Two Pounds a Week

Moving Day

2009-11-11T19:59:00.000-08:00

Hey, guys! My new site is completed! I'm so excited, and I hope you will follow me over to twopoundsawk.com. I have tonight's post up there, and will be using that site from now on. I want to thank those who read my blog and leave encouraging comments. Words seriously can't describe how much you all have helped me throughout this weight-loss journey!

Tuna time

2009-11-11T12:30:00.000-08:00

Breakfast held me over incredibly well today. I wasn't hungry again until almost 11, so I ate a small snack to refuel before my workout:

7 celery sticks (yes, I'm weird and eat the leafy top too on the small, center pieces), and 2 tablespoons of Sabra Greek Olive Hummus. Fresh and filling!

I spent 30 minutes on the elliptical doing the weight-loss program (think lots of intervals), and rocked out to the likes of Black-Eyed Peas, FallOut Boy, Katy Perry, Lady GaGa and a few other of my keep-on-going favorites. Thank goodness for iPods -- I don't know how I'd work out without one! After a quick gulp of water, I did some strength training: bicep curls, squats, arm raises, push ups and crunches. I upgraded to 8-lb weights from 5'ers...feelin' the extra burn for sure!

Lunch was this plate of deliciousness:

I made a healthier version of tuna salad with:

2 oz. canned Starkist White Albacore tuna
2 oz. Greek Gods plain nonfat Greek yogurt
1 celery stalk, chopped
An onion quarter, chopped
2 tablespoons Diamond sliced almonds
2 tablespoons Athenos basil & tomato feta cheese
Few dashes of salt, pepper and organic cumin

This was my first time subbing yogurt for mayo, and while the first couple bites were a little different for me (kind of like trying sushi for the first time), I started to embrace the new flavors.

I toasted two pieces of Ezekiel bread, cut them in half and topped them with the salad. Open face sandwiches, to me, helps not mask the tastiness of the inside.

Wanna bite? :)

JD got off work early today (yay!), so I think we are going to go run some errands before taking Tex out for his daily walk. I still have to do some cleaning too -- I got distracted by blog reading and reruns of Everybody Loves Raymond. :)

Will post dinner this evening!

A change will do you good

2009-11-11T07:19:00.000-08:00

I went to see a nutritionist yesterday, and I practically skipped to my car after our session was over. I felt rejuvenated and inspired, and had all the materials for a brand spanking new food plan. As you may know, I've been working really hard for about 3 1/2 months, and haven't seen much of a downward budge on the scale. Surprisingly, the nutritionist said that may be due to not eating enough calories with all the exercise I do now. More food is fine with me! :) She suggested that I switch it up a bit and count calories instead of following the Weight Watchers plan. I'm getting out of my comfort zone -- I've been a Weight Watchers girl off and on for six years -- but I'm excited to do something different. Weight Watchers is an excellent plan, but I say if something isn't working for me, then I need to move on to something that will!

My target calories for days that I work out is 1400, and 1200 for days I don't. That's about 300 for breakfast, 400 for lunch and 500 for dinner, plus 2, 100-calorie snacks. (Which I will have to adjust for 1200-cal days) And of course I can mix up the calorie amounts if I plan to go out for a nice evening meal or need a bit more fuel in the morning. The best part? She gave me a free day once a month to eat whatever I like! Hello, Thanksgiving...drool...

To help me track everything and learn the calorie values for my favorite foods, I joined Sparkpeople. Anyone else a Sparky? My username is Megsgettinfit if you want to be friends :) I started using the food and exercise logs this morning, including tracking this healthy breakfast:

(Note: I am obsessed with this yogurt! I tried it for the first time the other day, and promptly went to the store to buy more. Loved the pineapple, and can't wait to try the plain and vanilla flavors!)

Yogurt bowl! I mixed the container of strawberry Chobani with 1/2 cup Kashi GoLean, plus 1 sliced banana and a few sprinkles of cinnamon. Scrumdidlyumptious! (And only 319 calories!)

Completed with a tall glass of chilled water and beautiful morning light streaming in the windows!

I'm off work today, so I'm about to get my exercise done, then super clean our house! And of course, spend time with this guy:

What a couch potato! :)

Lunch post to come later...

*Thanks to all our veterans and soldiers for your service and sacrifice*

Meg Makes It on Monday: Pizza bake

2009-11-09T18:25:00.000-08:00

I love pizza -- the gooey cheese, the endless array of toppings, the buttery crust. My, oh delicious my! But, I have looked up the Weight Watchers points values for my favorite pie -- pepperoni, extra cheese, mushrooms and black olives on regular crust, and let me tell you, the fat and calories ain't pretty! Ha Ha! So, with a few odds and ends from my kitchen, I came up with a recipe that to me, tastes a lot like one of my favorite Italian indulgences, sans crust. And I don't feel like a big grease ball is slugging along, only to finally settle on my hips. :)

Here's what I used (minus those browning bananas in the background. Ha!): Leftover Prego Heart Smart spaghetti sauce, Hormel turkey pepperoni, provolone cheese, two yellow squash, three zucchini and an onion. Of course, you can make this your own with different kinds of cheese, veggies and protein. Tofu crumbles, maybe?

Chop your veggies

Oh onion, you make me weepy!

Throw all the veggies in a pan and cook over medium heat until they look like this:

The husband wanted to make his side of the casserole dish a bit "manlier," so he added leftover organic noodles and a few meatballs. :) My part looks a little nakey!

Not anymore -- pour on those steamy veggies!

Add sauce (about 3 cups) and smooth with spoon

Layer with pepperoni

Cheese, please! We used six slices for the whole casserole

About 25-30 minutes in a 350-degree oven, and ta da:

Now that's amore!

A square about the size of one cheese round (a little over a cup) is 6 points. I did count and measure all my ingredients though, so it may vary a bit if you are a little more heavy-handed with the pepperoni and cheese. :) I did try a bite of the husband's noodle-laden side...it was really good too, if you have the extra cals to spend.

In other News...

I started Level 3 of Jillian Michaels Shred Challenge. My muscles are trembling just talking about it! Jumping jacks and butt kicks with weights?! I-N-S-A-N-E. I also walked two miles with JD and the pup, so that's 62 minutes of exercise for today!
Tomorrow, I'm going to see a nutritionist. I'm pretty pumped about it, and of course will share the full report. Hopefully, this gal can help me figure out a good plan to get this weight loss rolling. (Fingers crossed) Which means, I may be switching from Weight Watchers to something new -- we shall see.
We have several loads of laundry that need to go in the washer and dryer, and a cat who needs her medicine (we have scars from trying to give it to her the other day) so I better quit talking! :)

Have a great week!

Snoozin'

2009-11-07T08:20:00.000-08:00

While most people are out to dinner or having drinks with friends on a Friday night, I was asleep...at 8:30. Does this mean I'm getting old? I think so! Ha Ha! I guess staying up until midnight most days this week finally caught up with me and kicked me in the shins. So sorry for no Tucson finale yesterday! Here it is. I don't think I even need to put a bunch of words in this one, because the pictures speak for themselves. The brave guy is my uncle Danny, and the hot mama is my Aunt Teri. (Danny is her bro-in-law) She is undergoing her last chemo treatments (yay!) and is doing amazing. Loves her!

Before

After! What love!

I won't bore you with details of Monday -- it was traveling, Starbucksing (my own new word) and coming home to my sweeties. Food and liquids were in check, and I even got to briefly visit the Whole Foods store in Nashville. I can see why everyone goes ga-ga over it!! I will definitely have to go back.

Today is going to be a busy one! I'm about to get my workout on (elliptical and weights today) before getting ready for 3 parties -- a housewarming, and two birthday bashes. I thought I'd be out of town today, but since those plans fell through, I'm going to have a day-long celebration with friends and family. Fun, fun! Hope everyone has an awesome weekend!

Nice day for a Halloween wedding

2009-11-05T21:09:00.000-08:00

Saturday -- Day 3
I woke up bright and early (and feeling a lot better!) to another day of gorgeous weather -- perfect for an outdoor wedding! After a delicious breakfast of tea and an egg-white omelet with a little cheese and sliced orange pepper, (super proud of my flipping skills that morning!) we packed our stuff and get a head start on the 1-hour drive to East Tucson, where the wedding of my cousin, Ryan, and his lovely bride, Melissa, was soon to take place. The Hilton -- our digs for the night -- was elegant and tidy, and the beds were oh so heavenly! I'm still thinking about mine! :)

While we got ready for Ry and Mel's big day, the parents and I ordered some room service for lunch. Unfortunately we were so rushed, I didn't have time to take any pics, but my veggie wrap (think little chunks of squash, zucchini, and carrots, plus lettuce and tomato) and fruit salad was to.die.for. Nom, nom....

A lot of the family was already downstairs by the time we got ready, and our transportation to the wedding site soon showed up -- a yellow school bus! What a flashback to the days of chasing after one when habitually late me missed it by a block just about every morning my freshman year. My sister even bought me an alarm clock after my dad got mad at me for missing it for the bazillionth time one day. Ha Ha! I digress...

The ceremony was unique and beautiful. Ryan walked down to Justin Timberlake's "Sexy Back," and the groomsmen (donning soccer jerseys under their tux jackets since Mel and Ry met through a soccer league) strutted down the aisle to the theme song from Star Wars. It may sound weird, but it truly was perfect and made everyone laugh! And in true Halloween fashion, the sweet flower girl was dressed in a bunny costume -- too cute!

Kind of far away (I'm working on my picture taking skills...bear with me!) but I love the soccer ball! :)

After the ceremony, a beautiful table of appetizers was set out, but I was still pretty full from my wrap. I did, however, take advantage of the open bar with a couple of glasses of red. Wine and weddings seem to go hand in hand!

The reception hall looked fab in fall colors, and I loved the centerpieces.

Halloween candy, anyone? I skipped these too, which I think shows good progress. The old me would have gobbled up all those Hershey kisses even if I wasn't hungry.

Dinner was two kinds of pasta, breadsticks and grilled veggies. I ate it all, even though I should have left at least some on my plate. But it was too good to portion out! (And sorry for the lack of pics -- I was busy gabbing with family) Oh but the best part...

The CAKE!

This wasn't your usual white cake -- it was cuatro leches, which "begins with a vanilla sponge cake, coarser than American butter cakes but strong enough to hold up to the sauce of three milks poured over it. Then it is covered with a caramelized Swiss meringue and dotted with the arequipe or caramel sauce." (definition courtesy of Serious Eats) I have honestly never tasted a better dessert, but I still split my piece with my dad. If that isn't willpower, I don't know what is!

The rest of the evening was filled with dancing, visiting and maybe another glass or two of wine. :) It was fantastic!

Congratulations, Ryan and Mel! I wish you a lifetime of love and happiness!

Tomorrow's post will highlight my last day in Tucson. My uncle did something for my Aunt Teri, who is battling breast cancer, that was truly touching! Then it will be back to my usual blogging starting this weekend.

*My thoughts and prayers go out to the families who lost loved ones at Fort Hood today.*

Meds and Mexican Food

2009-11-04T19:22:00.001-08:00

Friday -- Day 2
On the second day of my Tucson travels, I woke up to howling dogs (my aunt has a slew of them!) and the worst sinus pain I think I've ever felt in my life. Not to mention my nose was running, and I was sneezing so much everyone was getting sick of saying, "bless you." Ha! I thought a cup of tea might tame the congestion a bit, so that was my breakfast.

Do you have one of these? I don't, but I definitely want one now! This electric tea kettle heated up water in no time. If it wasn't my aunt's, I might have snuck it in my suitcase. :)

Ah, comfort! This chai spice black tea didn't even need sugar it was so good!

None of us were really hankering for food just yet, so we got ready and headed to look for a med clinic for sickly me. Luckily, CVS had what they call a "minute clinic," and I got in to see a nurse practitioner and out with a prescription to treat my sinus infection in about 20 minutes. Who needs a doctor's office with that kind of service? :)

It was nearing lunchtime at this point, and what could be better to open the sinuses than some spicy Mexican food? We went to a restaurant called La Parilla Suiza, where we were promptly given a couple of baskets of chips and three kinds of salsa.

The green one was my fav!

I counted out a serving of chips and put them on a plate. It helps me from constantly dipping my hand into the basket and eating the whole thing!

I ordered shrimp tacos for my meal.

These babies were delicious! They didn't even need a dollop of sour cream. I ate every bite of them, but left all the rice and half the beans (subbed for the coleslaw). Most of the chips I counted out stayed on the plate too. I was full, but not stuffed, which is unusual for me when it comes to Mexican fare! Does that count as a small victory? :)

After lunch, my aunt took us to an upscale shopping area that made my mouth drop open. Tiffany's, Bebe, Crate & Barrel...and one of my favorites, a full-on Mac makeup store. Not a counter in a mall, but an actual venue filled with all kinds of fun (and expensive) face wear. I was giddy -- I LOVE makeup. Almost as much as I love shoes and handbags. What can I say -- I'm definitely not a tomboy! So, one of the sales girls helped me pick out some shadows that would bring out blue eyes. She even offered to give me a mini makeover, which of course I excitedly agreed to. I loved, loved the brown palette she picked out, and added a grayish/purple shade to the mix.

Before she talked me into chocolate liner and neutral lip gloss, we headed back to my aunt's house and made a quick and healthy dinner: salad, sauteed scallops and shrimp and leftover veggies. I noshed on cucumber wedges and a glob of jalapeno and cilantro hummus while everything was cooking.

And the perfect end to a great day?

Pure bliss!

Keep an eye out for tomorrow's post -- it's all about my cousin's Halloween wedding! The cake alone is worth reading about! Good night. :)

Feeling flighty

2009-11-03T19:04:00.000-08:00

Thursday -- Day 1
Delays...delays...delays. That's what the first day of my trip to Tucson to attend my cousin's wedding was full of!! I got up at the insanely early hour of 3:30 a.m. to be ready when my parents were supposed to pick me up at 5. (The husband didn't go this time. Tex sure was happy about that!) At 4:45 on the dot, I was dressed, packed and anxiously peeking out the window for their car to pull up in the driveway. I even took a few pics to pass the time:

Proof that I was not only ready on time, but early! That's a feat for habitually late me!

Self-portrait...you know you all take them! :)

Piper wanted to go too!

My mom failed to inform me that our flight was a little later than she thought, so they didn't end up getting to my house until 6 a.m. (Oh, to get that sleep back!) We loaded up my bag, I kissed my hubs and pup goodbye and we got on the road to make the 2-hour drive to catch our plane. (Flights are way too expensive at our airport!!)

I wasn't hungry at all until we got to the airport, so I tried to find something healthy and filling for breakfast. I didn't have to look too far...

Vanilla skinny latte (coffee is MANDATORY this early in the morning!)

And with these ingredients, I made one of my fav breakfasts -- a yogurt bowl!

Yum Yum!

Our flight was delayed due to bad weather in Dallas...boo! When we finally were able to board, I was feeling a little frazzled. No sleep, sinus meds and caffeine turn on the jitters! Plus, I'm not a huge fan of flying...at all. I guess it's something about being 30,000 feet or however high it is and not being able to turn off the ignition and get out if necessary. And have you ever tried to go to the bathroom?! Holy flush, Batman!

So, we got stuck on the runway for another 30 minutes before the pilot finally got us off the ground and on our way to Dallas. Due to the weather, (and inappropriately sharing all the details of his argument with the FAA over the speakers,) he took a different route. So what was supposed to be an hour and a half flight turned into three.

Get me out of here! Ha Ha!

We finally got to Dallas unscathed, but hungry. Thinking we didn't have much time before our next flight, we opted for takeout from TGI Friday's. (One of the places that had gluten-free items for my mom to eat.) Bunless burgers were recommended by the waitress, so we ordered those with side salads. I only ate half my burger though -- it was way too greasy! Blech. I didn't get a picture since we were wolfing down our food, but we soon learned there was no reason to...wait for it...yes, another delay. Good thing airports have fun gift shops! :)

We finally got to Tucson around 7:30, which is about 7 hours later than the time we were supposed to arrive. My aunt made us a beautiful filet mignon, rice and veggie dinner, but I was so tired, I barely had the energy to lift my fork, let alone take pictures. Not to mention the plane rides sent my sinuses into a tailspin...my face felt like a pressure cooker ready to pop! It was off to bed for me, with Sudafed in tow. We had some shopping to do the next day!

See my MAC makeover and how I kept a delicious Mexican meal properly portioned on Day 2 of my trip -- to come tomorrow!

Back in the South

2009-11-03T11:01:00.000-08:00

Hi, all! Sorry it's been awhile since my last post. When I went to Arizona, I also took a vacation from Facebook, e-mail and blogging. I have to say...It was nice to be technology-free for a few days. :)

I can't wait to share my trip with all of you later this evening. I had such an awesome time, despite a sinus infection that is still lurking in my ears (My sincerest apologies to all the people that have had to repeat themselves in my "good" lobe). I really worked hard in making good food choices, despite many delicious temptations that came my way. I didn't get in the vigorous exercise I wanted to, mainly due to the sinuses and many family activities, but luckily I did do a lot of walking! And I'm proud to say that for the first time probably ever in my adult life, I didn't gain weight while on vacation! Whoo hoo! I even stayed away from Eegee's, which is a huge accomplishment for me.

Moving on

I have some new, exciting things in store for my blog, and my food and fitness plan. More on that in later posts. Have a happy Tuesday!

