now. And that's the thing about Cheat Day - Makes the dieting sounds like fun all over again.

Lesson learned from THIS Cheat Day: Going overboard isn't the answer. Feeling stuffed and knowing it's from eating all the wrong stuff just doesn't feel very good. It's not that I'm feeling guilty at all, I just feel like, 'what was the point of all that?'

This is only my 3rd ever Cheat Day, so it's still quite a novelty and I'm definitely still learning. But I think from now on, I'm going to try to keep this lesson in the forefront of my mind. I will still have absolute and full permission to eat whatever I want, but if I'm honest with myself, eating crap just isn't as satisfying as I think it will be. It never really is, is it? I think just larger portions of good, wholesome, healthy foods - plus a little taste of something sinful - that's the recipe for a really awesome Cheat Day.

Day 21, 22 & 23: Hello, Clavicles!

Wow I have been wanting to post for the past two days, but as I've been dealing with a poor sick Baby Girl (she has a nasty cold) coupled with all the running and late night yoga classes, I have just not been able to find the time. Finally sitting down at my computer and catching up!

So two nights ago I was at yoga, and my mat was square in front of the mirror. I'm such a narcissist! As I was sitting cross-legged with my palms on my knees, I looked at my reflection. I could have sworn I saw a faint hint of muscle tone in my arms. My waist might have seemed a wee bit smaller than it did a couple of weeks ago. And what's this? I saw some old friends I haven't seen in a long, long time... My clavicles! After hiding under a layer of fat for a couple of years now, my clavicles are emerging triumphant once again and my chest now has some definition. Granted, those lovely clavicles are only just starting to peek out, but yup, there they are! The Plan is working. My body is indeed (slowly) changing shape. I'm loving it!

The weight loss has continued to go very well this week - I've lost a little over 2 pounds since Sunday - but I'm sure that I must just be experiencing a lovely windfall that will be short lived and not indicative of the general trend. I kinda think that's how weight loss goes. In fits and starts.

Tomorrow is Cheat Day! Oh how I adore you, Cheat Day! Here's what I'm planning to indulge in:
-a hot crusty roll with butter (maybe for breakfast with a cup of tea?)
-take-out Indian food for dinner (I am craving my favourite chickpea dish)
-that gosh darn Pumpkin Pie Blizzard from DQ. You know the one. The one I should have had last cheat day. It's my obsession of late.
Other than that, we'll just see how the day flows! So excited.

I swear, Cheat Day is the best thing I could have ever imagined. It works so well for my purposes. How? Why?

Because:
1. Obviously, it's lovely to satiate my cravings and enjoy some delicious food (especially those that are challenging to fit into a low calorie regime).
2. It's a chance, once a week, for me to practice eating like a real person who is not on a diet.
3. It keeps me motivated and strong through the rest of the week because I never feel deprived and I know if I want something I only need to wait until the next Cheat Day to have it. I think I very well may have given up on The Plan long ago because I would have felt deprived, would have probably started resenting The Plan, indulged, lost focus, felt bad about myself, continued indulging, vicious cycle...
4. Everyone deserves a break.
5. I can eat whatever strikes my fancy and I don't have to weigh, measure, or record anything. The only thing that's not allowed on cheat day is guilt. And you know what? The worst I've had so far was some of those 100 calorie snack packs and a monster bowl of cereal. And it was Special K at that. I almost feel like because I can have anything, I feel like I don't need to eat a bunch of crap. Does that make any sense? Of course, even if I did eat a bunch of crap, that's OK! It's Cheat Day! It's all good.

6. And no matter how much I eat on Cheat Day (and honestly, usually I'm pretty well behaved because I'm running on a week's worth of momentum), I really don't gain more than a pound - if even that - and most of it is probably just due to too much sodium the day before anyway. Think about it: I would have to eat an additional 3500 calories, over an above what my body requires in a day, to gain even a pound. That's not very easy to do in one day. It's not like I'm going to go out and eat 5 Burger King Whoppers (which would be about 3000 calories). I guess my point is that one day - heck, one WEEK - of anything really doesn't make that much of a difference either way. In my opinion, the key to weight loss success is consistency, not perfection.

Ironic that Cheat Day actually helps to keep me focused on my diet, eh?

On to some food. Here are my lunches from the last two days.

Wednesday's lunch was:Some fat free peach Activia yogurt, black plums and cinnamon with a side of whole wheat toast with almond butter. I needed to eat something that would sustain me through a run and a yoga class, so I put together this meal. It was just OK. I wish I would have had plain yogurt instead of the Activia because the fake-peach taste just did not work very well with the plums. But the addition of the almond buttered toast sure was tasty. And the meal as a whole did work as planned - I was full but not overly so and my energy was high through both my workouts with nary a hunger pang in site.

Thursdays lunch was:A chicken salad sandwich and cherry tomatoes. The chicken was leftover spicy BBQ marinated, and instead of celery, I employed some leftover aspargus in the chicken salad mix. It was really good. This whole lunch was delicious and truthfully I'm surprised it turned out so well because Baby Girl was just starting to feel sick and and being very surly while I was making it and I was absolutely starving by the time I sat down. I can't even believe I had the wherewithal to take a picture! I will be having a repeat of this lunch today, I think.