Sneezy, snuffly me

2009-10-27T09:52:00.000-07:00

I'm feeling slightly better today after a round of Benadryl last night, and two DayQuil tabs this morning. Plus, I brought one of my favorite teas to work – Celestial Seasonings honey vanilla chamomile. Hot tea on a scratchy throat feels sooo good! I think I may have a third cup in a few. :) I don't have a fever, so I'm pretty sure I'm just having a bad bout with allergies, or possibly a sinus infection. JD and I traveled to Chattanooga, Tenn., on Sunday to finally have our pictures made, and our photographer, Dan, took us to one of the most beautiful mountains to snap a few shots. Maybe the change in altitude triggered my sinus troubles? If so, it was completely worth it. We got to see a lovely view of the city, and all of the trees were vibrant shades of red, gold and orange. GORGEOUS!! I hope the pictures turn out fantastic…I can't wait to see them in a couple of weeks.

My food and fitness plan hasn't suffered too much despite me feeling sickly. I finished Level 2 of the shred workout Saturday, so Level 3 is up next when I can breathe again and stop sneezing. :) Sunday, JD and I went for a brisk, 2-mile walk before we set out for Chattanooga, and boy, did we do some walking there! I think I impressed Dan by climbing a gigantic, steep hill in heels. Ha!

Meals have been pretty simple the past few days, with of course soup being one of my main dishes. Last night, I did eat a little hummus with celery. Sabra has a new one with artichokes and spinach in it. Anyone tried it yet? It was good, but the pine nut one is still my fav!

My apologies for a pretty mundane post. Hopefully, all this will clear up soon, and I'll feel like doing something other than burrowing under my covers. (Ah, bed…how I do miss you today…)

What kinds of things help you feel better when you are a bit under the weather?

Feeling...bleh

2009-10-26T16:39:00.000-07:00

I'm not feeling so hot today...sneezing, runny nose, sore throat -- you get the picture. I even came home from work early today and tried to get a little sleep. (Not easy with a happy puppy ready to play!)

I will hopefully be back to full-on bloggin' tomorrow. But for now, I'm going to soak up my husband's sympathy and head back to bed. I have to get well before my big trip to Arizona in a few days!

Hope everyone else is healthy and having a great start to the week!

No place like home

2009-10-22T13:14:00.000-07:00

I've lived in the South for almost 20 years now, and while I've picked up a bit of a twang, developed a love for sweet tea and say "ya'll" more times in a day than I'd like to admit, one place out West still feels like home – Tucson, Arizona.

I was born in Tucson and lived there until I was almost nine, when my dad got a job and announced we were moving across the country. My mom still talks about how mad I was about it, and that I didn't speak to her for several days. (Sorry for being bratty, mom!) I guess it was a pretty big change for me leaving my friends, school and extended family. And that's a whole lot of people on my mom's side! She has six (yes, that's right) brothers and sisters, and our family just keeps growing and growing. I have 16 cousins on that side, plus their spouses and children.

It was always a loud, fun, chaotic time growing up when we got everyone together for holidays or spent a Saturday swimming in the pool at my grandparent's house. I truly cherish and miss those days, especially since my grandmother passed away in 1997, and my grandfather died in April of this year. Next week, I will be making my first trip to Tucson since his memorial service to attend my cousin, Ryan's, wedding, and I know it is going to be tough not seeing him at such a special family event.

I miss you dearly!

Traveling is never a healthy time for me, because for some strange reason, I tend to think my exercise and food plan need some R&R also. :) But I am truly determined to stick with it and not go crazy on Eegee's pina colada and strawberry frozen drinks (ahh…want one now…)

Or delicious, authentic Mexican food

I don't even want to think about how many calories this gigantic steak burrito JD and I shared on one of our trips to AZ this year was...shudder...

I'm already planning some healthy snacks to pack for the 6+ hour flight, and I fully intend to take my Weight Watchers books and record my points as usual. As for exercise, there are tons of hiking trails to get my cardio on, and my aunt has a room full of gym equipment at her house. Good to go!

Do you stick with a food and fitness plan when you go on vacation? What kinds of things do you do to keep extra pounds from coming home with you?

A bride-to-be's birthday

2009-10-21T09:59:00.000-07:00

I promise this will be my last homage to my friends this week, but I couldn't go without wishing Jessica, a.k.a. the bride-to-be, a very happy birthday today! Not only is she smart, funny and an all-around excellent lady, but she also has taught me a few lessons in health and wellness throughout our (almost) 3-year friendship.

Stretching is always important, no matter where you are

Mind your portion sizes

Dancing is a great way to burn calories

Get in your daily exercise, even if you have to do it in a dress and heels!

When you want something bad enough, go after it

Those are some things to live by...Ha Ha! Have a great day, Jess!

***

On a side note, I realized yesterday that I completely forgot to do this week's edition of "Meg Makes It on Monday." All these birthdays have my brain scattered! I'll make up for it next week. Have an awesome Wednesday, everyone!

Happy Birthday, Margaret!

2009-10-20T10:00:00.001-07:00

"Each friend represents a world in us, a world possibly not born until they arrive, and it is only by this meeting that a new world is born."

-- Anais Nin

I'd like to dedicate today's post to my friend, Margaret, who is celebrating her birthday today. She and I have been friends since college, and were roommates the last two years of school. My weight gain began my sophomore year, and Margaret – being the awesome friend she is – supported me through an array of diets – Atkins, South Beach and The Zone just to name a few. Margaret was on the elliptical next to me at the gym several days a week, and we still laugh about the time she fell off the treadmill after becoming distracted by a guy with a super long mullet strutting his stuff. (I wish I had a picture!)

Through my break up with "The Germ," Margaret always had an ear to listen, a shoulder to cry on and finally, a foot to give me a swift kick in the behind to get me out of my months-long mourning and move on with my life. Several BAD relationships followed, and she was always there with tissues and good advice when they finally came to their conclusions. (And some dang good cosmopolitans! Ha!)

When I got married last year, Margaret made the 6-hour trip to serve as a bridesmaid in my wedding, which meant so much to me to have her there as I entered into one of the most important and joyous times of my life.

And I can't wait to see her marry the love of her life early next year!

So Margaret, if you are reading this, I hope you have a fantastic birthday, and thank you for being one of the greatest friends a girl could ever have! Here's to nine years and counting...rock on! :)

A beautiful, sunshine day

2009-10-18T19:25:00.000-07:00

It has been an absolutely busy few days! My husband returned Thursday night from his final (hopefully) business trip for awhile, and I feel like we've been going, going ever since. We've had so many errands to run and an under-the-weather baby dog to take care of (he's doing much better today, thankfully!) Plus, we got to have JD's sister over for brunch Saturday, which was so nice since we don't get to see her very often, and we attended a birthday/going away party for my co-worker's husband, who will be leaving for a year and a half tour to Afghanistan in December.

Another thing that's been going, going? RAIN! I was so excited to see some sun peaking out of our blinds this morning after a solid week of showers. I haven't worked out since Thursday, partly due to pulling a muscle in my shoulder -- ouch! I've been trying to recoup it with rest, meds and heat patches, and I think it is finally coming around.

I definitely didn't want to waste such a gorgeous day inside, so after church and lunch at JD's grandmother's house, we took Tex to a local disc golf course. If you don't know what disc golf is, think regular golf, but with small Frisbees instead of balls and baskets in place of holes. I'm not really good at the game, but I thought it would be a good chance to do some interval running while JD polished his throwing skills. :) The course is about 1.5 miles, so as we made it around, I'd walk, jog, then sprint to our next throwing point. I actually really enjoyed it, even though I'm not much of a runner, and Tex had a blast catching leaves and marking his "territory." Ha Ha!

Dinner tonight was all about leftovers. We had a slew of veggies (i.e. one zucchini, half a bag of broccoli, a quarter of an onion, etc.) that needed to be cooked, so I made a big stir-fry.

And this guy grilled burgers:

Cooks AND cleans -- what a keeper! :)

I had some sweet potato wedges I made earlier this week in the fridge, so JD and I split them to complete our meal. For being mainly leftovers, everything tasted surprisingly fresh. And, I love not wasting food -- we are guilty of dumping fridge odds and ends in the trash way too much!

What are some great dishes you've made with leftovers lately? Let me know!

Getting this party started

2009-10-14T10:14:00.000-07:00

I've been weeding through a lot of articles, Internet sites and of course, all your wonderful blogs, the past few days to try to find some helpful tips and tricks to get my weight loss going. I've only lost a pound and a half in about 2 ½ months, and while I have had many non-scale successes throughout the process, (i.e. I actually woke up early yesterday morning and worked out!) I'm thinking like singer, Pink, and am "ready to get this party started right now!" Yeah!

Everything I'm reading seems to say the same thing: less calories, more movement equals weight loss (anyone else saying duh here?) But what if someone is following that equation, and still isn't seeing any minus signs? Yes, I've had a few splurges over the past few months, but I've been sticking with Weight Watchers on a pretty consistent basis and working out for at least 45 minutes every day. I talked it over with my husband and mom, and through the discussions, and my Internet research, a few light bulbs went off for me as to why I may be experiencing a stall.

I'm stressing too much about the scale. I have to admit, when I work hard on the food and fitness plan all week, then get on the scale and don't see any difference, I get pretty down about it. And we all know stress isn't good for the body! (Read this article from WebMD about the correlation between stress and weight gain.) Combining the scale anxiety with work, having my husband traveling for a total of 6 weeks over the past few months, family health issues, etc., is probably not helping me stay too "Zen." So, first and foremost, I'm putting away the scale. It is too tempting to have it sitting right there in the bathroom when I'm headed to the shower, so its new home will be our hallway closet. I'm not going to say I won't weigh myself anymore, but at least I won't go through what feels like a weekly beating.

I'm not getting enough sleep. I was surprised by the findings of several studies done a few years ago that found that people who sleep two to four hours a night are 73 percent more likely to be obese than those who get seven to nine hours. Those who get five or more hours of sleep a night are 50 percent more likely to be obese than normal sleepers. Those who sleep six hours are 23 percent more likely to be obese. Makes me want to go home and take a nap! HA HA! I have always been a bit of a night owl, and I think the increased exercise has given me a lot more energy. More nights than not, I find myself wide awake past midnight, and I even when I do finally drift off, I end up waking up at 3:30 a.m. on the dot and not being able to get back to sleep for a good hour or so. Maybe a good dose of turkey or Sleepytime tea may help me get some better rest?

Am I drinking enough water? I keep gallons of water handy at my desk, and have several glasses while at home, but I don't really keep track of how much I'm drinking. The Mayo Clinic recommends the standard 8, 8-ounce rule, but they say number of factors (exercise, environment) can influence your target water intake. I think I'm going to have to pull out my trusty Nalgene bottle with the handy dandy ounce counter on the side for awhile to make sure I'm keeping up with my fluids!

I do the same exercise routine every day. While I'm starting to love the results I'm seeing (more-defined legs, flatter belly) from Jillian Michaels shred challenge and my usual walk/jog with the pooch, I do wonder if doing the same exercise routine every day is causing more harm than good. Dr. Patrika Tsai over at healthcentral.com says, "When you do the same exercises each day, your body becomes more efficient at performing them, and you may not see as much change in weight loss or muscle strengthening as you experienced when you first started. Adding new exercises will often allow you to develop parts of your body that may not already be targeted by the activities you are currently doing." That's some good advice! I do want to finish the shred, but I'm definitely going to incorporate some new workouts to my current mix. Volleyball has been on hiatus for two weeks, so I'll be glad when that starts up again. I'm also going to look into some aerobics classes (something I've been saying I'm going to do for awhile now), and do more intervals of running while out on my walks.

I may be eating too many carbs. On the way to work this morning, I was listening to a radio station that had a health and fitness expert on as a guest. (Ironic!) A lady phoned in to ask her about her own weight loss probs, and one of her suggestions was to not eat a lot of carbs at night. I'm going to try to keep dinners more protein-veggie strict for awhile and see what happens, and eat earlier in the evening. 9 p.m. probably isn't a good time to have a bowl of spaghetti, portion controlled or not. :)

Maybe a few modifications will get me on the road to reaching my goals. I hope anyone who is struggling as well will find this information helpful, and any other tips and tricks are much appreciated. Best of luck to all of us! :)

If you do the wine, you've got to do the time

2009-10-12T16:25:00.000-07:00

Well, I managed to make it through Jessica's bridal shower without shoving maidzilla into a closet. :) It was a really nice party, and Jessica said she loved everything. I was so nervous about making several dishes because I'm not used to cooking for crowds, but I luckily got rave reviews on the egg and sausage and hashbrown casseroles. Whew! I sampled them myself, and I have to say they were pretty yum. If you would like the recipes, e-mail me at twopounds2@yahoo.com. (Warning: While delicious, these aren't the healthiest of dishes. Ha!) Along with pumpkin bread, sausage balls, fruit and a few Mimosas, I was stuffed!

Mimosa and punch table

Shower game gifts -- very fall appropriate!

Digging in

The happy bride-to-be -- that smile was worth all the work!

I have to say I wasn't on my best portion behavior Saturday or Sunday night. Some friends and I went out for Mexican food Saturday night, and while my tacos weren't too bad in calories, the chips and cheese I scarfed down sure were!

Sunday I did pretty good eating wise, and took Tex for an hour walk. But that night, I had a couple of glasses of wine, and WAY too many pita chips and pine nut Sabra hummus. Seriously, that hummus could lead to addiction!

So to make up for a few days of overeating, I enrolled myself in my very own boot camp today. I did 40 grueling minutes of Jillian Michaels' shred workout, and by the end of it, I was so shaky and my face was six shades of red! I was proud of myself though -- I didn't think I'd be able to get through the first 20 minutes, let alone a second round, but I just pushed through it. I followed that with two miles of walking with Tex. I almost shortened that workout too because my legs were so tired, but in true boot camp style, I wouldn't let myself take the easy way out. Hopefully, my efforts today erased some of the mistakes of yesterday. :) I'm learning through this process that I'm not always going to be perfect, and that's ok. There will be times that I eat too much or skip a workout, but I can't dwell on it and get down on myself. I just have to move forward and concentrate on making good choices for the day ahead.

Meg Makes It on Monday

I actually made tonight's "Meg Makes It on Monday" meal last night for dinner, but it was so good, I still wanted to share it. My coworker, Janet, gave me a recipe for chicken enchilada soup awhile back, and it has become one of my favorite cool-weather suppers. (And man, was it chilly last night! Brr...) I altered it a bit and used ground turkey instead of chicken, but I think any protein (i.e. ground beef, tofu) would work in this dish:

4 oz. light Velveeta cheese
10 oz. chopped chicken breast (boiled without skin)
1 medium onion (chopped)
2 cans niblett corn (undrained)
2 cans pinto beans (I used organic beans)
1 28 oz. can diced tomatoes
1 can Rotel
1 tsp garlic pepper

Mix all ingredients except cheese. Simmer 30 minutes. Stir in cheese and let simmer until cheese melts.

The recipe says 1 cup equals about two Weight Watcher points.

Enjoy!!

I'm sad to see my three-day weekend come to a close. :( But it's always nice to have a short work week. Hope everyone has a great one!

Casseroles and cider and maidzilla...oh my!

2009-10-08T18:56:00.000-07:00

Happy Thursday, all! I don't know about you, but I am ready for the weekend...I think. :) I'm pumped that this is a three-day break from work (thanks, Columbus!), but I am a bit apprehensive about my Saturday morning plans. My friend, Jessica, whom I've mentioned many times on this blog, is having a fall-themed bridal brunch that I happily agreed to help with. I mean, what are friends (and bridesmaids) for? I have to give her some major credit -- she has been one easy going bride-to-be since the day Michael put that gorgeous ring on her finger:

ROCKin! Jessica's bling is on the right.

Now Jessica's maid of honor being easy going? Not so much. From day one of planning this shindig, this woman, who I am sure is a perfectly sane, nice person under normal circumstances, has been soooo bossy and blunt, Lori (our friend and fellow bridesmaid that I also talk about all the time) and I have dubbed her "Maidzilla." Some of her bizarre antics include:

Nixing every food, drink and decoration Lori and I have suggested
Sending out invitations to everyone BUT me (accident? I think not!) Also, Jessica said no pink. Guess what color the invite was. :)
Ordering me to pick up her bridesmaid dress without so much as a please or thank you (where's Emily Post when you need her?)
Having people RSVP to her, yet not writing any of the names down, so we have no idea how many people to prepare for.
Forbidding any games to be played (We are going to have three anyway...she just doesn't know it yet. HA HA!)
Putting her nose up to free stuff (Lori's hubs works for Sara Lee and offered to hook us up with a super delicious assortment of breads) because bagels are "too continental breakfast." For a girl that hasn't paid a dime for one moursel of the food, she sure has some strong opinions about it!

The list could go on, however, I think you get the picture on just how impossible Ms. Maidzilla is being to poor Lori and I. But, remembering that this day is for our friend whom we must really like to put up with some breakfast B-S, I put my bad feelings aside and went grocery shopping for all the ingredients for my part of the eats and drinks: egg and sausage casserole, hashbrown casserole, hot apple cider and most important, Mimosas! Lori and I may have to down a truckload of these before going over to help set up. HA HA! I don't want to splurge too much and ruin the good week I've had, so it's going to be all about control...portion control that is! I've practiced that a lot today, starting with a PB and banana sandwich on Ezekiel bread.

This isn't a very attractive pic with the crumbly paper towel and all, but the sandwich was yum and filling...I didn't feel hungry again until lunch! Lori was kind enough to pick up Chinese for our mid-day meal, and even though I could have eaten my entire box of beef and broccoli, I kept it to a cup (only 4 WW points), with 1/2 cup steamed rice (2 points) and a cup of hot and sour soup (also 2 points). I did splurge and have two of Lori's cream cheese wontons, and yeah, they were worth every bite (I had to guesstimate on the points for these...5-6?) We kind of rushed through lunch, so I forgot to take pics, but Lori and Jessica can vouch for me that I kept my portions in check. :)

I wanted something simple and quick for dinner, so while I was shopping for shower goods, I stumbled across these in the deli section:

chicken and Swiss pinwheels -- so good!