It's rainy and grey today, Baby Girl is still sick and I'm starting to feel a tickle in the back of my throat. I have decided to take the day off from exercise and just take it easy tonight. I've got the fire going and I'm already in my pajamas and it's only 2:30pm. Nothing like a lazy day at home to warm the soul. Now, if someone would just come over with some low-calorie chicken soup and crackers I'd be all set.

Day 20: My Sneaky Little Snack

Yoga class was awesome tonight! Gosh that heat felt so nice after a couple days' break. Ahhhhhhhhhhhh.

So The Plan is still going really well. And I've made peace with the scale. Today was the first day that I just didn't care what it said. Well, okay, maybe I did care a little.... Probably in light of yesterday's shocking discovery that my not-so-trusty scale sometimes fibs, I just weighed myself, recorded the number and went about my business. Up or down, it didn't really matter. I am feeling good and my clothes are getting looser by the day.

I'm starting to understand that weight is a range, not a fixed, tried and true integer.

In other news, I found something wonderful, quite by accident, in the snack aisle of the grocery store today. Behold:(Don't mind the French, I live in Canada.) I am a nut butter - especially peanut butter - slave (not that you could tell by this blog) so when I found these, I just couldn't resist. ) Quaker Crispy Delights Peanut Butter Crunch rice cake snacks - They are soooo good!What an awesome treat for when I need a little sumthin sumthin.

Okay, I know there are a lot of controversy over these 90 or 100 calorie snack packs. Yes, they're not real food. Yes, they're loaded with all kinds of chemicals and junk. Yes, they're just empty calories. And Yes, sometimes you need to put the contents of the package under a magnifying glass to see what you're about to eat. And don't get me started on the environmental impact of all that extra packaging. I get all that.

But ya know, sometimes you just need something. Something to remind you that you're not on a diet. A little taste of a snack that you used to love. All in a safe protective package that keeps you from over indulging. A treat that you can easily sneak into your diet without a lot of sacrifice. Hell, even if you go NUTS and have TWO, you're only into them for 200 calories. No biggie.

So YES, I admit it, I am a big, BIG fan of the 100 calorie snack pack.

Day 18 & 19: Scratch That Itch

I finally broke out of the 160's this morning! Hooray! That must mean I'm doing something right.

Although I also discovered this morning that my scale is not really that accurate. When I first weighed myself, it showed that I was 158.8. I jumped for joy. Then a few minutes later I wanted to show Husband so I got on again and I was 162.2. What?? Booooo. But that seemed weird to me. So I then proceeded to bump, move, step on, step off, relocated and reset the scale. Now I'm 161 even. Without moving the scale, I stepped on a few minutes later. 159.8. I have no idea what was going on but I decided to just keep that last number as it was kind of the average of all the numbers I got this morning. And an important lesson was learned: That number really does mean ABSOLUTELY NOTHING. So next time I'm celebrating a 2 pound loss or mourning a 2 pound gain, I'm going to have to take that number with a grain of salt. Because apparently, it's really give-or-take 3 pounds.

So, unfortunately (and embarrassingly), I already failed my 50 day yoga challenge. I want to say it was beyond my control, but I think I let it happen. I was exhausted and when Sunday got too busy for me to fit in a yoga class, I relented and kinda gave up. I went for a long run instead.

I'm not too upset, I certainly did try and I'm definitely going to keep going to yoga everyday if possible. I think if I alternate running and yoga that would certainly make for a good fitness recipe. I will be going to yoga tonight, hopefully, as long as I can get Baby Girl down for bed at an early time.

Running has been going great. I am really getting into it. I can run for 30 minutes - no problem. (Although it should be noted that I run really slowly, at a snail's pace). And when the 30 minutes is up, I always feel like I could do more. That's just where I want to be for awhile. It feels great! I am so pleased with my progress.

I have been really lazy about photographing my meals lately. Or maybe it's more that I'm so freakin hungry by the time I eat that I'm not thinking straight. But anyway, here are the highlights from Cheat Day:

Chicken and vegetable yakisoba (homemade with leftover spaghettini noodles) mixed with lots and lots of edemame beans. Yummers!
And of course, lots and lots of almond butter. Mmmmmmm.

For dinner, I made some turkey tacos which turned out just OK. No pics.

The funny thing about my last Cheat Day is I wanted something but I couldn't figure out what. In hindsight, I realize that it was that Pumpkin Pie Blizzard from Dairy Queen that's been all over TV lately. To satiate myself, I tried eating lots of almond butter, a 100-calorie snack pack of chocolate covered pretzels, and a HUUUUGE bowl of cereal but by the end of the evening I was stuffed, but unsatisfied. And the scale was not kind to me the next day so to me it really wasn't worth it.

My valuable lesson learned on Cheat Day: If I'm going to indulge, at least make it count. It's not worth it to eat for the sake of eating. If it's not delicious then I shouldn't waste my time.

I spent all day thinking about that Pumpkin Pie Blizzard from DQ and I never got it because I was trying to behave myself. And now I wish I'd just gone ahead and satisfied that craving, rather than eating a lot of other stuff that didn't scratch that itch, KWIM?

Now I know.

Day 15 & 16: I Amazed Myself

I'm writing to you from my second weekly Cheat Day! Hooray! I started the morning with a GIANT bowl of oatmeal with a creamy swirl of almond butter mixed in and topped with bananas. So, so good. Too good, actually, because I could only eat half of it!

On Thursday I arranged with my mum to look after Baby Girl so I could go for a nice (stroller-free) run. And run I did. I ran for 30 minutes. Albeit slowly, but without stopping. It was awesome! Truthfully, I probably pushed myself a little harder than I should have by I was just glowing afterwards. I totally amazed myself. I finally feel like I'm on the road to becoming the runner I used to be.

Good news! I dropped a dress size. From size 14 to 12. I discovered this yesterday, quite by accident, when I need to find something to wear and I was behind on the laundry. Out of curiosity, I tried on a pair of corduroy pants that I haven't worn in awhile and wow! They fit! Very comfortably! Made my day.

I'm feeling good and strong. So good in fact, that despite the fact that it's Cheat Day, my mum offered to give me some of her amazing hot-out-of-the-oven cookies and I declined. I did have a couple of nibbles (OMG were they good!) but I didn't want any more than that. I didn't need any more than that. I just want lots and lots of healthy food. Okay, okay, I admit, I am still thinking about that Pumpkin Pie Blizzard haha...

Went on another run today - this time with my dad. He is out of practice but he did really well. It was nice to run with some good company.

I took a few pics of my meals lately, but, well, I just don't feel like posting them. They're nothing all that exciting. I'm feeling lazy. And it's Cheat Day so I can do what I want!

Day 15: Two Weeks

It's official. I've completed TWO WEEKS on The Plan. I've followed my diet to the letter and I've exercised every day. I am very proud of myself.

And my hard work thus far was rewarded this morning by some really good news on the scale. I have dropped to the lowest weight I've been since I've started the plan. I'd love to hope that maybe I'm finally out of this weird up-and-down weight fluctuation/plateau thing that has been plaguing me lately, but I'm smarter than that. But I'll take this little accomplishment and keep it in my back pocket. I weighed exactly 160.0 today. I'm one-tenth of a pound away from finally getting out of the 160's!!

Cheat Day is coming the day after tomorrow and of course I'm already daydreaming about what I want to eat. Almond butter tops the list again so I think that will be incorporated into my breakfast. I've also been eyeing up that Pumpkin Pie Blizzard that Dairy Queen has been advertising recently. I don't know if I will go as far as to have one but oh wow do they look good.

My mum is having a family party on Sunday and I thought about using my Cheat Day then, but the main course is going to be a beef dish and since I don't eat beef, I figure it's not worth it to use a whole Cheat Day up just so I can eat side dishes. I'll just pack my lunch instead! And if anyone asks why I'm not eating, I'm just going to be honest and tell them that I am on a diet.

I've been really focused on exercise over the last couple of days. It's almost impossible not to be when I've been going to nightly yoga classes. It's a bit hard, but not because the yoga itself is difficult (although it can be pretty intense). It's more of a challenge for me because evening after Baby Girl goes to bed is my time, when I get to relax in front of the TV, blog, check email, surf the internet. I am missing my shows! But my health and fitness is definitely worth more than an episode of America's Next Top Model and I just keep telling myself - it's only 50 days. I can get through anything for 50 days.

Here's my lunch today!An open-faced herbed cream cheese and spinach sandwich with a side of bright, beautiful cherry tomatoes.

Mum is going to babysit Baby Girl so I can go for a run today. Nice!

Day 13+14: Just a Regular Old Post with a Bonus Pep Talk at the Bottom

I couldn't get around to posting yesterday because I had a late yoga class. Actually, I have yoga classes at night all this week so hopefully I'll have time to keep up my blog during Baby Girl's nap time.

The weight update: I'm still teetering up and down, but down more than up (I think/hope) so I guess there is some slow progress happening there. Much slower than I'd like, mind you. I'm still in the 160's. I just keep hoping to dip into the 150's one of these mornings -- man oh man that will be a good day. Patience, patience.

The food front: I haven't been taking pics of all my meals, partly because I keep forgetting and partly because they're just not that interesting or pretty to look at. But I did manage to snap a shot of last night's dinner (except I only remembered half way through eating it).It was Jamaican jerk chicken, wild brown rice and steamed seasoned carrots. It turned out really good, except the chicken (which I bought pre-marinaded from Whole Foods) was not that flavourful. Didn't stop me from finishing every last bite though. Husband liked it too.

And I had to take photo of breaky this morning. It was my usual cinnamon oatmeal but I topped it with something very special - fresh raspberries and strawberries. A great combo. It hit the spot!