I had four of these, along with a serving of jalapeno chips and a cup of carrots. Spicy mustard is that blob on the side.

I also had another session with Jillian...it's still hard, but I think I'm getting better! I actually looked forward to it tonight instead of dreading it. I doubt I'll say that in a few days when I start Level 3. :)

So here's what I want to hear from you about: Have you ever had to deal with a bridezilla or maidzilla? What kinds of things did they do to get you frazzled?

Body for baby

2009-10-06T18:51:00.000-07:00

So yesterday, I said I was going to talk about the number one reason I want to lose weight. I'm sure you've all figured it out by the title of this post -- the husband and I are thinking about trying for a family early next year! While I don't have a lot of weight to lose, (23 lbs to be exact after having a discussion about a good "number" to shoot for with my nurse practitioner today...more on that in a min!) I want to make sure that I'm as fit and healthy as possible for our future baby. But until then, we still have our "starter" child:

Tex when we first got him at 8 weeks old! I am one proud mama! Ha!

Most of my life, I wasn't even sure I wanted kids. Anytime I would hear a baby whining about candy in the grocery store or banging spoons on the table in a restaurant, it convinced me a little more to scratch "be a mom" off my to-do list. But then, in 2004, my anti-maternal wall came crumbling down when my sweet niece, Kristen, was born. Elizabeth and Presley further reduced the rock to rubble when they came into the world a few years later. All of the sudden, instead of running far, far away from anything related to babies, I was shopping for Dora dolls and offering to babysit (something I never enjoyed doing in my teen years). I feel like being an aunt has been a great way to test the waters so to speak into motherhood, and after being around these precious girls, I think I'm almost ready to jump in.

It may be somewhat sooner than JD and I had originally discussed, but I found out before we got married last year that I have a cyst on my uterus, which may make it difficult for us to have kids. I've had two doctors tell me that if I want to have one child, let alone a second, we better push our family plans up on the calendar. But we both believe that we will have a child if God intends for us to, and we want to wait until we feel confident to do so. And with extra weight on, I don't feel like my body is ready for baby. But hopefully, with continued efforts in the food and fitness department, it will be soon.

As I said earlier, I talked with my nurse practitioner today about my slow weight loss. I initially spoke with her about it over the summer, before I started this little blog, and she ran several tests, took some blood, etc., to make sure everything was working A-OK. I did find out I have a Vitamin D deficiency, (taking vitamins for that now) but my thyroid and glucose levels were just grand. She asked questions about what I eat, how often I exercise, and concluded that I'm on the right track to getting to my 23-pound-gone goal. Metabolism medicine isn't an option for me, due to my history with heart palps, and I have to honestly say I was a little disappointed. Working this hard with no change on the scale has been frustrating, and having a "push" to get my weight loss moving was something I was secretly hoping for. But now that I've had time to mull it over, I'm glad I didn't leave the doctor's office with a prescription. Hard or not, this is my battle, and I've got to figure out what weapons work best to fight it. My NP advised me to do more strength training (30-45 minutes), so that will be goal #1. I already do about 10 minutes with Jillian every day, but I may have to seek out some additional workouts each week to give my muscles the optimum workout.

Any suggestions -- great DVDs, online videos, classes?

Squash happens

2009-10-05T18:20:00.000-07:00

For tonight's installation of "Meg Makes It on Monday," I had all plans (and ingredients) to make spaghetti squash and meat sauce. I got the delicious idea from Jen over at Prior Fat Girl, and I was really looking forward to preparing a veggie I've never cooked before. I took my medium-sized squash out of its produce bag, and some kind of stinky juice got all over my hands. Not good! I found the culprit: a leaking, bruised spot smack on the bottom of the squash. The stench was so strong, I had no choice but to take it straight out to the garbage can. I'm disappointed, and I hate buying produce and one day later, discovering their hidden rottenness. I should have taken it back, but I didn't want my car to smell like a port-o-potty at a rock concert. ICK!!

So, I regretfully made something else: Italian turkey sausage links, sauteed onions and green peppers and a strawberry spinach salad.

I have to say I wasn't wild about the sausage. It tasted a bit like black licorice to me, and I am definitely not a fan of that! But the salad was tasty (and pretty):

This may look and sound like a weird combination, but I really liked all these flavors together: spinach, strawberries, mushrooms, avocado, purple onion and a drizzle of balsamic dressing. I would have taken a big plate of this over the sausage any day! I used to keep fruit far away from the bowl when it came to salads, but I'm starting to embrace it...slowly. :)

I hope to make it to the grocery store tomorrow to purchase another squash. I'd really like to taste the difference between veggie "noodles" and regular ones for spaghetti. Saving calories and Weight Watcher points here and there with yummy substitutes are tops in my book!

Another thing on tomorrow's agenda: paying my doctor a visit. I made an appointment with her to discuss my S-L-O-W weight loss over the past few months, and I hope she can help me with getting it going in the right direction. More on that, and the number 1 reason I want to get the weight off, in another post!

Well, I've procrastinated long enough...Jillian is yelling at me from the DVD player to get up and do tonight's shred workout. Have a good night, all!

Whirlwind weekend

2009-10-04T14:18:00.000-07:00

I can't believe it is Sunday already...this weekend went by lightning fast! JD and I have had a wonderful few days together, and got so much accomplished. When I got home from work on Friday, I wanted to get my workout out of the way, so I quickly changed and completed my last day of Level 1 of Jillian Michaels shred challenge. I ended up sleeping in Friday morning (must make getting out of bed early a goal for this week), so no two workouts to make up for Thursday's day off. JD and I did take Tex out for a brisk, 2-mile walk after I got done with the shred, so I guess that could count as an extra workout. :) But I'm going to add a day somewhere so I will have a full 30 days with Ms. Michaels. I didn't take pictures of Friday's meals, but I didn't do too bad: Yogurt with toppings for breakfast; 1/2 cup chicken salad over greens and veggies for lunch; and grilled steaks, baked french fries and steamed asparagus for dinner. I did have a small piece of ice cream cake in celebration of someone's birthday at work, but it was only a few bites. (Even though I was tempted to lick the bowl. HA!)

Saturday, the husband and I slept a little longer than we intended (think 10:15!), but we still got a ton of chores done around the house after this quick but yummy breakfast:

Grilled turkey, bacon and cheese sandwich on Ezekiel bread, with lettuce and tomatoes, and a side of frozen berries. The turkey and bacon were both hormone free!

In between weeding the flower bed, doing dishes and laundry, putting the last few things in our new china cabinet and helping the husband clean the back porch, I managed to do Day 1 of Level 2 of the shred. I had a hard time keeping up with all the moves, and it is definitely more difficult than the introductory level. I mean, walking push ups?! AHHH! I took the dog out after I finished my workout, but I was so shaky and tired, we only did a mile. Hopefully it will get somewhat easier (yeah, right!) I took the husband to Outback for dinner last night (his choice), and I got some great tilapia with mushroom sauce and veggies. I was a bit too full afterwards, so I probably should have boxed up half the fish. Oh well!

Today, I had some me time and went shopping alone. My friend Jessica's bridal shower is next Saturday, so I was hoping to find a cute dress to wear to it. I didn't see anything I really liked in the dress department, but I did buy some fall-appropriate shirts that are pretty cute. And, I didn't get stuck this time. HA HA! I also got my grocery shopping done, and loaded up on some great eats for this week. I'm excited about tomorrow's "Meg Makes It on Monday" meal! :)

I'm about to do Day 2 of Level 2 of the shred -- say a prayer for me! :) Hope everyone had a fantastic weekend!

Walking for Teri

2009-10-01T19:53:00.001-07:00

In an earlier post, I talked about my aunt, Teri, who was recently diagnosed with Stage 2 breast cancer. I said I was soon going to participate in the Pink Ribbon Walk in her honor, and today was the day! Breast Cancer Awareness Month activities were in full swing when I got to the office this morning, including a vendor fair with all kinds of pamphlets and displays with helpful tips on self detection and prevention; a presentation by a well-respected oncologist; and finally, the Pink Ribbon Walk around our cluster of buildings. Speaking of pink, I've never seen so much of one color in my life! T-shirts, decorations -- even the ice cream was a shade of blush. Love it!

I had a little cup of strawberry, and it was mmm...mmm...delicious! I'm glad these treats were all the way out in the lobby, or I may have had another. :)

I have to say, despite the sugar high from the ice cream, the whole day was pretty emotional for me. I was having a hard time keeping the tears at bay during the presentation, because every time I heard the word cancer or chemo, I'd think about what Teri is going through. But taking the walk lifted my spirits, because so many of the ladies participating are breast cancer survivors...and I know Teri is going to beat this too!

Walking for a good cause -- look at all the pink tops!

Me after completing the walk -- loved these ribbon flags! Teri, you may be seeing one of these in the mail. :)

With all the breast cancer awareness activities, an almost two-hour meeting and a mountain of e-mails to return, I was deliriously tired when I got home. I haven't slept well all week, and I think it is finally catching up to me. So, even though I'm sure most people won't agree with this, I gave myself permission to take the night off. No counting points, no workouts -- just some much-needed R&R. Our china cabinet came today, so JD and I had a nice evening filling it with wedding memorabilia, trinkets and other things that were begging to be let out of dusty boxes, and then we went out to dinner. I didn't do too shabby even on my one-night strike -- broccoli and cheese soup, which I didn't finish all of, and a single trip to the salad bar.

I know I will have Jillian Michaels to deal with later, but I plan to do two workouts tomorrow to make up for it. I just have to make sure I get my buns out of bed when the alarm goes off. Hopefully one of these daily from now on will help with the sluggishness:

Anyone else taking a multivitamin?

I'm off to curl up under my extra blanket and enjoy some Zzzzs! Night!

I still get butterflies

2009-09-30T14:10:00.000-07:00

Tonight, I get to see this handsome man:

JD has been in Texas for almost a week visiting friends and rocking out at a Metallica concert (so NOT like him, but I'm proud of his willingness to try new things. Smile), and I am uber excited that he is on his way home. Not to mention, I have many leftovers sitting in the fridge from cooking up a storm this week that need to be eaten ASAP. Ha Ha! He was a little disappointed I made the bacon and scallop pasta without him, but luckily, there's still a huge helping with his name written all over it. Pasta seems to be better a couple days later anyway; don't you agree?

I changed purses this morning and forgot to pack my camera, so no pictures of today's eats. They would be basically the same as yesterday though. I'm a bit of a creature of habit, and I don't like to waste food, so I had another helping of yogurt, fruit and Kashi for breakfast. I did, however, sneak in another ingredient: homemade strawberry jam. My sister, Tiffany, made a big batch the last time she came for a visit, and being the sweetheart she is, didn't mind sharing the goods. I have several little tubs of the terrific topper in my freezer, so I thawed one and swirled a heaping tablespoon into my yogurt. What a difference! I loved the added sweetness – it was kind of like eating pie for breakfast, but without the guilt. Ha Ha! Lunch was another taco salad, but I used less meat and more beans this time. Fiber, good!

Exercise tonight also will be pretty much the same. Day 8 of Jillian Michaels shred challenge and a spastic dog await me. I will add a little variety to my workout routine later this week when I try an aerobics class! I'll talk more on that in another post.

I can't believe tomorrow is the first of October! This year has gone by in a wink. But I have so many events coming up that will be a great finish to 2009 – tailgating, Jessica's barrage of wedding festivities and big day in December, pictures with the husband, trip to Tucson for my cousin's wedding, my 29th birthday (ok, so maybe I'm not too excited about that…last year in my 20s!), and holidays, holidays! Knowing that I have to fit in a bridesmaid dress in a few short months is definitely motivation to keep, in the words of Fergie, "workin on my fitness."

What event/occasion coming up serves as your motivation to stick to a food and exercise plan? Let me know!

You're losing weight...

2009-09-29T18:33:00.000-07:00

...that's what my coworker and friend, Monique, said to me when I sleepily walked in the office this morning. Those three little words were exactly what I needed to hear after a discouraging day yesterday. I want to thank everyone, including Tina and Brittany, for their kind words and suggestions. It is truly appreciated! And I was so excited today when I put on a pair of fall-appropriate corduroys that were borderline too tight last year, and they were surprisingly loose. So I guess another thanks is in order to Jillian Michaels for kicking my butt everyday with the shred challenge. Only three more days to go until Level 2! (Insert blood-curdling scream here) I also have to give a few kudos to Jessica for walking with me around our buildings at lunch, and to my dog for begging me to take him out when I got home. We went another 2 miles today, so I already have 4 for the week (plus however far Jess and I trekked)! Is this starting to sound like an Oscar speech or what?! Ha!

Here's a few pics of today's meals. I didn't go over my allotted Weight Watchers points, and I'm feeling satisfied instead of stuffed. I drank a barrel of water too!

Breakfast was 1/2 cup organic plain yogurt, 1 cup frozen organic berries and 1/2 cup Kashi GoLean Crunch. I think I may thaw the fruit a bit before adding it to the yogurt next time, but it was still really good and filling! Beverages were water and lime La Croix. And yes, that is a yo-yo in the background...a little fun is in order sometimes when you live in a cube! :)

Lunch was leftover WW bacon and scallop pasta. I added some broccoli and cauliflower for a little more color and vitamins.

Snacks included a juicy apple mid-morning from this bunch. I got a big bag of these for $4! I also noshed on this when I got home:

Yummy plum!

Since I had a starchy lunch, I went for a lower-carb dinner option: taco salad. Iceberg, tomatoes, 1/4 cup black beans, a few pieces of avocado, one slice of Colby-Jack cheese, sprinkle of olives, two dollops of Daisy sour cream, and of course the best part, organic, grass-fed ground beef. I don't know if I can ever buy meat from a grocery store after tasting hormone-free beef. I definitely recommend it if you don't mind paying a few extra dollars -- every bite is worth it!

Tonight is the premiere of The Hills! I didn't really watch it last season, but with the new girl in town (Kristen Cavallari), I'm anxious to see what kind of drama unfolds. I know, it's bad reality TV, but as Miranda says in Sex and the City, "It's my thing, let it go!" Ha Ha! Have a great night!

Meg Makes It on Monday: Bacon and scallop pasta

2009-09-28T20:49:00.000-07:00

I love some good Italian food every now and then, and luckily, Weight Watchers doesn't mind it either. :) I still had all the ingredients I bought last week for bacon and scallop pasta from WW's cookbook, "Take 5: 150 Five-Ingredient Recipes." So to shave a few bucks off our grocery bill, I thought I'd go ahead and make it for my Monday menu.

This dish was light, flavorful and had just the right amount of onion and bacon. But really, what doesn't taste good with bacon? Ha! I wanted to get some more veggies in for the day, so I altered the recipe a bit and added asparagus and zucchini. I would have preferred fresh scallops over frozen, since mine were on the small side and took a long time to thaw, but all in all I'd give the pasta a 9 out of 10. And, it was only 4 points per cup! I wish I could share the recipe, (dang those copyright laws) but next week, I promise to make something that allows me to post the ingredients and instructions. Here's a few snaps from tonight's dinner:

Chopping an O...can you see one of the other main ingredients in the background? :)

Multitasking at its finest. Ha! Browning the scallops and boiling water to cook the penne

I heart asparagus!

Cooking the veggies -- onion as the recipe called for, with asparagus and zucchini that Meg called for. :)

Ta Da! Finished, with a couple of sprinkles of Parmesan on top. As our kitchen chef (I accidentally cut him off in the photo) says, "Bon Appetit!"

******

As far as exercise goes, I did really good today. I walked 2 miles with Tex, and I finished Day 6 of Jillian Michaels 30-day shred challenge. I fought with myself on whether or not I was going to do the workout, but ultimately, the determined me won. :)

I am feeling a little discouraged, because I weighed myself this morning, and I'm the exact same as I was when I first started this whole process at the end of July. I thought I'd be at least 10 pounds lighter at this point, and I'm not sure what I'm doing wrong. I considered just taking a break tonight and not completing the workout, but giving up isn't going to get me anywhere. And I know despite the stagnant weight loss, I am doing good things for my body. I just wish the scale would recognize all my efforts.

Is anyone else having or had a difficult time "jumpstarting" their weight loss? What did you do to get it going?

Lovely Day

2009-09-27T13:32:00.000-07:00

What a nice surprise this morning to wake up to sunshine!! It's been at least a week of heavy showers here, so when I peeked out the blinds and saw blue skies, it made the day all the better. The pup must have sensed the rain had ceased because he was looking longingly out the window, and was literally jumping up and down when I said the word, "walk." Ha Ha!

The temperature was absolutely perfect for some outdoor exercise, so Tex and I went about 2.5 miles. I also completed Day 5 of Jillian Michaels 30-day shred challenge. I'm still huffing and puffing my way through it, but I do feel like I'm keeping up a little better with each workout. My goal is to move up to Level 2 by Day 10, then Level 3 on Day 20. I can't wait to see how my figure is going to change throughout this process. My friends told me when we went out Friday for Lori's birthday that I definitely look smaller. My heart melts a little any time I hear that. :) (Thanks, Lori and Jess!)