And lunch today (which I'm munching on right now as I type this) is just some of the leftover vegetarian chili I made with a slice of whole wheat toast.You can't tell by looking at it but man is it spicy! I'm kinda wishing I had enough calories to throw in some cheese and sour cream to cool down this bowl of fire.

The running run-down: It's raining today so I couldn't take Baby Girl to the park this morning (which means I couldn't run there and run back for a bit of exercise). Boo. We ended up taking the subway to the mall outside of town where they have a kid's play area. She loved it. I guess some days I'll just have to take mandatory breaks from running. I do have a 90 minute hot yoga class tonight which promises to be brutal, so I'm not feeling too guilty about it.

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So here's something I've known all along but I've decided to verbalize right here and now: Failure is not an option. This is happening, I will lose this weight. It will probably take a long time and it will definitely be hard work. But I'm in this for the long haul. This is a promise I've made to myself and I will not break it. No way. I will succeed.

Day 12: Physics and Math

Ug. This morning I got myself into such a snit because I discovered upon waking that my scale was being a jerk again. The numbers went up. Again. Two days in a row.

Not a lot, mind you. Barely half a pound. Which I realize means nothing. But it truly was discouraging to see, especially in light of the fact that I've been working out like crazy and sticking to my diet perfectly. Am I eating too many calories? Not enough? How is it possible that my body is defying physics AND math? I always thought weight loss was a calories-in-calories-out kind of equation. What am I doing wrong??

I even had to call my mum to vent. She didn't have any answers for me but she was very supportive, as usual.

I am so tired of complaining about this.

Anyway, I ended up meeting a friend for coffee and a walk this morning, which got my mind off things. And by the afternoon I was feeling much better. I sort of came to the realization that if I'm going to weigh myself every day, I had just better start getting used to the discouragement and not let it affect me (as much). And I need to focus more on the indisputable fact that I'm feeling great, strong, and healthy and my pants are starting to feel a bit looser.

I had a great lunch today - I made an open-faced spinach and (light) cream cheese sandwich which was delish. Paired it with some cherry tomatoes and had a grapefruit for dessert. It was the perfect lunch before yoga class today, as it was nice and light and digested very quickly and easily. I forgot to take pictures of it, so instead I'll post a photo of yesterday's lunch: A toasted flax bagel with light herbed cream cheese, a sprinkling of canned salmon (my daughter loves this stuff so we shared) and a pile of carrots. I would have killed for some dried dill to sprinkle on top but alas it was not meant to be.The carrots were a bit disappointing. I usually buy organic carrots but the ones I found at my last visit to the grocery store had an expiration date a little too soon for my liking. So I bought regular carrots. Not as sweet.

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I had an AMAZING yoga class today. It was fairly challenging and I was one very sweaty pretzel by the end of it. It was only a 60 minute class but it sure felt like twice that. And afterward I felt great. Energized, yet calm and happy. Gosh I love me some yoga. It really seems to be treating me well.

I was feeling so great, in fact, that I decided afterwards to extend my workout and go for a run. Which I did - and that also went very well. One of the coolest things about running is the rate at which a new runner can improve. To think I just started running 12 days ago and today, I ran for a full 30 minutes (albeit slowly), only stopping twice to walk for about 2 minutes each time. That is a HUGE improvement and I really feel proud of myself for that.

Of course, I am pretty sore now, and I think tomorrow will be brutal so I will likely take the day off from running. Because I'm doing yoga every day for the next 47 days, I'm allowing myself to ease up on my running a wee bit. I *might* have overdone it a little today.

I know I shouldn't get so hung up on that silly number on the scale, but it sure would do my heart good to see some progress tomorrow morning. Fingers crossed.

Day 11: Rock and Roll

Wow! I woke up this morning with SO MUCH ENERGY! I had a great sleep, and couldn't wait to get rockin' and rolling today. Baby Girl and I had a nice breakfast together - I had a big bowl of oatmeal with banana and cinnamon (I'm sparing you the pics - you've seen enough oatmeal for awhile) and then you know what we did? We went for a RUN! Well, I ran and Baby Girl sat in the stroller while I pushed her along.

Okay, we don't actually have a jogging stroller per se, but I'd say we did pretty well all things considered. I didn't go for a long run - just 15 minutes to the park, stopping to let Baby Girl have some fun on the swings and the slide, and then 15 minutes back. I worked up a nice sweat and it felt great. I am excited to know that I can now go for runs with Baby Girl, as opposed to being dependent on Husband's schedule so he can watch her while I go. My only complaint is that my upper arms are kind of sore, I think from holding the handlebars of the stroller. But I'm sure that will fade in time. All in all, an AWESOME morning.

I absolutely certain that my energy and mood today are thanks entirely to yesterday's yoga. In fact, I was feeling so great this morning that I didn't even freak out when I weighed myself and discovered that yesterday's Cheat Day resulted in a weight gain this morning of 0.8 pounds. Whatever. I'm not even thinking about it.

And because today is Sunday, I've updated my "Numbers" in the sidebar to the right (as I will do every Sunday). As you can see, I'm officially down 3.5 pounds. Not bad. But I've fluctuated so much over the last week, I'm starting to wonder if I'm ever going to get out of the 160's! What a great day it will be when that happens.

Anyway, I'm feeling fantastic, energized and healthy today. I think I'm going to make a big batch of homemade vegetarian chili for dinner tonight, even though it's Canadian Thanksgiving this weekend. Yes, it's a very un-Thanksgiving meal indeed, but I'm cool with it. We're just gonna take it easy.

Monster hunger is starting to set in. Must go forge for lunch!

Day 10: Such a Nutty Day

I went to my first hot yoga class (in 5 years) today and it was just lovely. I had one heck of a workout, and sweated enough to fill a bucket. I struggled a bit from being out of practice, but I remembered most of the poses and the heat felt wonderful.

So today is Cheat Day and it has been very nutty. Literally. I guess I've been craving nuts - they're so hard to fit into a low calorie regime - so today I really went nuts with the nuts!

Breakfast was the first thing on my mind when I woke up this morning. I knew exactly how to start Cheat Day. With this:A toasted flax bagel positively slathered in almond butter. Drool. But, then I decided it was missing a little something so I added:Half a sliced banana and (of course) a sprinkling of cinnamon! I think cinnamon is my favourite spice ever.

Around noon, I decided I'd better eat again so I'd have lots of energy for my 3:30 yoga class. After much rummaging through the kitchen, I decided on a big bowl of oatmeal with raisins, the other half of the banana, lots and lots and LOTS of walnuts, cinnamon and skim milk. See?That little bowl of yum turned out to be quite a powerhouse because it kept me full and energetic straight through yoga. Awesome!

When I got home from yoga, however, I was absolutely famished. I snacked on an unpictured granny smith apple but that barely made a dent in my hunger so I knew I'd have to eat some dinner soon. Because it's Cheat Day (la dee dah!), I convinced Husband to order some take-out from our favourite Thai place, just around the corner from our loft. We split an order of cashew chicken with extra cashews (told you it was a nutty day!) and some brown rice.It was soooooo good. It was the perfect amount of spice, the veggies were crispy and the cashews were toasted to perfection. It didn't take Husband and I very long to inhale every last bite.

Now, I'm sitting here feeling a wee bit hungry again and thinking about a snack. Will it be a bowl of cereal? A piece of toast with almond butter? Some 100 calorie chocolate? All three??? VIVA LA CHEAT DAY!!!

Day 9: Bring on the Almond Butter, Bring on the Heat

Well friends, here I sit on the eve of Cheat Day. Wahooooo!

I don't plan on going crazy tomorrow, really. But just eating whatever and whenever I feel like it, and not recording every single calorie, well that just sounds lovely. I am going to thoroughly enjoy my big gobs of almond butter (yeah baby) and I'm not going to worry about it. I am so excited.

I am also excited because tomorrow is the first day of my 50 DAY YOGA CHALLENGE. My muscles are primed and rested and I am ready to sweat!

Tonight's dinner was really good. I heated up some Fillo Factory Spanakopita that I bought from Whole Foods last week. They're all natural and 4 pieces were only 210 calories. Not bad! I threw some fresh tomatoes, cucumber and asparagus on my plate to go along with it. Decadent, filling, delicious and totally satisfying. I will definitely buy those again. Baby Girl really liked them too!

Here's what dinner looked like:

That's all for tonight! Gonna watch a movie with Husband and have a cup of tea and some 100 calorie chocolate. Mmmmmmmmm.

Why I Love Lululemon

Let me count the ways...

Lululemon is my new favourite store. Why?

Well, it's not because they have the cutest and best quality workout clothing. It's not because they offer free LIFETIME alterations. It's not even because the salespeople are knowledgeable, helpful and friendly.

It's because AT LULULEMON, I AM A SIZE 8. Wheeeeeeee!

Every other store knows me as a size 14, so comfortably fitting into a size 8 is just too thrilling. I'm not sure if it's their stretchy Luon signature fabric, or if they are onto some kind of a fantastic marketing gimmick, but fitting into a size 8 anything pretty well makes me want to buy up the store.

And while I didn't buy up the entire store, I did come home with these lovely gems:

and...

Yes, you're reading that tag right - I bought the Ta Ta Tamer. These 36 double D baby-nursing Ta Tas definitely need to be told who's boss!

My shopping adventure wasn't cheap. All told I spent just under $400. That's for two pairs of yoga pants, two tank tops, and a sports bra. Yikes. Thanks, Husband!

Day 8: Shopping, Almond Butter & 50 Days of Yoga

Well friends, hot yoga starts in two days and I've got to go dig out my mat, find some beach towels, and of course - do a bit of shopping here. I've already informed Husband that I plan to do quite a bit of damage and surprisingly, he was totally okay with it. I think I'm going to go today, just waiting for Baby Girl to wake up from her nap so I can feed her some lunch before we go shopping!