Jessica, Lori and I at Lori's birthday dinner

Another thing that melts my heart -- good deals. I mentioned in Friday's post that Lori and I were going to an auction on Saturday. We met there around 4 p.m., and I'm so glad the rain didn't deter us from going! Being a bit of a competitor, this was the perfect activity for me. There were so many great antiques, china, pictures, old iron toys, and plenty of people there eager for a good bargain. The husband and I have been on the search for a china cabinet for our dining room, and low and behold, there was a beautiful one there that was almost the exact color of our table! It took awhile for the piece to go up for bid, but when it did, I was ready. It took some convincing from Lori for me to make my final offer, but when I did, the other bids ceased, and the auctioneer yelled, SOLD! YES!! I can't wait to fill it with special glassware, plates and other things when it arrives later this week. I got an amazing deal too, because all the similar ones I found online were 4-5 times more than what I paid for it. I will have to share some pics when we pick it up.

Have you gotten a great deal on something recently? Hope everyone has a good week!

Oh, the soreness!

2009-09-25T13:26:00.000-07:00

Last night, I had a blast playing volleyball! I thought I was just going for a practice, but it turned out we were actually playing matches with not just one, but two teams. (Thanks for telling me, hubs!) I think I did pretty well considering my 10-year hiatus from the game. I made most of my serves, and I even spiked a ball that didn't get returned! Score! We played for a good 2 hours or so, so by the time we got home, I was sweaty and exhausted. But, true to my word, I still trudged through Day 2 of Jillian Michaels 30-day shred challenge. The second time around seemed more tiring and tough than the first, but I'm sure the lingering soreness from Day 1 and playing in a muggy gym for several hours had something (or everything) to do with it.

Today, I have a serious exercise hangover. I am hobbling around like a 90-year-old grandma. It feels like every muscle I have is aching, and my arms are splattered with bruises from slamming a ball around. But while I may not be faring the best physically, emotionally, I'm super. I'm really sticking to the workouts, and I'm feeling leaner and healthier. I think others can see a difference as well. Last night, our friend, Amy, who also plays on our team, said, "Wow, you look like you've lost 10 pounds!" I wanted to give her a big bear hug! It's nice when you are working so hard to hear things like that – truly motivating! I may weigh myself on Monday to see how I'm faring, but I don't want to get discouraged if I've only lost a pound or two. I may need to take some measurements, because inches count too!

I'm going to complete Day 3 of the challenge tonight before heading out for my friend, Lori's, birthday bash. Since I have already been to the restaurant we are dining at, I have a menu item in mind that won't break the calorie bank: ahi tuna. I still haven't had ahi that tasted as heavenly as the fish I sampled at the Black Dog Tavern on our honeymoon in Martha's Vineyard, (for anyone visiting the island, seriously, get the ahi tuna. It is a food fantasy come true!) but the tuna at this eatery is pretty darn close.

Moi at the Black Dog Tavern in Martha's Vineyard, Mass. I'm probably thinking, "that's the best tuna I've ever had!"

Tomorrow, I will be doing something besides shredding: antiquing! Lori and I are heading to an auction, where I will hopefully find the perfect curio cabinets for our dining room. I have some very pretty things that deserve a nice home over boxes. :)

Hope everyone has a great weekend!

Just as long as I don't sit the bench

2009-09-24T14:17:00.000-07:00

My baby dog, Tex

My husband joined a volleyball team that a few of our friends are on, and for weeks, he has been trying to get me to play. I wasn't particularly against the idea, but our sweet dog (a.k.a. my child) stays home by himself all day while we are at work, so we try not to make too many plans in the evenings during the week. But, the strong-willed husband found a way for both of us to enjoy a little v-ball, while keeping the pooch happy and exercised. The way, you ask? Doggy daycare.

I know it sounds incredibly crazy, but for the low price of $7, Tex gets to sniff and wrestle around with all sorts of new friends. And with an abundance of play time, we don't feel enormous pangs of guilt leaving him alone for a few hours one night a week. I have zero excuses now not to play, so tonight, I will be partaking in my first practice.

I'm a little nervous about getting back in the game, since I haven't spiked or served a ball since my high school days of playing the sport. (And even then, I wasn't that good. Ha!) But, I was eager to get on the court when I went to watch my friend, Lori's, game, so hopefully I can dust off some of my old skills and be good enough to not ride the bench the entire night.

Since we will be leaving soon after I get home from work, Jillian Michaels will have to wait until volleyball is over. I have never felt so sore as I do today after a 20-minute workout! But, I am headstrong on finishing the 30-day challenge in just that: 30 days. No pain, no gain, right?

On another note, I've been doing pretty well on my food plan this week. I was STARVING yesterday, so I think I may have eaten a tad too many calories, but hopefully all the exercise made up for it. Lori is celebrating her birthday this week (yes, she has made it a week-long celebration), and we took her to a Mexican restaurant for lunch today. I made good choices, which I'm proud of, considering Mexican food is my one of my favs! I had exactly 8 chips (yes, I'm neurotic and counted. But I didn't want to go over 2 Weight Watchers points for them.) plus a beef soft taco and a cup of the best black bean soup I've ever tasted. The whole meal was around 11 points, which isn't too shabby for Mexican food. I still have plenty left for din!

Guess I'm off to practice before the practice. :) Does anyone have a favorite sport or activity they participate in every week?

Shredded let-us-be-done!

2009-09-23T17:29:00.000-07:00

Dear Family and Friends,

If you do not hear from me, it is because Jillian Michaels killed me with crunches.

Love to you all,
Meg

Ok, so maybe I'm being a touch dramatic, but Day 1, Level 1 of Ms. Michaels 30-Day Shred was -- needless to say -- tough! I received my much-anticipated DVD in the mail today, and quickly put on workout clothes to see if it was every bit as hard as everyone says it is. After about two push ups, I knew I couldn't call anyone a liar. Ha! For 20 long minutes, I lifted weights, did an endless amount of jumping jacks and squats and groaned my way through crunches. Jillian goes quickly from one "circuit" -- 3 minutes of strength, 2 minutes of cardio and 1 minute of abs -- to the next for a grand total of three 6-minute circuits. So, there's really no time to catch a breath or gulp down water.

But, just when I thought I was going to pass out, it was time for the cool down. My whole body was shaking, and my legs had that awesome tired feeling when you know you've done a good workout. I love a challenge, and this workout definitely tested my limits. Plus, unlike some exercise DVDs that require a lot of equipment, this one only asked for weights and a mat if you have a hard floor. (Luckily, we have carpet.) I can only imagine what Levels 2-3 are like. I'm looking forward to getting to the 30-day finish line!

I felt good enough to go with the husband on the pup's daily exercise routine, so we walked and talked for 2 miles around our neighborhood. All in all, I think it was a successful workout day for me, but I have a feeling the legs are going to feel a bit like lead tomorrow. Ha Ha!

I'm off to fix dinner now. Have a great night!

Think Pink

2009-09-22T17:21:00.000-07:00

Me, my aunt, Teri, and two of my cousins at a family wedding. This picture was taken just a few months before my aunt found out she had breast cancer.

October is Breast Cancer Awareness Month, and to be honest, in the past I've never really recognized it. I know people who know people that have sisters, mothers, cousins and other loved ones in their lives that have been affected by the disease, but I thankfully didn't have anyone close to me that was diagnosed with it. But that all changed about a month or so ago, when I got a call from my mom that my aunt, Teri, went for a routine physical, and her doctors discovered a lump in her breast. Tests confirmed it was cancer, and if that wasn't hard enough news for her and our family to digest, they found a second lump in her other breast, and later discovered the cancer had spread to her lymph nodes and two tiny spots on her liver. She has already had surgery to remove the lump, but will have to undergo a double mastectomy in the coming weeks. Today, she started aggressive chemotherapy and had a PET Scan to see if cancer is anywhere else in her body.

I honestly can't imagine what she's going through. I've had a few scares myself with breast lumps, but they've always turned out to just be fibroids. I don't know what I would do or how I would feel if they told me it was cancer. But I would hope that I would be just as brave and as positive as she has been since finding out the news. She has an amazing will to fight, and is doing whatever it takes to get better. She's already bought several stylish wigs, and is even having a hat party, where all her guests are going to bring her hats to wear when she loses her hair. And at the party, her friends are going to shave her head so she doesn't have to go through the pain of seeing her hair fall out. Just the courageousness of that brings tears of pride to my eyes for her.

It is shocking to see such a healthy, vivacious woman get handed such a serious diagnosis. Teri is slim, eats right and walks like 5 miles a day. It has shown me that a big part of keeping myself truly healthy isn't found just in a fruit bowl or on a treadmill. Cancer and other diseases can happen to anyone, fit or not, and through her experience, I have gained a better understanding of just how important routine physicals and self-checks are.

So even though October is a few weeks away, I wanted to recognize Teri today for being so brave in her battle with cancer. In her honor, I will be participating in the pink ribbon walk my work is sponsoring soon. It may be a simple gesture, but I want her to know I'm thinking of her every step of the way. I love you, Teri!

Meg Makes It on Monday: Fusion-Style Tuna Cakes

2009-09-21T19:50:00.000-07:00

Over the weekend, I dug into my collection of cookbooks (that are practically screaming to be used) to find some healthy, new recipes for the husband and I to try. We both wanted a little something different for this week's dinners, so since I and some of my fellow bloggers are on the Weight Watchers plan, I thought I'd pull a few meal ideas from one of their cookbooks -- "Take 5: 150 Five-Ingredient Recipes." (Available for as little as $4 at Amazon.com)

I love Asian food, so I thought the fusion-style tuna cakes would be a great dish to be the culinary guinea pig, so to speak. And true to their promise, it only took five ingredients to make -- some which I already had stashed in the kitchen. The best part? These tasty cakes are only 4 points per serving! Ours were actually 3 points per cake since we had a few ounces less of fish to work with. Can't beat that. :) I will say that I think salmon would be a better "catch" for this dish, since tuna tends to get a little dry. But they were still good and filling. I had the recipe on here originally, but I wasn't sure if that would fall under copyright laws. I guess I need to research that for future use!

Here's a few pics I took while making the cakes (and a sneak at some of the ingredients)

We put the sauce for the dish in these little Japanese bowls I've been eagerly waiting to use!

They were my grandmother's, who passed away when I was 16, so they are really special to me.

And they look great with our plates! Here's the finished product, complete with a side of sesame-sprinkled broccoli and an ear of fresh corn (still boiling when I took this photo.)

Later this week, I will be making two more recipes from my now-favorite Weight Watchers cookbook: Caribbean-style roast turkey breast and pasta with scallops and bacon. Yum!! Does anyone have any favorite Weight Watchers recipes? Do you have plates, bowls or other serving items that are special to you?

Here comes the rain again

2009-09-18T13:17:00.000-07:00

It's been a soggy few days here in the South, and from what the weatherman warns, it's not going to dry up anytime soon. So no husband-wife photo shoot tomorrow as planned. I'm a little bummed we had to cancel, but I'm a hint of glad as well. Because last night, I ordered this from Amazon:

I have seen this workout on so many of my fav blogs the past few days (bloganistas Jeannie and Lorrie have already begun the popular grueling workout. Good luck, ladies!), that I thought it must be a sign for me to give it a try. Plus, I have to say the "Lose Up to 20 Pounds in 30 Days" in big, bold letters across the top was probably the clincher for me to click "Add to Shopping Cart" and "Proceed to Checkout." Ha! My promising DVD has been shipped, and should be here in time for me to get started early next week. I would love to lose at least a few more pounds before pictures, so maybe Ms. Michaels can help me get there. Fingers crossed!

Is anyone else out there doing the shred challenge? Have you seen good results from it?

A kick in the dress

2009-09-17T13:06:00.000-07:00

I went shopping yesterday afternoon for a dress to wear for the husband and I's pictures this weekend. I found a little brown-and-plaid number (above) online that I thought was cute and fall appropriate, so I went to the mall to see if the actual department store had one in my size. And what luck, they did! I grabbed a few other dresses to try on and trudged to the dressing room. By the way, I HATE dressing rooms. But seriously, what woman doesn't? The starkness… the horrible fluorescent lighting…it makes me want to run away and just cover up with a potato sack. (Do any of those come in red? Ha Ha!)

But, since I didn't have the time or the funds to purchase six dresses to scrutinize in front of my own mirror, I sucked it up and locked myself into one of the white rooms of unflattery. I didn't see the zipper camouflaging itself under the arm of the dress, so when I put it on over my head, and went to pull it down, it was stuck. The waist of the skirt decided not to budge right smack in the middle of the, eh hem, "girls." I pulled. I pleaded. I pulled some more. The fabric was strangling my bosoms, to the point where my face and neck were creepily turning red. I yanked at that zipper for a good 15 minutes before I gave in to defeat. I was sweating for goodness sake! I pulled my Capri pants on and, horrified but helpless, asked the bewildered sales girl to help me get the darn zipper down so I could get this hemmed beast off me. Unfortunately, she couldn't get the zipper to move either, so she went for help. Oh the embarrassment! While she was gone, I continued to pull at the dress, and it finally relented. Only, in the process, the whole side of the dress by the zipper ripped. The ladies came back just in time to see the gaping hole and my brazier waving hello to them below it. I apologized profusely, offered to pay for the dress and when they said "don't worry about it," I bolted out of there like a dog around fireworks.

I went home and told JD the entire ordeal. I know it can happen to the smallest of girls, but it made me feel like a Buick trying to park in a mouse hole. I mean, all the other dresses in the same size fit fine, so what was the deal with this one?

But, alas, something positive came out of my mortifying experience. Last night, with the thoughts of shredded thread still lurking in my brain, I jumped on the elliptical machine and did the full, 30-minute weight-loss program. Usually I do 15-20 on the flat path and get bored, but the whole mall incident inspired me to push myself to the last grueling second. (Those inclines are tough!) And despite being tired and sweaty, I also did 75 crunches and 50 pushups. I was proud, and it helped me forget about the day's events (almost).

So maybe a swift kick in the dress was what I needed to take my fitness plan to the next level. I just hope the dress I did purchase (from another store of course) behaves itself on picture day!

Meg Makes It on Tuesday: Gluten-free chili

2009-09-15T19:00:00.000-07:00

It may not be cool outside just yet, but I think a big pot of chili is the perfect way to welcome fall. I had two goals for this tomato-laden stew – to make it as healthy as possible and gluten-free. I got the gluten-free recipe idea from my mom, who was diagnosed a few years ago with Celiac disease.

Basically, she can’t eat, drink or breathe in anything with gluten, a protein found in, well, just about everything. A lot of people have the misconception that it is just in your usual suspects, i.e. breads and pasta, but she has to read labels for all types of stuff -- from toothpaste to spices. I have been tested for Celiac myself since it is hereditary, but for now, the blood tests and biopsy say I’m all clear. Since I haven’t had a genetic test, I don’t know if I will end up with the disease later in life, but hopefully I lean more toward my dad’s side on that one! I feel bad for my mom when she can’t have certain things everyone else is eating, so for family get-togethers and holidays, we try to make all Mom-friendly dishes. It can be challenging at times finding certain gluten-free ingredients (I can rarely find Progresso Cream of Mushroom soup for green-bean casserole) but for the most part, it isn’t too hard to put together a meal she can enjoy too. Plus, a lot of companies are jumping on the no-wheat bandwagon. A few weeks ago, I was in the baking aisle at the grocery store, and there was a whole row of gluten-free Betty Crocker desserts. I made the brownies for one of our family dinners, and they were so delicious! I think they were better than the regular baked goods!

So, back to the chili. To healthy it up a bit, I subbed ground turkey for beef, and threw in some squash, green pepper and onion for extra vitamins and color. Gotta love your veggies! Most of the canned goods I used were organic too. Here’s the complete recipe:

Ingredients:

1 28-oz can Muir Glen organic chunky tomato sauce
1 pound Honeysuckle White all-natural, extra-lean ground turkey
2 28-oz cans diced tomatoes (I already had these, so not organic. Frown)
1 15-oz can organic tri-bean blend (dark kidney, pinto and black beans)
2 15 ½-oz cans dark kidney beans (had these already also)
½ can Contadina organic tomato paste
1 yellow onion, diced
2 small squash, diced
2 small green peppers, diced
Watkins all-natural chili powder (add as much or as little as you want for the perfect heat)
Couple of pinches of salt, garlic powder and pepper (sorry, I don’t measure spices. I just add and taste!)

Cooking directions:
Brown meat over medium heat in skillet. In separate pot, add and mix all remaining ingredients and spices. Once meat is cooked thoroughly, add to pot and simmer for about 20-30 minutes on medium-low heat.

I can’t eat chili without crackers, so I had a few Blue Diamond Almond Nut-Thins. Not only are they gluten-free, but super crunchy and delish! I’d take these over saltines any day!

Since I did my workout as soon as I got home (2.2-mile walk and strength training) I’m going to clean my mess up in the kitchen and watch a movie with the husband. Pics of chili night below! Hope you enjoyed the post, Mom! :)

Good alternative to beef!

Browning the meat

Squash from JD's grandmother's garden. And I love this Crate&Barrel cutting board! Wedding gifts are awesome. :)

Simmering and stewing -- love all the colors!

Dinner is served! Chili, side salad with roasted garlic balsamic and a few Almond Nut-Thins. Yum!

Bump, set, spike

2009-09-14T18:57:00.000-07:00

I went to a volleyball match tonight, and when I got home, I remembered I was supposed to cook something for "Meg Makes It On Monday." Oops! I even had a recipe picked out -- gluten-free chili -- and the ingredients waiting in the fridge and pantry. But watching my friend, Lori, spike and set her way to a win and getting some girly chat in with her and my friend, Jessica, over sushi and seaweed salad was worth putting it off for a night. I was happy to be there to cheer her on, and it made me miss my high school volleyball days. I remember the excitement and nervousness I felt putting my uniform on, pulling up my worn knee pads and getting out on the court for a quick warm up before a big game. Good times! I may have to join my husband's team in the spring...I just hope I'm not too rusty. As for the chili, tomorrow night, it will be simmering on the stove, and the recipe typed on the blog. :)

Despite a few nachos at Chili's before going to the game, I've had a pretty good few days. I couldn't find an aerobics class Saturday, so I took advantage of the cleared-up weather and walked/jogged two miles with the dog, then did 50 pushups and crunches at home. Sunday, JD and I did another two miles with the dog, so combined with Saturday and last Monday, I completed six miles! I must have done something right, because I weighed this morning, and I was down a pound and a half. Yay!