Speaking of Husband, he is STILL running (almost) every morning! I am so darn proud of him. I never thought he'd stick with it, but he is totally banging it out! He says when he skips a run, he really misses it. Amazing. He is such an inspiration and he truly helps me to stay motivated and focused. And my worries about Husband's eating preferences have been totally dashed. He even ate the vegetable lasagna I made (heated up) for dinner last night (I didn't take any pictures, it was nothing special) and liked it. I couldn't believe it! It sure makes dieting and exercise easier when your partner is involved, doesn't it?

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I've decided that my first Cheat Day will be on Saturday. I am so excited. All I can say are these two words: ALMOND BUTTER. It's all I can think about. I've been craving it since I started The Plan but as we all know, nut butters, while delicious and very healthy, are highly caloric and I find it a challenge to fit them into my low-calorie menus. So that's gonna be my big treat on Saturday. I may just have it for breakfast, lunch and dinner!

Now, normally, I would give myself a day off from exercise on my Cheat Day as well. But since I'm starting hot yoga on Saturday, I'm going to give myself tomorrow off instead, so I can rest my muscles. Mixing up Cheat Day a bit. That's allowed, right?

Did I mention that not only am I starting hot yoga on Saturday but I will be doing yoga for 50 straight days? You read that right. FIFTY as in 5-0. Why? Because the yoga studio I am joining has a great new student promotion for three weeks and then, during the month of November, they are having a "30-Day Yoga Challenge". This challenge is meant to encourage students to attend 30 classes in 30 days. If completed successfully, the students' names are entered into a drawing to receive one year of unlimited yoga. I WANT THAT PRIZE! So I'm going for it. And yeah, these two promotions together equal 50 consecutive days of yoga.

I'm totally going to take before and after photos because I have a feeling that 50 days of yoga might actually yield some visible results!

Day 7: Feeling It

The most peculiar thing happened to me yesterday.

I went my run. The air was crisp and sweet, the sun was starting to set casting a warm glow all along my running path. My heart was pumping, my muscles were warm and... I felt thin. My body felt efficient. It was bliss. I have never enjoyed running so much in my life.

Unfortunately the feeling was fleeting, and as I started pushing through my workout it faded. Eventually, I became winded and I went from being full of energy to feeling like I was lumbering along, huffing and puffing. Happily, my quads have forgiven me and I my run wasn't painful at all, but having a taste of what running should feel like made me realize that I still have a long way to go in my practice. But, for the first time, I feel like I'm getting there. Slowly.

When I got home, I started making dinner - which was some chicken marinaded in half teriyaki sauce / half hot sauce, wild rice and snap peas. The chicken turned out beyond amazing, I am definitely making it that way again. I seared it on both sides and then baked it in the oven at 350 for about 30 minutes. I wish I had taken a picture of the inside because it was moist and juicy and I enjoyed every single bite of my dinner.This looks like a lot more rice than there actually was (only 3/4 cup), I guess it's an iPhone optical illusion! I didn't need to eat the whole chicken breast (although I easily could have), so I saved a small piece of it for my lunch the next day... I'll get to that in a sec.

Continuing on in my oatmeal adventures, I created a masterpiece this morning:Oatmeal topped with fresh raspberries and banana, and OF COURSE a cubic buttload of cinnamon. It was AWESOME.

After breakfast, I went for a walk with a friend and our babies. I was famished when I got home, and it was perfect timing because Baby Girl went down for a nap so I was able to sit and enjoy my lunch and not rush through it (a very rare treat in Mummyland!). I chopped up the rest of last night's chicken and a stalk of celery, and mixed in some light mayo and some really good stone ground mustard. And voila! Another fantastic chicken salad.I threw the works onto a tortilla in hopes that I could create some sort of chicken salad wrap, but alas, the filling was too plentiful and I had to settle for a weirdly shaped, but very tasty taco thing instead.Those tomatoes really were as red, ripe and delicious as they look!

I am feeling really silly about yesterday's scale discouragement. I never wanted to be one of those girls who agonize over every little ounce. I realize that this is a process and it takes time. Weight loss is not a straight line from A to B, it's more like a "two steps forward, one step back" kind of thing, at least for me. But seeing that number, for better or worse, really does get under my skin.

It has been suggested that perhaps I should not weigh myself everyday and I couldn't agree more with that sentiment. Unfortunately, my iPhone calorie counting app does require that I weigh myself every day if possible, in order to provide the most accurate and up-to-date data. I think what I'm going to have to learn to do is weigh myself, record the number, and just forget about it.

I don't know what I was so discouraged about yesterday anyway. It was such silliness. Looking at the big picture, I have already lost about 4 pounds - in ONE week. That is great! Not to mentioned that I am already feeling better, and feeling fitter. I really need to stay more focused on my overall successes rather than the day-to-day numbers. Lesson learned.

Day 6: My Scale is Such a Jerk

I woke up this morning and weighed myself, only to discover that not only had I not lost anything, but I was actually up 2-tenths of a pound from yesterday. Now believe me when I say that I fully realize that 2-tenths of a pound means nothing. I know that. But I must admit that it was discouraging to see those numbers.

How is it possible that I am eating so well, exercising every day, and yet I actually gained a small amount? Am I eating too much? Too little? Is it water? Is it the fact that I demolished 10 prune plums in front of the TV last night leaving only this in my wake?

I'm trying to keep perspective about this whole scale thing and for the most part I am; it's just so easy to get hung up on those silly little numbers. *Sigh* Ah, but I digress.

Husband sweetly offered to buy me some new yoga clothes as a little gift for starting up hot yoga again. I am totally taking him up on this and I'm really excited to go shopping here on Friday. Not only is it one of my favourite stores, but they always seem to have just what I'm looking for in terms of workout clothing. I can't wait to show you all what I end up coming home with. And on SATURDAY (mark your calendars folks), I will be attending my first hot yoga class in 5 years! I am pretty darn stoked about it.

On another random note - this post is turning out to be all my random thoughts for the day - I am getting totally into oatmeal. No stranger to fellow food bloggers, oatmeal is the King of Breakfast and I'm starting to understand why. First of all, it's totally versatile and you can throw in practically anything. Second, it's cheap. Third, it's totally delicious and healthy. And fourth, it really keeps you full. Like, for HOURS! It sure keeps hunger at bay a lot better than my bowl of Special K was doing.

This is what I whipped up this morning.
Very simple, just threw in some apple pieces and stirred in lots and LOTS of cinnamon. It was great, low calorie, and oh so filling. I love looking at the photos and reading the descriptions of everyone's oatmeal breakfasts out there in the blogosphere. It gives me tons of ideas!

Tonight, after a good rest day yesterday, I'm going to attempt a run again. Wish me (or rather, wish my quads) good luck!

Day 5: Trying Something New

I think I spoke a wee bit too soon when I mentioned in yesterday's post that I am no longer sore from running. Yesterday's run turned out to be sheer torture, and not only did I NOT enjoy it (at all!), but I actually felt like I might be hurting myself. I powered through it, but when I got home my quads let me know that I really shouldn't have pushed so hard.

I had to lie on the floor all evening and stretch out. A hot shower did help, and a good sleep helped even more, but I am still going to take the day off from running today - despite my best laid plans. I am still going to exercise - I think a brisk walk for at least 30 minutes will do - but sadly, running is just going to have to wait for tomorrow so I can give my poor legs a break. They just don't understand what's got into me the last few days.

And now that the weather is turning cooler, I've decided to get back into hot yoga (Bikram yoga). I used to love it about 5 years ago and because of life changes and stuff, I quit and never went back. I am feeling the call again, and am looking forward to some nice hot workouts. The best part about hot yoga is the calorie burn. A girl my size burns about 700 calories in a 90 minute class. That is insane! I'm not sure I could burn that many calories running uphill for an hour!

I'm going to start next week after the holiday (Monday is Canadian Thanksgiving) and my dear friend L is going with me. She is really excited and it's contagious. I can't wait! I think a mix of hot yoga and running will be a great combination for me. I'd also like to try pilates, I've never done them. Maybe that's next?

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The scale hasn't really budged much in the last few days. I'm trying not to let it bother me, but I must admit that it is a bit discouraging sometimes. In the past, the first few days of losing weight were always so epic, and I feel like I'm off to a slow start. Oh well, I am feeling better already, and that's nothing to shake a stick at.

As I type this, I'm snacking on a crispy granny smith apple, and a small piece of sharp cheddar cheese. It's heaven. Wanna see? Of course you do.

Day 4: Best Breakfast Ever

I wanted something really special for breakfast this morning, something with a little more oomph than my usual bowl of Special K.

So I made a bowl of old fashioned (slow cooking) rolled oats and topped it with some fruit salad left over from last night. I sprinkled the works with a generous dusting of cinnamon and it was maybe, just maybe, the best thing I've ever eaten. Observe:
Here it is again, mid-inhalation.

Satisfaction, thy name is Oatmeal.

In other news, I have decided to up my caloric intake by 100 calories a day starting today. My body was telling me that what I was taking in over the last 3 days was just a wee bit too low. If I'm going to be successful (which I am), I know that I've got to listen to my body and remain and be open to make changes as needed. This was a change I needed. I'll try adding the extra 100 calories to the next few days and reassess again. I have a feeling it will take a few days/weeks to find the exact right balance I'm after. I certainly don't want to send my body into famine mode!

I'm proud of myself for completing THREE straight days of running. And today, when I woke up, I'm not nearly as sore as I was yesterday. If that's not progress, I don't know what is.

Gotta run, Baby Girl is asking to play with her mummy!

Day 3: Sweet Ambrosia

Isn't it funny how, when you're really really REALLY hungry, anything and everything sounds AMAZINGLY DELICIOUS? I ran some errands this morning, and had to stop at the market to get some extra veggies for dinner and some cereal for Husband. Walking through the produce section was every bit as mouthwatering as walking through a cupcake shop. I could have easily grabbed pretty much anything off the shelf and started ferociously gnawing my unwashed, raw vegetable treat like some wild animal. And I'm quite sure I would have enjoyed it every much as I would love eating a gorgeous piece of chocolate cake.