We also did our food shopping over the weekend, and I took advantage of our local supermarket's new organic section. I've been craving a smoothie since reading about and seeing all the yummy ones on other blogs, so I got some hemp milk, organic protein powder and organic frozen berries. As soon as we purchase another blender this week (ours died a few months ago after an ice accident), I've got a new, delish choice for breakfast or snack. My fruit bowl is filled to the brim with mangoes, bananas, pears and apples, and we picked out some great veggies to compliment the organic, grain-fed beef my mom just bought us. (She rocks!) So we are set for a healthy week!

I guess I need to get my butt off the couch and on the elliptical to work off those chips! Ha Ha! Have a great, successful week!

Let's get physical

2009-09-12T05:28:00.000-07:00

It's a bit dreary here today, but I'm feeling great! I woke up with a hankering to get in a long workout today, so I am searching for a good aerobics class to join this morning. I used to do spinning three times a week at the wellness center at my job, and not only was it challenging and fun, but I also got a bonus with it: nice, sculpted gams! Ha!! I had to give up the class since I had to leave work a little early to make it there (the boss didn't like that too much) so I'm hoping to find a similiar one with a weekend schedule.

I've been making good strides this week in the food department. I'm really starting to listen to my body and quit eating when I get that perfectly full feeling (instead of stuffed like a Thanksgiving bird.) Last night, the husband took me out on a shopping and dinner date. After perusing the aisles of Old Time Pottery for new home stuff (great, great store if you have one in your area) we went to my absolute favorite Thai place, Surin. Instead of getting my own sushi for an appetizer, I shared one with JD and skipped the coconut soup that I usually order along with it. My main meal was vegetable and tofu panang, which was absolutely delicious, and most of it went home with me for today's lunch. It's nice to be able to order real meals and enjoy them without the guilt!

I'm still working on retraining my brain about that very thing...that real food is a-ok. All the media, commercials, etc. tell you that fat-free, sugar-free is the only way to lose weight. I haven't done enough research to really debate the topic, but some of the articles I have read on sugar substitutes and food additives are nothing if not frightening!! After studying up on the negative effects of aspartame, and getting "gentle" reminders of how bad the stuff is from my sister (love you, S!), I am trying to give up diet sodas. My new drink of choice? Sodium-free seltzer. It gives you the carbonation without the chemicals. I haven't completely given up all my old habits, (I couldn't bring myself to buy full-fat cottage cheese) but I'm getting there. Baby steps, right?

My goals for this week are to drink more water, stay within my designated Weight Watchers points and to work out every day for at least 30 minutes. JD and I are getting pictures made next weekend, and I definitely want to look my best!

Well, I'm off to fix a healthy breakfast and make some more calls to gyms. Have a fabulous weekend!

Sneak Peek

2009-09-10T12:18:00.001-07:00

Hey, all! A while back, I told you changes were coming soon to my future blog site, twopoundsawk.com. My Web designer, Merideth, put my "Coming Soon" page up today, (thank you, M!!) and I wanted everyone to stop by and get a preview of the shabby-chic "Two Pounds a Week." Hope you love it as much as I do!

Better day

2009-09-09T16:05:00.000-07:00

I’m feeling a lot better emotionally today, but not so much physically. Sore throat, clogged ears, achy all over – the works. Bleh! I think it must be the start of a cold or an allergic reaction to the wild shrimp we had for dinner last night. Which, if it was, the ramifications are definitely worth it! The husband and I used the shrimp as one of our main ingredients for kabobs, along with onions, MB’s squash and green peppers, mushrooms and chunks of all-natural chicken. JD brushed them with a balsamic dressing, and since our grill decided not to light, we moved to Plan B and broiled them in the oven.

I was in the mood for a comforting side dish, so I put our pressure cooker to good use and made some homemade mashed potatoes. A little organic milk, sour cream and a sprinkling of Parmesan cheese made them smooth and delicious! Since we were on such a culinary kick, I put together a healthy snack for the week – black bean salad. I made it with one can of black beans, a couple of MB’s tomatoes (definitely putting her produce to good use) diced, a cup or so of frozen corn, half a finely-chopped onion, a heaping portion of cilantro, cumin, salt and pepper. I had some today when I got home from work with a handful of Garden of Eatin’ organic blue corn tortilla chips. So good!

I’m hoping to get a workout in this evening, despite the cranial sluggishness. I have my iPod Shuffle stocked with Fergie, Katy Perry, Lady GaGa and other tunes to keep me rockin and walkin, whether outside or on my elliptical (I’m waiting to see if the rain stays away). It may be good for the soul, and the sinuses, to get outside for some fresh air.

On a side note, I know I missed my “Meg Makes It on Mondays” this week. Since it was a holiday, we went to my folks’ house for organic steaks and veggies. I promise to cook up someone’s delicious meal idea next week. If you have a recipe you think would “wow” the husband and I, please e-mail it to me at twopounds2@yahoo.com. All suggestions are appreciated!

Perspective

2009-09-08T13:03:00.000-07:00

I'm having a bit of a down day. It could be that my three-day weekend is over, or that I couldn't find the perfect chef salt-and-pepper shakers while out yesterday to compliment my now-useful kitchen. But the big reason is I weighed myself this morning, and I am exactly where I started more than a month ago. Ugh.

I've never shared my "number" on my blog, or with anyone but my husband for that matter. Mainly because I always get discouraged when I hear someone (who is about my height or taller) say they need to lose a few pounds, or are "so fat" or whatever, when their weight is what I'm hoping to reach. So I don't want to make someone feel bad if their goal is what I currently weigh. Everyone has a number or size that is comfortable and healthy for them, and it doesn't always have to be what the height/weight charts across the Internet or society tells you to be. My goal is actually on the higher end of the spectrum for my height. When I lost 28 pounds a few years ago, even though I was in the normal range for my height, I, and several of my friends and family, thought I looked too thin. So now I'm trying to reach what I think is a good compromise between what I weigh now and what I weighed then. But it sure seems to be taking a loonng time!

I can't quite figure out why my metabolism is acting like a stalled car. I have had my thyroid tested – perfectly fine. I do have a Vitamin D deficiency, but I've been taking supplements for months now. I exercise regularly. I eat right (the majority of the time, that is). Yet not even a few ounces want to drop off – why?!

I'm frustrated and a bit defeated, but I know that anytime I feel like this, I need to put it all in perspective. I am eating "real" foods, drinking water and working out more now than I ever have before, which has to be doing good things for my body (even though the scale doesn't seem to think so.)

Despite being a little blue, I don't want to give up. I will just forge ahead with the plan I'm on, continue counting points, increase my workout sessions and make more and more good choices (especially on weekends.) Hopefully, perseverance will pay off in the long run. Hopefully.

Sometimes the best things in life are free

2009-09-06T18:51:00.000-07:00

I love my husband’s grandmother, “Mama Betty.” She’s sassy, opinionated, caring and an excellent cook. I felt a connection with her the very first time I met her, when she was bustling about, buttering bread and pouring freshly pressure-cooked peas in a bowl.

About every Sunday, we make the hour drive to JD’s hometown for church and family lunch at Mama Betty’s house. True to her Southern roots, she believes in real food and real frying. Fried okra and squash, extra crispy chicken…you name it, she’ll batter it. Luckily for the healthy gal I’m trying to be, she also puts out plenty of fruits and vegetables straight from their garden (which is big enough to feed the entire state of Texas). And even luckier for us, she has no problem sharing…a lot! She sent us home with loaded bags of squash, tomatoes and way too many green peppers to ever imagine eating between the two of us. (Any takers?) Organic veggies without the organic price tag…love it!

Enthused by our supply of homegrown produce, the husband and I made a trip across town to the Fresh Market for seafood and more organic goods. On the menu this week will be wild Flounder tacos, topped with MB's tomatoes, chicken and shrimp skewers, with the squash as one of the ingredients, and a big batch of chili with green peppers. I also got two boxes of organic cereal, my first loaf of Ezekiel bread and blue corn organic tortilla chips. I feel fresher already! Ha!

Hopefully all this real food will cancel out the way-too-many calories I consumed yesterday. College football has begun, which is more of a fixation in the South than an ice-filled jar of sweet tea. We went to our friends, Brett and Amy’s house, to catch some pigskin action, and boy, the food was a plenty! Burgers, hot dogs, chips and dip, sweet potato fries, fruit…oh my! I made the mistake of sitting right in front of the chip bowl, and I do believe my hand was possessed. Next time, I’ll put a few on my plate and move away…far, far away!

For everyone who has tomorrow off, (YAY!) have a happy and healthy Monday!

Happy Reunion

2009-09-04T12:02:00.000-07:00

After being in Yuma, Arizona, for three weeks on business, my husband is on a plane this very moment to come home. I am so anxious to see him; the butterflies have already begun! It has been difficult not having him around, especially through the ups and downs I've had on my food and fitness plan the past few weeks. Last night, I was aggravated and a bit down because the tenderness in my legs started creeping in again. I thought the tibial tendonitis had fully healed, but after another workout with the Sarg on the EA Active and a walk/jog with the dog, the familiar aches made themselves painfully known. Frustrating! Since he was working, (there's a two-hour time diff between us) I sent him a text message:

Me: I'm discouraged.

Him: I'm sorry babe. Why are you discouraged?

Me: I just feel like I'm having a lot of setbacks when I am finally getting my act together and doing this right. My legs hurt so badly.

Him: We will just have to find other ways for you to meet your goal.

Me: I want this weight off.

Him: You will get to your goal. Don't be discouraged. You are doing wonderful.

The big clincher in this sweet little dialogue for me was the simple "we." Ever since becoming a couple 3 ½ years ago, and man and wife last May, JD has always taken on challenges with me and supported me through them as if they were his own. When I found out while we were engaged that I may have difficulties having children, something we both want one day, he hugged a concerned and tearful me and said, "As long as I have you, I'm happy. We'll figure it all out when the time comes." When my grandfather passed away in April, without having to say a word, he was on the phone with my boss, letting them know I would be out of work for a few days, and searching for plane tickets for the both of us to attend the services in Arizona. Even this week, when I was feeling overwhelmed about my ridiculous doctor bill, he told me it would be ok, to not worry about it for now and that he would call the company about it when he got home.

And I know when he gets here, he'll be eating veggies and tofu (maybe) with me, shopping for organic goods, going along on the daily dog walks and cheering me on every inch and pound of the way. So for being the outstanding man he is, I wanted to dedicate today's post to him. I am truly grateful to be Mrs. D!

Who is your biggest fan? And how do they support you in achieving your health and fitness goals?

If you are happy, and you know it…

2009-09-03T16:24:00.000-07:00

Clap those hands! I feel like doing a little applauding today for good food and fitness choices this week. I’ve been loading up on lots of fruits, veggies and lean protein and am actually using my (gasp) oven. Wow!

And drum roll please…I am back in boot camp with Sassy Sarg! More wow! My foot is feeling fantastic, so I decided to reintroduce myself to the EA Active for Wii. I thought for sure the game would shut off or something due to my two-week plus absence, but all I got was a warning that my 30-day challenge training was past due. At least I wasn’t fined! I started Day 1 last night, and I was feeling it all day today. Lots of squats, running, arm curls and praise from the coach. I just hope the tibia behaves itself for Day 2’s workout.

I also did something today that I’ve been meaning to do for three years now…I got my moles rechecked. I only have a sprinkling of them, but a little one on my face that used to be flat is now not, so I thought I better go in and have them all examined by a skin professional. Though it was a bit (more like a bunch) embarrassing standing there in an open paper dress, I’m glad I got it over with. All my freckles are just fine, thanks. Better to be on the safe side, right?

I guess that’s all for now. My dog is begging to go for a walk. Almost the weekend…woo hoo!

I'm giving myself 30 more minutes...

2009-09-02T16:10:00.000-07:00

...to be a couch potato. Why, you may ask? Well, my head feels like it is about to pop off! I have had a headache alllllll day, which was made $152 worse when I checked the mail and received the doctor's bill for my bloated foot. I went to American Family Care (a.k.a. crooks-in-the-box) that day because my usual medical professional had gone home, and now, I wish I had just iced up and hunkered down until the next business day. I couldn't believe what I was reading...not only did they charge me $100 for the office visit, (and by "visit," they must mean making me wait 30 minutes to be seen while they talked about Wii games in the hallway, then come in, poke on my foot and declare tendonitis) but I am also expected to pay for "surgery" and "equipment." Wha?!

I called their office and calmly asked what kind of surgery prodding a few bones or whatever is, which was rudely met by a loud sigh and "What's the name?" by the obviously ready-to-go-home lady on the other end of the line. She informed me that the said surgery was for the nurse putting the brace on. I wanted to laugh...my husband was actually the one that put the boot on for me, because the girl had no idea (and even said so) how to lace it up. So I guess I should pay him $66 and call him Dr. JD since he apparently performed surgery. Impressive, babe!

And the "equipment" that they say costs $100 was WAY too big for me, so we had to go buy a smaller one anyway, which was the same brand and less than $30. Needless to say, even though insurance paid for part of the charges, I feel completely robbed. The receptionist gave me the number to the corporate office, who she said is actually the culprit for this ridiculous bill, but it was past office hours when I tried to reach them. I’m sure I’ll get some yada yada explanation and ultimately be told there’s nothing they can do, which seems to be the preferred phrase of most companies these days. (Credit cards being at the absolute top of my loath list)

My head is actually starting to feel better, probably thanks to two Excedrin and this hefty rant, so I guess I should release the rest of my frustration on the elliptical. I just hope it doesn’t charge me per calorie.

Whew...I'm tired!

2009-09-01T17:18:00.000-07:00

I haven't been sleeping well lately, so I'm hoping tonight's workout will help me get some much-needed rest. As soon as I got home from work, I leashed up the pooch, and we took a brisk walk/jog under the warning clouds. Luckily, the rain held off! I got a little more cardio on my elliptical machine, then did some arm and ab work. Not to the Jillian Michaels level probably, but hey, I got moving. :)

I kept my wellness momentum going and fixed a healthy dinner. Salmon was my main dish, but I wanted to do a little something different with it. So, I cut an orange, squeezed the juice over the fish, and added cumin, pepper and salt. I had a bag of whole okra in the freezer, so even though it isn't Monday, I thought I'd try Kath's okra fries. Both salmon and side were fantastic and filling! And I love having enough leftovers for lunch. Of course, dessert was two of Jeannie's cookies. I took a huge bag of those to work today, and everyone was raving about them!

That's all I've got for today. I'm about to watch a movie and hopefully fall asleep. A full eight hours would be an exhausted girl's dream come true! Night!

It's almost fall, ya'll!

2009-08-31T18:56:00.000-07:00

I absolutely love fall. The cool air, the changing trees, cute closed-toe shoes, football, holidays (including the most important, my birthday. Ha!) and of course, the FOOD. With the season steadily heading our way here in the South, I decided to get in the spirit and make pumpkin oatmeal bars. I got the idea and the recipe from a fantastic blog I follow -- Points and Pounds. (A big thank you to you, Jeannie!) These yummy, festive eats are only 1 Weight-Watcher point per cookie and were super easy to make. Not to mention, my house smells amazing! It makes me want to throw a log on the fire and wrap up in a warm blanket.

Since I had such a good time making Jeannie's cookies, I thought, why not make this a weekly thing? So on "Meg Makes It on Mondays," (Cute, huh?) I will choose a healthy recipe or meal idea from the various blogs I read (with permission, of course), or from those budding chefs out there that wouldn't mind sharing their culinary creations with me via e-mail (twopounds2@yahoo.com) or in my comments. I'm open to anything -- vegetarian, gluten-free, no dairy, low carb, all carb -- your choice! Me, and my hungry husband, would appreciate some new dishes! :)

Help, please!

2009-08-30T21:02:00.001-07:00

For anyone that has used Blogger, why can't I add any blog I want to my blog roll? Is there some Blogger rule I'm missing here? I've tried to add several tonight, and it won't save.

Fishing…and too much food

2009-08-30T14:27:00.000-07:00

"Where's my fish?"

I wish I could say that I did as well on my food plan yesterday as I did Friday, but I didn’t. At all. I started yesterday seemingly well, with two organic eggs and dry, high-fiber toast for breakfast. I met my friends for some fishing around 11, so we decided to stop for lunch before riding out to the pond. Everyone wanted KFC, so I asked if we could do a half-grilled, half-crispy bucket. I also ordered a side of green beans, with all intentions of staying away from the macaroni and cheese, mashed potatoes, coleslaw and of course, the to-die-for biscuits. But did I? Nope. I think I was having third-child syndrome and didn’t want to be left out of what everyone else got to eat. Kinda like when I was a kid, and my older sisters got to watch scary movies and I didn’t. Despite knowing that I would have horrible nightmares about men in masks chasing me with chainsaws, I had no interest in watching age-appropriate programming. The same scenario could be said of yesterday, except substitute food instead of flicks.

I got a couple scoops of everything except for the macaroni and cheese, and even had an –sigh – extra crispy chicken thigh along with my grilled breast. To make things tastefully worse, Lori’s sweet mom made us homemade cupcakes. Who can say no to one of those?

The food setbacks didn’t hinder the fun of fishing (although my dog almost choking to death did. He got a hold of a chicken bone, but luckily, Lori’s husband was able to pull it out of his throat – thanks, Teddy!). A favorite pastime of my family, all those poles and hooks brought back a lot of great memories. The sky was perfectly cloudy, the long dock warranted enough room for casting and conversation and the bugs seemed to be dormant for the few hours we were there. I did catch two small brim, which I (or really, Jessica’s fiancé, Mike) released back to their watery abode.

It was almost dinner time when we decided to pack up and head for home, and the consensus for the evening meal was Chinese. (Another sigh) I chose beef and vegetables with a cup of hot and sour soup, which I guess isn’t too terrible, but I was pretty lax with the portion size. To top it off, Mike and Teddy purchased Blue Bell’s new ice cream, “Groom’s Cake,” which I devoured two heaping scoops of. Why, Meg, why?!

Everyone keeps saying, “Oh you deserve a cheat day,” or “don’t worry about it.” But, with pictures just weeks away and a bridesmaids dress to zip up in almost three months, I really can’t afford to have a few chips here or a cupcake there. Not to mention I haven’t full-on worked out in three whole days.

I know I am way too hard on myself at times, (ok, most of the time) but on the other hand, when I fill up on greasy, MSG-loaded eats all day, I feel like a masochist. I read all these great success stories of people losing weight and keeping it off, and I truly want that for myself. But I don’t want to sit around eating a salad while everyone wolfs down Chinese and ice cream…where is the balance, I wonder?

The good choice

2009-08-29T05:51:00.000-07:00

Like most normal, hard-working professionals, I adore Fridays. And Saturdays. And let’s not forget Sundays. Basically any day is a favorite of mine that I don't have to get up at 6 a.m. and perform my usual 8-4:30 routine. It's not that I don't like my job, or that I'm not appreciative of it (especially in this economy), but like the song goes, isn’t “everybody working for the weekend?”

The weekly two-day break is also the toughest time for me to stay focused on my food and fitness plan. Maybe it is all the out-to-eat invites from friends and family, feeling more relaxed, having more quality time to spend with the husband, wanting to veg out on the couch and numb my brain with stupid TV shows for a minimum of oh, six hours -- who knows.

So last night, my friend, Jessica, and I decided to have another girl’s night in, get some food and watch “Sunshine Cleaning.” She was having some electrical troubles at her house, so she didn’t think she’d be able to make it. That left me to make the decision about what I wanted for dinner. Uh oh! The healthy girl on my right shoulder was telling me to go in the kitchen and make the veggies and turkey I already had in the fridge. The rebel on my left was pleading for Thai food or pizza. What to do?! Well, I did listen, just a little, to the left and look up the menu online for my favorite Asian eatery. But then, it was like the healthy girl gave me a swift slap in the face, banned me from the Internet and sent me in the kitchen to make turkey burgers and stir-fry cabbage, green beans, broccoli and onions. Jessica ended up getting to come by, and not being a big turkey burger fan, actually really liked mine! (I think it was the feta cheese I sprinkled in the meat.) I stayed in my Weight Watcher points and had a delicious meal to boot!

Now choosing the healthy meal may not seem like much of a feat to everyone else, but for me, it was a huge leap in the right direction. I give in too much when it comes to not-so-good-for-you food, and this time, I stuck with my goals, instead of filling up on food that would stick to my stomach! Proud can’t even describe it.

I hope today will be just as successful. I will be heading outdoors (again, I don’t know who this woman is here lately with all the wilderness activities -- see Outstanding Ocoee and Back to Civilization) to go fishing with two of my favorite ladies – Lori and Jessica – on Lori’s family’s 28-acre land. While it may not burn that many calories, all the laughing we tend to do will! More on our fishing excursion tomorrow!

Have a healthy weekend!

I'm back!!

2009-08-27T18:16:00.000-07:00

After two weeks, a bottle of anti-inflammatory meds, dozens of ice packs and hobbling around in a brace, I -- and most importantly, my tibia -- feel great! For those of you who may not know, I found out I had a case of tendonitis and was nixed from heavy exercise for 14 whole days. So today, I was more than ready for a workout.

After a quick nap when I got home from work, (our two cats and our dog decided to play chase at 3 a.m.) I put on my new sneaks and took Tex out for his daily walk, only this time, we kicked it up a notch and got a steady speed, and even jogged the last leg home. Then I put on The Firm's DVD called "Total Body Time Crunch." It is a combination of cardio and strength training, and by the end of it, I was burning up -- hopefully because I was sweating out a ton of calories! My foot/ankle was feeling a bit sore by the end of it, so I'm icing it down as we speak. I'm sure it will take awhile for it to fully feel better, but it is worlds better compared to the pain a few weeks ago!

As for the food plan, all the protein I've been eating has really made a difference in satisfying my appetite. Veggies or fruit and boiled eggs, mostly the whites, have replaced my usual granola bar or bag of popcorn for a snack. And here's a fun fact...I just found out what the difference is between white and brown eggs...the color of the chicken! White chickens lay white eggs and brown chickens lay brown ones...who knew?

I did indulge in a few chips (my weakness) and a margarita (my other weakness) with my friend, Sara, last night, but I think all and all, I've done pretty well this week. I even have 3 Weight Watchers points left today, so I may have a few unsalted peanuts and a piece of fruit later. Yum!

Does anyone have a success or milestone they would like to share?

Feeling a little soupy

2009-08-25T18:12:00.000-07:00

Tonight, I decided to make a pot of one of my favorite soups -- veggie! I got the recipe years ago from a Weight Watchers book and have since revised it to include whatever canned, fresh or frozen goods I have on hand. This batch had the usual stewed tomatoes, cabbage, carrots, green beans and onion, but I added a can of lima beans and a frozen bag of corn. I simmered the veggies in two boxes of fat-free, MSG-free chicken broth, sprinkled on some oregano and basil and 30 minutes later, ta da...dinner! This dish is a big staple for me when I'm trying to lose some l-bs because it not only makes a great, nutritious meal, but also a vitamin-packed snack. Since I am trying to eat less carbs, this soup will be sensational when hunger comes calling.

I really am proud of how well I did on my Weight Watchers/low-carb plan today. I had cottage cheese and berries for breakfast, a big salad with shrimp, beans and a sprinkle of feta cheese for lunch, an apple for a snack and then the veggie soup, plus a hamburger patty and a cup of baked sweet potatoes. Some of my menu items are a bit carby, but at least they are the good variety. As a said in an earlier post, sweet potatoes are jammed with nutrients, as are beans, which of course are notorious for having lots of fiber goodness. My main goal is to get back to "real" foods, and try to stray away from any meals that have a laundry list of ingredients, most of which I can't spell or say, much less know anything about. I think I accomplished that today, so gold star for me! :)

Oh, and about the apple cider vinegar I was going to try a few weeks ago...well, I choked the stuff down for two days and quit. I seriously felt sick all day, and for some reason, I felt a lot more hungry. I think I'll just stick with the food and fitness plan for awhile. :)

Outstanding Ocoee

2009-08-24T16:25:00.000-07:00

What a weekend! After Saturday, I think I have a new aquatic obsession…whitewater rafting. My friends and I had an absolute blast on the Ocoee, and surprisingly, no one fell out of the boat, although we did get a good soaking. The rapids were just mean enough to make it thrilling and scary all in the same synchronized row. And the names of them were hilarious! My personal favorite was “The Grumpies.” Ha Ha!

After our 5-mile joy ride was over, (sad face) swimming in the river was next on the outdoor agenda. The water was the perfect degree of cold, and the current was strong enough to give the legs a good workout. This was my first time to exercise the gams since my foot went in a boot almost two weeks ago, and while I did pretty good, my ankle was ready for an ice bath when I got home. Thursday, I have the go-ahead to ease myself back in to my fitness regime, and I have to say I’m a little nervous that the tibia will revert to its “grumpy” itself. I really miss the EA Active, but the Sarg may have to wait another week or so to enlist me back into boot camp. I don’t think a lot of running and jumping would do anything but put me back in a brace…for good. I have a great elliptical machine that is very lonely in our exercise room, so I may do that for a week or so and see the leg’s reaction…hopefully it will be a good one.

As for the food plan, I haven’t been the strictest of sorts the past few days. I’m disappointed in myself, actually. But like riding a bike, I’ve got to pick myself up and start peddling again. I guess successes and setbacks are all part of the process, but I’d rather not have so much of the latter. I’m making my grocery list after I finish this post to include, but not limited to, eggs, cottage cheese, veggies, fruit and lean meats. I think I eat too many carbs, so my plan is to make better, protein-packed choices and skip the prepackaged aisles.

Here’s to a fresh, healthy week!

The river is going wild...and so is my dog!

2009-08-21T16:18:00.000-07:00

Since canoeing 23 miles doesn't seem to be enough of an outdoor adventure for me, tomorrow, I will be going whitewater rafting with my friend, Jessica, her fiance, Mike, and about seven others down the Ocoee River in Tennessee. I've only been whitewater rafting once, so I am anticipating a happy reunion with the raging water. I was pleasantly surprised to find out that soaring down an aggravated river does burn calories -- almost 100 per 15 minutes! Nice!

I've got to get up at 5 a.m. to meet our group and get on the road, and since we aren't getting back until late, I had to do something today that made me cry most of the way home...I had to board my dog, Tex.

As soon as I saw that sweet, Puggle face in November of last year, I was in puppy love. I don't know how I will even get through motherhood one day, considering how much I worry about and spoil our dog. He sleeps in our bed and drinks purified water for goodness sake! (Yes, I am one of "those" people. And yes, I realize that's a touch pathetic. Ha Ha!) JD and I thankfully have very wonderful families and friends that let him bunk at their houses when we have to go out of town, but I waited a little too late to seek a babysitter and had to search online for the perfect pooch palace. I found a great pet resort, and upgraded my pampered puppy to first-class digs. He gets his own suite with a view, a cot to snooze on and three walks and two play sessions per day. Sounds pretty good, right?

Well, Tex didn't seem to think so. He knew something was up and didn't want to get out of the car. I basically had to drag him inside, and then, hair raised, he proceeded to growl at the tech that came to show him to his room. So I walked him back to his temporary pad, gave him a quick pat, and left him staring longingly after me. Heartbreaking! I'm getting teary just thinking about it. (Again, pathetic.) I know he will be just fine, but I feel incredibly guilty. I even paid $20 extra to pick him up on Sunday, so I guess that's better than having to pace until Monday to bring him back to the comforts of home. I really do feel for my future kids...I'll probably have a breakdown when they go off to camp.

See you in a few days, Texi-Mexi!

Girls just want to have fun

2009-08-20T19:46:00.000-07:00

My friend, Jessica, came over for a mini girls' night. And it was a blast! We talked, we had a couple of glasses of wine, we got some takeout from Surin...fabulous! She even played with my spastic dog, Tex, which is an A+ in my book. I'm sure you all have heard of Jessica, who is getting hitched to Mike in 115 days (is that right, Jess?) That just reminds me of the 24 pounds I have to go. I think I did pretty good tonight, considering I ate less than half of my chicken panang and a few pieces of super crunch sushi. Good lunch tomorrow!

I am really looking forward to Saturday, when I get to join Jess, the Mike, and some of their friends for a white-water rafting excursion. I'll keep you posted!

My willpower was killed by pizza

2009-08-19T16:33:00.000-07:00

You know how I said in yesterday's post that I had a ridiculous day at work? Well, that was a mere cub compared to the bear I like to call Wednesday. I was driving to work, ready for a sunshine day, and a co-worker calls me 10 minutes before I'm even supposed to pull into the parking lot. She says the boss wants me to call him ASAP...at home...about an assignment. I should have turned my little Corolla (which is now fully mine, thank you. Last payment is in the mail!) around when I heard those warning words, especially considering the truckload of events that followed. I had an enormous elephant in the room named deadline, and no one except for me, of course, seemed to notice it. The excuse I got all day when I called to check on a story or approval was "Oh, so-in-so is at lunch." I'm so glad other people got to meet their basic needs of consuming food, while I had a cupcake for my mid-day meal. Yes, that's right, a cupcake. And the only reason I got a little something to boost my failing blood sugar was because it was leftover from an event we had today.

So I drag my tired, sugar-filled butt home, and all I can think about is pizza -- hot, gooey, veggie-filled…yum. I went back and forth about it, but my ultimate conclusion was to pick up the phone and order a medium supreme pie, no sausage. Maybe a cupcake and a pizza is disastrous combination, but in my humble opinion, every motivated girl or guy needs a cheat day every now and then. And it’s not like I was a glutton and ate the whole thing – I had a couple of pieces and put the rest to bed in the fridge. I know it wasn’t the best dinner choice, but at least I walked the pooch – that may have burned off a mushroom. Ha Ha!

To change the subject, I do have some good news…I lost a pound this week! While one is kinda the loneliest number, it’s not a gain like last week, so that’s a good thing (as Ms. Martha Stewart says). I’ve decided to take the advice of my friend and reader, Stacy, and not weigh myself every week. She lost a whopping 100 pounds without dieting (ugh…hate that word). She did a plan I’ve never heard of – No Plan. Stacy didn’t do Atkins, or South Beach, or even Weight Watchers. She just cut all her food in half, and only had a bit of coffee in the morning and water the rest of the day. She said she didn’t weigh herself, unless people told her she looked like she lost a few pounds or the jeans felt loose in the waist. While I still want to track my progress, (this is called Two Pounds a Week after all), I’ve decided to weigh myself every 2-3 weeks. My focus has always been too eagle-eyed on the scale, when there’s a lot more to food and fitness than a number. Or at least that’s what I’m trying to tell myself. :)

I’d like to pose a couple of questions to my readers: When you are stressed, what kind of food do you crave? And how do you combat those urges? Let me know!

Meg versus the food

2009-08-18T15:57:00.000-07:00

The past two days have been absolutely ridiculous at work! When I say I have been running nonstop until 4:45 p.m., I truly mean about every second of that I am editing, writing, designing, answering the phone, returning e-mails, all while barely getting a bite of my leftover turkey and sweet potatoes. My co-worker and friend, Jessica, is spending a few well-deserved days at the beach, so I am doing her work on top of mine. Now don't get me wrong...I'd take a supercharged day over a boring one for sure, but times like these really make me want to make a mad dash to the nearest Arby's (my favorite fast-food fix.)

I have come to accept the fact that I am an emotional eater, because anytime I am stressed, mad, sad, basically any seemingly negative emotion other than indifferent (maybe that one too) all I want is a big plate of fried chicken, heaping slices of supreme pizza or a dripping beef n' cheddar with a side of jalapeno poppers. (Insert stomach growl here) Wouldn't it be nice in times of turmoil, leafy greens sounded as delish as peanut butter pie? Ha Ha!

If my mom was reading this, (and she probably is...thanks, Ma!) she'd probably gently remind me of a particularly stressful day when I was 22, freshly graduated from college and in desperate need of a job. After several months of sending out piles of resumes with no avail, I finally got an interview for an editor position at a magazine. I spent the entire week before the big day brushing up on AP style, current events, finding a suit and making sure my portfolio was perfect. I confidently breezed in, took a test, answered a few questions and was on my way with a big grin in tow. But my thoughts of an office and new business attire quickly diminished the minute I got my “Thank you, but…” letter a few days later. I remember holding the white sheet of rejection, tears exploding, telling my mom I would never find a job. I was on Weight Watchers at the time, and in my frazzled state, I could have dived jumbo spoon first into the triple-chocolate ice cream seducing me from the freezer. But my goals got the best of me, and I made the surprising selection of baby carrot sticks to snack on. My mom said later she got teary-eyed herself when she witnessed my “Eat This, Not That” moment, because I didn’t let stress turn my diet into a mess. Take that! And as a result, I shed 28 pounds!

I just hope that same willpower will push me out of the pantry tonight. :) I think I can…I think I can….

Gobble it up

2009-08-17T18:22:00.001-07:00

I am sure everyone is tired of reading about my troubled tibia, cause Lord knows I'm sick of talking about it. Ha! So, I thought I'd focus on something else that starts with a "T"...turkey! Last week, I strayed from the beef and filled my plate with tilapia, tuna, turkey and chicken. And like those meats, I feel a lot leaner! Yeah!

So when I went on my weekly grocery run yesterday, I filled the cart with all things white and pink, including 99 percent fat-free gobbler. I'm usually weary of using ground turkey in anything other than spaghetti, due to its dry reputation, but since I was craving "comfort" food after a VERY long day at work, I thought I'd make a healthy version of a big burger and fries.

To make the burgers, I pulled out my trusty green bowl and mixed the pound of ground turkey, a few squirts of mustard, a couple of shakes of hot sauce and a Hidden Valley Fiesta Ranch packet. I am originally from Arizona, so spicy food runs in my veins! Ha Ha! I molded the patties, and into the pan they went for about 15 minutes. Halfway through, I put the top on the cooker to try to keep the moisture in. While the turkey broiled, I cut up a big sweet potato into chips, drizzled a little olive oil over the top and completed them with a generous helping of one of my favorite spices -- Tony Chachere's Creole Seasoning. It may seem a little strange to not use the traditional cinnamon and sugar on sweet spuds, but this Cajun creation really is delish! And, according to my new friend, WebMD, spicy foods have chemical compounds that boost the metabolism...HOT!

My sweet potatoes (which I baked in a 400-degree oven for 20 mins) were nothing to frown at, and a bit of ketchup was the perfect sauce for this side! Nutritionists at the Center for Science in the Public Interest ranked the sweet potato #1 in nutrition for all veggies. Brown spuds have almost twice the recommended daily allowance of vitamin A, 42 percent of the recommendation for vitamin C, and when eaten with the skin, more fiber than oatmeal. Who'd want to eat a regular potato after hearing that?!