You should have seen me by the time I got to the cereal aisle. Visions of dancing Cocoa Puffs were swimming in my brain. I think my pupils even turned into little Honey Nut Cheerios.

Luckily, I did have to rush out of there because Baby Girl was getting sleepy and I needed to get her home for her nap. And the second she went down, I prepared this little light lunch for myself:

Toast topped with light herbed cream cheese, lots of sliced cucumber, cherry tomatoes and an Activia yogurt!

Things are going really well. I feel determined and remain full of conviction. But I must admit, I am looking forward to my first Cheat Day...hehe. I think I'll schedule it for some day next weekend. That will give me at least 9 great days under my belt and I have a feeling knowing that I've come that far will help me to resist going too crazy on Cheat Day. Going forward, I will get one Cheat Day a week but since I just got started on The Plan and I spent the last month having one prolonged Cheat Day, I'm going to give myself a good, solid start before the first one.

I'm actually not really worried about going overboard on Cheat Day, not that there would be anything wrong with that. While anything is allowed on Cheat Day, I truly feel like the "treat" on cheat day will be not having to write down what I've eaten and taking a day off from exercise. If I had the opportunity to pig out right now, I'd probably just have a big bowl of cereal some almond butter on toast or something. Go figure.

Day 2: Getting Into The Groove

Today was another good day.

I woke up to discover that I had already lost 2 pounds, which is great (and probably in no small part because of yesterdays starving session), but I'm not putting much of a stake in the loss. I'm only going to "officially" weigh myself once a week on the weekend so I can get an accurate picture of how the weight loss is going. It's too easy to get hung up on that little number, especially when it can change day by day and that change can be due to something as insignificant as an extra glass of water or a bowel movement.

I stayed really busy all morning which was a great distraction from eating. But when lunchtime rolled around, I was definitely ready to eat! I ended up using last night's leftover chicken - I chopped it up and mixed it with half a granny smith apple, some light mayo, and some Ingelhoffer stone ground mustard. This combo made an awesome chicken salad, which I paired with the other half of the apple.After lunch I went for a walk with my girlfriend and our babies, and it was then that I realized that I am SORE! I guess I'm starting to feel the burn from yesterday's run. But that didn't stop me from going again today. Because of my sore, stiff quads, today's run wasn't *quite* as much fun as yesterday's, but I still enjoyed it and it still felt good to get out there.

When I got home, I made a GIANT plate of stir-fried chicken breast and veggies (cauliflower, red pepper, onion, garlic, asparagus, mushroom and carrot) and actually felt full afterwards, for the first time since I started The Plan. I made rice for Husband and Baby Girl, but didn't eat any of it myself.And because of today's walk, run, and careful eating, I even had enough calories leftover to enjoy this tasty little snack with my green tea this evening, as I type this post:

Sweet!

Day 1: And So It Has Begun

My first day on The Plan went well; albeit a little confusing.

The best part of the whole day was my run. (And when I say run, note that I am following Hal Higdon's Beginning Runner's Guide so I am actually doing a combination of running, jogging and walking.) It was nothing short of exhilarating and when it was over, I actually wanted more. I can't wait to do it again tomorrow. It felt soooooo good.

I stuck to my caloric requirements all day long. I had a banana and a cup of pomegranate green tea before my run, two pieces of toast with light cream cheese and a huge plate of raw veggies for lunch, an Activia yogurt for a snack, and a crazy delicious salad with grilled chicken and quinoa for dinner. I thought about taking a picture of my dinner but it wasn't that pretty to look at and anyway I was too hungry to bother.

Which brings me to the confusing part of my day. After dinner, I found myself STARVING. Like, ready to eat cardboard starving. I checked my cool little iPhone program only to find that the exercise I logged didn't show up in my calorie allotment for the day. No wonder I was starving! So I fiddled with the program, and even emailed tech support and much to my surprise, I got a return email within a few minutes. Very impressive.

Anyway, I was able to get everything sorted out but even with the few extra calories to spare, I was (and am still) feeling very hungry. I am wondering if I may have been too ambitious in setting my weight loss goal at 6.5 pounds per month. I am going to stick it out today and see how I feel tomorrow. If I still feel this ravenous, then perhaps I will readjust my math a bit. I should also note that I am breastfeeding - not a lot, only 3-4 times a day - but that alone does demand a few extra calories. I'm not sure how many so I guess I better look that up. [Edit: Dr. Google tells me that breastfeeding burns 200-500 calories a day, but since I am only feeding 3-4 times a day, I am going to assume I am using about 100 and add that into my program starting tomorrow.]

I think it will likely take me a few days of messing around with my program, my goals and all my little bugaboos until I find the happy healthy weight loss balance I'm seeking. The most important thing, I think, is for me to stay adaptable and keep adjusting and readjusting until I get that balance just right.

But all in all, a great day. I am more inspired than ever, and it feels so good. Off to bed!