In the end, I have to say I was very impressed with my kitchen skills tonight...those burgers were top notch, if I do say so myself. Burger King may have some stiff competition. :)

I think I overdid it

2009-08-16T17:31:00.000-07:00

The weekend is coming to a close, and I think if my doc was grading me on the R&R I should be giving my ankle, I would probably get a big D+. Friday night, the hubs and I took part in his sister's birthday celebration at an outdoor mall in our area. We went to a hip bowling alley and restaurant they just opened, and while I was thoughtful to the ankle and didn't partake in the strikes and spares, we did do A LOT of walking and prolonged standing around the shops afterwards. Saturday was all about spending quality time with the hubs, complete with antiquing, lunch, shopping and a viewing of the new Harry Potter movie. My foot was angrily pulsating inside my way-too-big brace, so we went in search of one that was the right fit. The doc gave me an X-large, but after looking at the size chart on the box, I am supposed to be wearing a small. No wonder it hurt so bad!

While the new boot fits much better, with all the extra steps I shouldn't be taking, I have acquired a new pose I like to call the "flamingo." I stand, with one hand on another person's shoulder, while bending my left knee to get my foot off the ground. Ha Ha! I should be in a zoo somewhere, drinking murky water from a pond.

I think the straw that broke the camel's tibia was tonight, when I took the dog for a short walk. I did have the brace and my new sneaks on, but the dog was huffing it so fast, the ankle was definitely crying "uncle." So now, I am back to the couch, ice pack neatly placed, watching bad reality television. It is pretty frustrating, but it could be a lot worse. A break or sprain would have set me back 6-8 weeks...yikes! I just have to think about the movie, "Julie & Julia," which I saw with my mom and sister today. Julie Powell, blogger extrodinaire, and Julia Child, a famous foodie, both had many road blocks when trying to reach their goals. But they kept on cooking, which is the food for thought I need to remember. Heck, I'd rather be going through this, then trying to debone a duck like Julie did! Ha Ha!

The blog has a new home

2009-08-15T17:11:00.000-07:00

The blog has decided to pack its saddlebags and move! The new address is almost the same, but without the blogspot in the address: twopoundsawk.com.

Keep an eye out for some other changes coming soon! Can't wait!

Pictures, please!

2009-08-14T15:36:00.000-07:00

Since my exercise plan is on “bed rest” due to a bout of tendonitis, I thought I’d share another reason why I’m working so hard (maybe too much so…oops) to drop a few pounds. On Sept. 19, the hubs and I will dress in our finest attire and travel to Chattanooga, Tenn., to have our pictures made by the very talented Mr. Dan Henry. I got a rave review about Dan from my friend, Jessica, who used to work with him at a daily newspaper and quickly hired him to shoot her nuptials in December. We had set up an appointment with him months ago, but due to a death in the family, we had to reschedule our session for September. I’m glad about it now (the extension, not the death of course) because that gave me a few more months to slim down before our big photo op. Now most people get their pictures made for a particular occasion, i.e. engagement, Christmas, pregnancy, etc. Our reason? We hated our wedding photos.

Our photographer was highly recommended to us by several of my hubby's relatives. We met with him and his wife, who helped out with the business, and all seemed right in the photography world -- at first. They did a beautiful job on our engagement photos and were very reasonable in their pricing. Then came our wedding day...

1. The photographer was an older gentleman, apparently hard of hearing and stubborn as a goat. Our bridal party (including 7 bridesmaids, 7 groomsmen and 3 flower girls) kept asking him to let us know when he was going to take the picture, and I don't know if he was temporarily deaf or displaying some divo-like behavior, but he would just snap photos without saying so much as "cheese." What resulted was a bunch of snapshots of some people frowning, eyes closed, mouths open...awful!

2. He lied about his Photoshop skills. Our album was filled with uncropped, overexposed pics, and one particularly dreadful one where I look like a penguin and the hubs looks like a stalker. He even included a photo of HIMSELF that his wife took! I shudder just thinking about it. Thank goodness for some of our friends and relatives who actually took some snaps that were way better than his! My friend and bridesmaid, Jen, got a gorgeous pic of me and my nieces. I should have hired you, Jen-Jen!

3. His wife belonged in a mental ward. Not only did she talk smack about us to my hubs' grandmother AT the wedding, this woman was barking orders all over the church and at our reception. We were about to cut our cake, and she actually ran over, yanked the knife out of my hand and made me hold it in a different way claiming it would make a better shot. Wha?! Then, she wanted me to throw the bouquet sideways, which would have looked really stupid, and was fuming when I didn't do it her way. I'm surprised she's not in every photo we have. And to top it off, she tried to make my mother pay for pictures she didn't order and hung up on her. That's some great professionalism!

So we are hoping to crop all those bad memories and get some shots that are mantle worthy. Dan was incredibly kind after hearing about our situation, and even offered to shoot some pics of me in my wedding dress if I felt like it. Too sweet! I guess if I feel like cheating on my food or fitness plan, I'll just pull out that penguin pic...that's some motivation!

The Sarg isn't gonna like this

2009-08-13T17:01:00.000-07:00

In Tuesday's post, I was complaining about the pain in my ankles and legs from the exercises I've been doing on the EA Active 30-Day Challenge. I thought it was just a bit (or really a bunch) of soreness from all the jumping and running, but I found out this evening that it was more than a quick soak and a good rub down would fix. My diagnosis is tibial tendonitis, which as the name pretty much says, inflammation of the tibial tendon.

I knew something was up when I got home today, slipped off my turquoise heels and saw that my left foot looked like it had slurped up a salt lick. I'm talking huge! I had the hubs take a look at it to make sure my eyes weren't hallucinating, and sure enough, he agreed it was abnormally hefty. So we drove to the nearest doc-in-the-box, since my regular doctor was already headed home for the day. And 30 minutes later, we left with a prescription for anti-inflammatory meds in hand and my left foot thankfully snuggled in a brace. I got strict orders to separate myself from the EA Active for at least two weeks while the tendon heals, so no workouts with Sassy Sarg for 14 whole days. I'm pretty bummed, since I was doing awesome on the challenge, but I definitely don't want to piss the tendon off more than it already is. Plus, the doc said my right leg would copy its twin if I didn't take a rest and do the three sheets of therapeutic exercises he sent home with me. Sigh...

I hope this isn't too much of a set back for my weight-loss goals. I still have my food plan to concentrate on, which will be a welcome distraction from all this throbbing pain!

Stupid scale

2009-08-12T10:00:00.000-07:00

So I guess the headline of this post says it all. I had my weekly weigh-in this morning, and the scale sure wasn’t as nice as it was last week. I was up two pounds, so I’m back to where I started. Ideally, I’d like to just shrug it off and not care about my gain, but I have to say I’m feeling pretty down about it. I know that may be an absurd thing to get upset over, but it is incredibly frustrating for me to be battling through some serious fitness aches and pains and saying no thanks to some of my favorite treats, and still gaining weight. I want to punch my metabolism square in the face. (If it had one, that is.)

But in the interest of throwing out the lone guest at this ridiculous pity party, I have to move on and strategize my plan of attack on the scale. I’ve thought of a few things to do differently this week that will hopefully help in giving my lumps the ol’ heave-ho.

Two-a-Days
I am NOT a morning person. My poor mother and my husband (and anyone else that has forced me out of bed throughout my life) has the absolute worst time waking me up. Side effects include crankiness, exasperated sighs, hiding under the covers and slapping the arm of whomever is trying to be clever and pull back the sheets. But, despite my inability to wake with the chickens, I am going to try to rise at least 30 minutes earlier in the morning and get in a sweat session on my elliptical machine, (I can almost hear my husband laughing at the idea that I would actually get myself out of bed) then I will continue doing my nightly workouts as well. Maybe all that exercise will stun my body into submission. It’s worth a try.

Din-Din
I think I have my food plan backwards at times, since I try to save the majority of my Weight Watchers points for dinner. Really, I should be eating heavier meals in the morning and afternoon, and lightening up my supper plate. So, I’ve decided that carbs at dinner time are a no-no, for at least a few weeks anyway. I’m going to try to load up on lean meat and veggies at night, and eat a little earlier. I’m sure it isn’t good to chow right before going to bed – that’s probably the hours that all those carbs take a snooze and stick to my thighs. Hopefully mixing things up a bit will prove to be successful at my next weigh-in. If not, I’m going back to bed! :)

An old sole

2009-08-11T20:01:00.000-07:00

Tonight, I had dinner with my wonderful friend, Brittany, at P.F. Chang's. The grilled salmon and asparagus was delish, and getting to catch up with her was worth the anxiety-ridden drive under the black, threatening clouds and hurried walk to the restaurant door, all while trying to keep my inside-out umbrella from flying across the desolate parking lot.

I wasn't sure if I would even be able to make our monthly meal, since the front of my legs and ankles hurt so bad I feel like poor Paul Sheldon in the movie "Misery," when psycho Annie sledgehammers his feet. Ok, so maybe not that bad, but it is pretty darn close. I've been doing a lot of running and jumping during my EA Active workouts, so I thought maybe I just overdid it while trying to appease the Sarg. But, the hubs said several people he works with, who are avid runners, said they had killer shin splints when they first started hitting the track. I looked it up and found out my terrible tibia ailment can be caused by specific athletic activities, including running in worn-out footwear. Hmm...

I've had my New Balance sneaks for over three years, and I have to say, they have definitely lost their luster. I read the rule of thumb is to replace your tennis shoes after 500 miles of wear, and I think mine are far past their tune-up. So, tonight while out with Britt, I decided to trade them in for a fresh pair of Asics Gel Kahana 3 kicks in frost, smoke pearl and cherry. Asics are well rated among runners, which I can understand why after I slipped them on my feet for tonight's workout. (Yes, I did my EA Active. I am a glutton for punishment.) The snug gel cushion seemed to relax my aching ankles a bit, and I was able to complete all 15 exercises without shedding any tears. FantAStICS! Now, the same can't be said after taking the shoes off...the pain is running the 5k to my calves. Ouch! I may have to sleep with the sneaks on tonight. :)

P.S. -- Tomorrow is weigh-in numero dos for me...saying an extra prayer tonight! :)

Back to civilization

2009-08-10T16:27:00.000-07:00

I am so happy, and relieved, to be home after two days in the wilderness. As I mentioned in Thursday’s post, the hubs and I joined some friends on a 23-mile canoe expedition, complete with an overnight campout by the river. We had to rise and shine (or really, rise and whine) at 4:30 a.m. Saturday morning, so determined (and stupid) me decided to do Saturday’s EA Active workout at exactly 12:01 a.m. I didn’t want to find out what Sassy Sarg would do to me if I missed a session, so I sleepily put my sneakers on and trudged through more lunges, bicep curls, jumping side to side, running, tennis and inline skating. I had also completed Friday’s workout earlier in the evening, so by the time I was done with my midnight sweat-a-thon, I basically melted into bed. The alarm sounded at what seemed to be two seconds later, so with much prodding from my hubby, I finally got in the shower, and we gathered our supplies and grumpy dog and headed out to meet our group.

Day 1 of canoeing actually started out pretty well. The morning sun was already baking us, but luckily, the water was cold to perfection so we could take a dip anytime it got too hot. (Including our dog – he got his first swimming lesson!) The trees provided ample shade as well in patches along the way, and a welcome breeze whisked by from time to time. I have to say the hubs did a lot of the paddling the first leg of the trip, since I was soaking in all of the nature around us. After about six hours of serenity and a moment of drama (our friends’ boat tipped, and one of their dogs was under water for a few minutes. But after a brave rescue from his mom, he’s ok), we picked out a place to park the canoes and set up our tents. This was my first time sleeping in one, and I can’t say that I would want to do it again. It was hot…the bugs were knocking down the nylon…and every time a grasshopper would chirp, our dog would start barking his head off. Not fun!

So after a sleepless night, we got up at dawn to begin Day 2 of canoeing. The hubs and I had a rough go of it, since our boat seemed to have a magnet on it for tree stumps. We slammed into at least three of them along the way, almost capsizing our vessel and spilling all our belongings into the murky water. But, we kept going, in tact, for another five hours before our entire group was done with the bugs, heat and fervent rowing. We stopped at a bridge and called the canoe rental company to come pick us up, but they wanted to charge us an extra $60 to do that, so we decided to suck it up and finish the hour we had left. Seeing the flat rock bed piled with canoes and a guy from the company waiting to pull our boats in was better than the smores we polished off the night before. (And that was some good eatin’! Ha Ha!)

Even though I am sunburned, bruised and shaken from almost falling in the river countless times, I am really proud of myself and the rest of our crew for making it to the 23-mile finish line. Hoorah! I hopefully lost a boat load of calories, although I was Weight Watcher free on this adventure. We tried to find some healthy fare – including apples and 100-cal canned fruit and granola bars – but I did indulge in some campout favorites, like hot dogs and M&M-filled trail mix. (Not to mention the celebratory meal at Outback that evening. Mmmm)

But, I’m back on the food plan starting today, and am actually looking forward to tonight’s workout with Sassy Sarg. Just as long as it has nothing to do with a canoe and paddle, I’m up for it!

Paddle!

2009-08-06T16:03:00.000-07:00

Today is my “rest” day from the EA Active, (thanks Sassy!) but instead of enjoying a warm bath and a cup of hot tea to ease my achy muscles, I will be heading out with the hubs for the evening to search for camping gear. This weekend, we, along with our crazy pup, Tex, will be joining our friends, Brett and Amy, and about 15 friends of friends on a two-day, 23-mile canoe excursion into the great unknown. And what’s unknown is what scares me! I wish Bear Grylls was going to be a member of our pack, since I really don’t know anything about surviving in the wilderness. The one time I would have had the full experience of being woodsy, since my family chose cabins over cloth huts (thank you for that), was in fourth grade when I joined a Girl Scout troop. The night before our big camp out, I got my plastic utensils, Ziploc-encased clothes and extra-large can of mosquito repellant all packed in my knapsack, and of course, I woke up in the middle of the night with a fever and sore throat. Bummer! Lucky for me though, I didn’t get stuck in the rain like the rest of the scouts, eating burned spaghetti. Ha Ha!

Now don’t get me wrong, I love spending time outside. When I was younger, I rode my bike all over the place and played hide-and-seek with the neighborhood kids until our moms called us in (for the third and fourth times) for dinner. In middle and high school, the big thing to do was ride four wheelers through the muddiest parts of the river, to which, I ruined my friend, Sara’s, mom’s leather jacket. (Sorry about that, Tammy.) But, as I’ve gotten older, I have to admit I’ve become more of a lady of leisure on the weekends. I love pedicures, lunching with my family, antiquing and getting together with friends for a little din and drinks. So to trade all that for a pair of water shoes and a two-person tent is slightly daunting for me. But, in the spirit of being a supportive wife and trying new things, I’m going to hang up my heels, put fresh batteries in the ‘ol flashlight and jump on the boat. Not to mention burn some serious fat cells! Thirty little minutes paddling down the river burns around 120 cals, so 23 hours comes to a grand total of 5,520…oh yeah! Maybe all that rowing will keep my mind off bears, snakes, no bathrooms or showers, and mad men with chainsaws stalking us through the woods…wish me luck!

You've got this...

2009-08-05T16:09:00.000-07:00

...Or at least that's what my EA Active trainer, whom I've dubbed Sassy Sarg, told me today. And you know what, I believe her! As I said in yesterday's post, Wednesdays are my weigh-in day. In the ultimate fighting championship between the scale monster and me...I kicked its badonk-adonk! That's right, folks, I met my goal of losing two pounds this week, and it feels more than amazing. It's "weigh" amazing! Ha Ha! Here's to round 2, scale...I'll meet you in the ring next Wednesday.

So a new week begins today, and I don't know if my body is just pooped or what, because it definitely wasn't pumped for another workout. I had two sessions of long laps and "kick ups" (basically kicking your own butt with your heels while running), and no lie, I was breathing so hard, the very-laid-back hubs was like, "oh my gosh, are you ok? Lift your arms over your head! Sip water!" If that wasn't enough hilarity for Sassy Sarg, she continued the brutality with lunges, bicep curls, basketball, inline skating and boxing. Workin' it!

Now on to the big reveal. I gave a few clues in yesterday's post about something I'm going to add this week to my food and fitness plan. It's called ACV -- apple...cider...vinegar. I first heard about this supposed slim-down secret from my sister, Sarah, who loves all things natural. She buys organic fruits and veggies, travels to Tennessee for raw milk and researches the vast array of vitamins, enzymes and other good-for-the-bod products that stock the shelves of health food stores. So, I thought I'd take her advice with a teaspoon of ACV and give it a swirl. I did a little research of my own, and while some studies say there is no conclusive evidence that the sweet-sounding tonic can lessen your lovehandles, others say it does have medicinal qualities that can support weight loss, like stabilizing blood sugar levels. (Both sides of the debate are discussed in this article on naturalnews.com)

So I went and bought a bottle of the stuff this evening, and abiding by my Internet teacher, looked for the words organic, raw, unfiltered and mother (scratching my head on this one) on the label. I guess I'll be the lab mouse and down a spoonful or two with water before meals for a week or so starting tomorrow. Who knows...maybe it will be everything it claims. Let's just hope I don't start growing limbs and have someone come read a book under me. (Wink)

Just call me Mike Tyson

2009-08-04T16:36:00.000-07:00

I just finished day 7 of my 30-day challenge on the EA Active for Wii. That's more than 600 cals gone and about 90 exercises painstakingly completed, including 25 laps around the virtual track. Supa-girl! Today's workout was full of one of my favorites, boxing. I got so into it I thought I was going pull a Mike Tyson and bite my hubby's ear off! Ha Ha! Watch out, honey!

I've also been doing excellent on my food plan. But there's really not much to feel deprived about...cereal with skim milk, fresh berries, turkey wraps loaded with veggies and cilantro, taco salad....mmm hmm! That's what I like so much about Weight Watchers. It doesn't really limit the types of foods you eat, but rather, the quanity of it. I've tried other plans that cut out the carbs, or said no to fruit, etc. and whatever I couldn't have, that's what I craved (and cried over. HA!)

With all my healthy efforts, I hope that the white-and-silver monster that lurks in my bathroom (is that called a scale?) will show me some unconditional love tomorrow when I (gulp) step on it one timid foot at a time for my weekly weigh-in. I just hope like a video tape, the scale monster will please be kind and rewind!

And in the interest of keeping things fun and light, (literally) I've decided to try a little something new this week, along with my food and fitness plan. It's slightly controversial...it sounds sweet, but yet it's bitter...and can be found at any local grocery store. Any guesses? :) Stay tuned!

Late-night Snack

2009-08-03T19:43:00.000-07:00

In 2008, only one state (Colorado) had a prevalence of obesity less than 20 percent. -- Centers for Disease Control and Prevention

Recovering Caffaholic

2009-08-03T15:49:00.000-07:00

About a month and a half ago, I heard the phrase no coffee, soda or tea addict wants to hear… “You have to give up caffeine.” What blasphemy! The love of all things caffeine was probably running through my veins before I was born, since my dad can’t quite make it through the day without at least a mug or two of piping hot, Columbian roast.

My gateway liquid drug of choice was almost certainly Diet Dr. Pepper. My first job out of college was at a small newspaper, and I didn’t have anything close to the typical 8-5 work day. Monday through Thursday, plus Friday or Sunday, depending on our schedule, I woke at noon, got to work at 4 p.m., copy edited and page designed until 1 a.m. (or later…thanks to presidential elections and printing problems), then went home and watched whatever programs happened to be on the few channels I had. Then I crashed around the time most professionals are putting their heels on or straightening their ties, and whisking their kids off to school. My vampire-esque routine had my sleeping patterns feeling like they were on a runaway train, so Diet Dr. Pepper soon became a frequent mixture in my life. And by frequent, I mean a 20-ounce before I even got to my job, one when I sat down at my desk, another with dinner, another after dinner, and on and on until the boss gave us the go-ahead to travel home. I might as well have had an IV of the stuff injected in my throat, or a barrel by my desk with a sufficiently long straw. I eased off it a bit when I changed jobs, (or really, was forced to change jobs. Our little paper shut down, and our team had exactly one-day notice. Nice) but I still had to have at least two sodas a day, a hazelnut latte or something equivalent to give me that perk-me-up I had come to expect for years. And by this time, so many new, sinfully delicious drinks had come out on the market…Diet Coke with Splenda, cherry Coke Zero, vanilla-cherry Diet Dr. Pepper…an addict’s greatest dream and worst nightmare all in the same sip.

But, as the saying goes, every good thing must come to an end, and that day for me was July 6. I wasn’t feeling very well a few weeks prior, and I kept getting these weird flutters, and later, thuds in my chest. I went to my doctor, who listened to my heart, and trying to suppress her concern said, “Um, your heart is skipping beats.” With that simple statement came weeks of X-rays, EKGs, having to wear a heart monitor, waiting for results, ultrasounds, more waiting for results, misdiagnosis, lack of sleep (I was terrified my heart would stop beating as soon as I shut my eyes), medication, and finally, a visit with a specialist that after the whole ordeal, basically told me I was going to be fine. I was having heavy heart palpitations, which she said could be a combination of factors, including my beloved boyfriend, caffeine. So, sadly, I had to break up with him.

It has been almost a month since our separation, and I’m actually feeling a lot better. My chest doesn’t feel like it has six boxes of Pop Rocks in it, and I’ve found a few alternatives when water just doesn’t cut it. Giving up soda all together will be my next big feat, as I’ve read that even diet drinks can cause weight gain. But alas, I think I’m getting a serious crush on Diet Sierra Mist with Ruby Splash. (Wink) At least it’s decaf!

The Daily Nibble

2009-08-03T11:07:00.000-07:00

Gulping down the equivalent of just two mixed drinks (or two glasses of wine or two bottles of beer) puts the brakes on fat burning by 73 percent. -- MSN, "Speed Up Your Metabolism"

Late-Night Snack

2009-08-02T19:59:00.000-07:00

Regular physical activity enhances academic performance. -- from My Fit Tribe, "Quick Fitness Facts"

My friend, the bride

2009-08-02T18:44:00.000-07:00

So I said in my initial post that I would get into some of the reasons why I want to lose weight. One of those said reasons is named Jessica. :) My wonderful, hilarious, very fit friend is tying the knot in December to a great guy that shares her interest in asking random questions. (i.e. What is your favorite kind of bean? Do you like Geico? Have you ever had deer wrapped in bacon?) Ha Ha! Seriously though, they are a perfect match, and I am so happy to have the distinct honor of being part of their wedding day, as she was for me when I got married last year. And while I know the bride is going to be a KNOCKOUT, I still want to look dang good in my cherry red gown.

This isn't the first time I've tried to lose a few l-b-s in the name of wedded bliss. When another friend of mine asked me to be her bridesmaid a few years ago, I had my mom take my measurements so I could order my dress. And let me tell you, the numbers really had me close to tears. But, that was when I got on Weight Watchers and joined a gym. I was more than excited when the dress came in, and it was so big, I basically had to get half of it cut off. And before my own wedding last year, I did Weight Watchers, aerobics classes, ran stairs and did laps at work with the supportive Jessica, and had to get my absolutely amazing princess dress taken in. However....

When my sister, Sarah, got married, I had gained some weight, and when I put my baby blue gown on, it wouldn't zip. Panicked, I didn't eat carbs for a week, and thankfully, that seemed to do the trick. (Maybe Mr. Atkins didn't have it entirely wrong.) But the top was so tight, I was afraid I would pass out during their "I dos." At my friend Jen's nuptials last year, I felt like that commercial where the slightly-overweight girl is walking through the room, and she feels like everyone is staring at her. (Not to mention I should have tanned my pale legs before the big day...ghost legs in a black dress...not so cute.)

So I hope for Jessica's wedding, I can get it right again and look hot instead of not. Ha Ha! And the bride is definitely a motivator....she works on her fitness like 6 days a week. Not to mention I burn a lot of calories laughing at all the funny things she says. One study says just 10-15 minutes of hardy-har-hars can burn up to 50 cals! So keep me laughing, girl! Thank you for being my friend, and allowing me, whether fit or flabby, to be in your wedding!

Late-night Snack

2009-08-01T21:08:00.000-07:00

A new study says boiling carrots before slicing them increase anti-cancer properties up to 25 percent. -- www.dailyhealthtips.org.uk

Working for the weekend

2009-08-01T08:27:00.000-07:00

Oh, how do I love Saturdays! As we speak, I am relaxing on the couch, covered in my favorite maroon blanket, with my sweet baby dog, Tex, sleeping soundly at my feet. Laying around is going to short lived, however, since the Wii is willing me with its pushy red light to get off my butt, throw the hair in a ponytail and get my sneaks on for today's workout. Not to mention, this house needs a serious overhaul. I don't particularly like cleaning, but I'm one of those people that if I get started, I can't stop! Like, I can't just wash the dishes if I get in one of my "cleaning moods." I've got to wipe down the counters and table with a little 409, sweep the floor, mop, throw away old food in the fridge and clean the shelves, etc. etc. etc. Not only does a spick-and-span home feel amazing, a little sprucing up can help you burn major calories. Mopping alone for 30 mins can whittle away 112 cals! Thanks, Mr. Clean!

Weekends are also the toughest for me to stick with a food plan. There are so many great restaurants in our area, and even if you try to eat healthy, sometimes you never know what kind of "extras" you are getting in your food. Case in point, I went to lunch one day with some friends to an Italian place. While everyone else got plates filled with cheesy, mouth-watering fettuccine and lasagna, I ordered a salad with scallops and prosciutto. Sounds pretty lean, right? WRONG. I went on the restaurant's Web site to see what the nutritional info was so I could figure out how many Weight Watchers points to record, and I was shocked to find out it had 1,320 calories and a whopping 91 grams of fat!! Ick! (Check out America's worst, and best, salads here.) So now if I know I'm going out somewhere, I try to find the menu online and choose wisely on what I'm going to have for my meal. I didn't get to do that last night, since the hubs and I grabbed some food on a whim while out birthday shopping for my niece. We chose Mexican, but I didn't eat any of the chips (one of my absolute favorite guilty pleasures), and I had two tacos without sour cream or guacamole. No rice or beans either, but it was still really good and filling. So I guess even if you can't plan ahead, you can still make good choices.

Tonight is going be particularly tough because my sister is cooking a big Thai dinner for my niece's birthday. I come from a family of fabulous cooks (I think I missed that gene. Ha!). My mom can just throw odds and ends from the fridge in a pot, and it tastes like something out of a gourmet cookbook. My dad can whip up the yummiest scrambled eggs and good ol' southern fried chicken (please make it again, Pa! Burning it ONE TIME does not entitle you to never making it again. Ha Ha!) My sisters both take after their exceptional meal making, with some of my favorites being stuffed pork chops, spinach-artichoke dip, fish tacos, curry potato salad, salmon with butter sauce...I could go on and on. My strategy to make sure I don't stuff myself this evening is to practice portion control (measuring cups are a big help with that) and have a small piece of cake -- a few sweet bites is usually enough for me. I guess you can have your cake and eat it too...as long as it’s not the size of your face.

I'd also like to wish my friend, Laura Rose, a happy birthday! Have a great one! Oh, ok, Wii…I’m coming!!

Late-night Snack

2009-07-31T20:23:00.000-07:00

Cabbage is 91 percent water.

The Daily Nibble

2009-07-31T12:35:00.000-07:00

If all 600 muscles in your body pulled in one direction, you could life 25 tons.

Happy Friday!

2009-07-31T12:16:00.000-07:00

My EA Active trainer is giving me the day off, and boy, do I need it! Yesterday’s workout was full of painful surprises – lots o’ lunges, squats, a little tennis and way too much running on the track. I have never been a good runner, or great at sports for that matter. Flashback to the 90’s: I couldn’t dribble a ball without staring a hole through it, much less make a jumpshot, yet I thought I was good enough to make the basketball team in middle school. (I was quickly humbled when the names were called out. Ha!) In ninth grade, I tried out for cheerleading and completely forgot the dance. I was just standing there, hands on hips, while three bewildered judges stared at me. Talk about mortified! I did play volleyball for three of my high school years, but most of my time was sitting on the bench, leering at my unforgiving coach, or gossiping with my best friend, Laura Rose. But hey, you can’t shame a girl for trying! So back to the present: I was really proud of myself for finishing all 18 exercises, and earning a new trophy for completing an hour of training in two days. Go Meg!

I did well on my food plan, despite several temptations. Usually, Thursdays at work are what my friends Jessica, Lori and I like to call, “Chicken Wrap Day.” Our cafeteria makes the absolute BEST wraps – a handful of tasty fried chicken, lettuce, tomatoes, cheese, onions, banana peppers and jalapenos, topped off with sweet honey mustard dressing. DROOL. But, I stuck with my Lean Cuisine pasta and cup of peas. Not the greatest lunch ever, but my thighs thanked me for it. (My stomach, however, was pissed.)

I also had a “first” yesterday: a professional massage. The wonderful Katherine helped me relax and calmed my crabby muscles down. There are numerous health benefits from massage therapy. Not only does a little rub get rid of pesky aches and pains, but also helps you get better Zzzzzs, improves alertness and even wards off colds. Check out this article from CNN.com for more info about it.

On a very important side note, I’d like to wish my niece, Presley Kate, a happy birthday! She turns 2 today. She is such a blessing to me and to our family, and I can’t wait to celebrate with her tomorrow. I only hope I can refrain from eating too much cake. :)

Late-night Snack

2009-07-30T20:27:00.000-07:00

You're more likely to be hungry when you're cold. -- "Fun Food Facts," Nutritional Managment Services

I heart food.

2009-07-30T12:12:00.000-07:00

I have never been one of those girls who eat two bites of salad and claim to be stuffed. I really do love food – Mexican, Italian, Thai (my supreme favorite these days). I luckily love fruits and veggies too, (thanks, Mom and Dad!) and rarely fry anything, but sometimes a big bowl of chips and cheese is mandatory after a rough day!

In my earlier years, I could pretty much eat whatever I wanted. I remember in high school, my best friend and I used to go to Arby’s and get the five for $5 sandwiches and eat all five between us. (Which is, gulp, more than 2,000 cals just for one meal. I would NEVER do that now without feeling deeply guilty). Even my first year of college while most of my counterparts were battling the inevitable “Freshman 15,” I actually lost weight, thanks to walking all over campus instead of driving, while still eating pretty much what I wanted to. Then the weight came pouring down….

My second semester of my freshman year, I met a boy we will call "the Germ" (a name my family lovingly --ah hem, sarcasm -- gave this guy.) It was the only day it snowed, so I wanted to take full advantage of the crisp, white blanket that covered the entire campus. I called my roommate, who was at her boyfriend’s fraternity house, and she asked me to come over and enjoy the snow with them. That’s where I met the Germ. He was very charismatic, handsome, funny…we talked the entire night and went on our first date the next day. He really did seem perfect – buying me flowers, cards, introducing me to his friends the first week we met, you get the picture. But things began to rapidly change when my body started to also. I was taking a medication at the time that my doctor didn’t inform me would cause weight gain, and I packed on quite a bit over the course of several months. Rather than encourage me, he ridiculed me. We would be out somewhere and he’d point at an attractive, thin woman and say, “See her, she has the perfect body. You should look like that.” I remember another time I was so excited about a cute skirt I had bought that day at Gap, and I put it on for our date that night. The first thing he said to me was, “Your hips look big in that. You need to take it back.” I would exercise and exercise, but he’d always say it wasn’t good enough…I should run a little further, do a few more crunches, etc. And the comments continued until I finally wised up (a lot later than I should have) and broke up with him. You can’t break up with pain though. I felt horrible about my body, and my self-esteem was so low, my friend, M, suggested that I see a counselor. So I did. I’m not ashamed to admit that either because emotional abuse can be just as lethal as physical, in my opinion.

But to this day, I don’t regret being in that relationship, because I believe that God guides your life in every way. I met M through the Germ, and she and I became fast friends and roommates my last two years of school. She is a wonderful person, and even served as a bridesmaid in my wedding. Not to mention, being in a relationship with someone that toxic only makes me appreciate my amazing husband even more, who makes me feel beautiful every day. But more than anything, it helped me to see that you can’t let someone dictate how you feel about yourself, you can’t do a food plan for someone else, or exercise for someone else. It has to be solely for you.

But, I digress…for the past several years, I have gained weight, lost weight, and gained weight again. Somewhat of a yo-yo girl I guess. I dropped 25 pounds in 2003, and I felt amazing! I did a little plan you may have heard of – Weight Watchers. Basically, you have a certain number of points per day, and you have a guide to tell you what the point values are of different foods. (i.e. one of my favorite snacks, fresh cherries, are only 1 point for a whole cup.) You keep a food journal, and track everything you eat and drink (don't forget to record those margaritas!) during the day and how many points it is. You can also earn points for exercise, and have 35 extra flex points to use throughout the week. I am currently doing this plan again, which I have tried several times since my initial 2003 success. The hard part for me about this plan is staying in my points range, especially on days when I feel like I could eat my arm if it had a little bbq on it. Ha! But, it is all about making good choices I guess. Like, instead of having the 7-point Snickers bar, have the 1-point bag of popcorn.

So, in summary of my LOOOONNNG blog post (I promise I won’t get this lengthy in the future), I am putting my past behind me, and looking forward to a healthy, and hopefully, leaner future. Cheers to two pounds lost by next week…I’ll drink some H2o to that!

The Daily Nibble

2009-07-30T09:15:00.001-07:00

"We never repent of having eaten too little." -- Thomas Jefferson

Oh my goodness...

2009-07-29T21:22:00.000-07:00

...I just got my butt kicked! My hubs, JD, and I purchased the EA Active fitness game for Wii last night, and tonight, I decided to take it for a test run. Little did I know that run was what I would be doing! When you get started, they let you pick your "character," complete with outfit, shoes and even sunglasses and a hat if you like. Love the pink sneaks mine is sporting! :) Then you can pick what intensity level you want to work at (mine is a nice medium -- too scared to try the hard just yet) and whether you want to create your own program or go with Bob Green's 30-day Challenge. In case you don't know who Bob Green is, think trainer for Oprah. I decided to go with the 30-day challenge. For 27 long minutes, I walked, ran, did bicep curls, squats, punched at targets and even did a little inline skating. Now 27 minutes may not sound like a long time, but by the time I was done, my legs were shaking like my husband's shoulders as he laughed watching me do all these crazy moves. (With me -- not at me. The hubs is my greatest cheerleader.) It was a great workout, and despite being hard, it was a lot of fun. I really liked the variation in the exercises, and it is like having your own personal trainer right there with you. The game also tracks the calories you burn, your goals and gives you cute little trophies when you excel at the exercises. The only problem I had was getting the sensors to pick up properly, but I think that is just something you have to adjust to. Along with a brisk walk with our baby dog, Tex, I think I did pretty good today. I'm actually looking forward to tomorrow's workout -- the game tells me I get to do a lot of lunges, and even play some tennis :) Check in tomorrow to see what food plan (remember, no mention of the "d" word) I'm trying this week!

Welcome to my Blog!

2009-07-29T14:05:00.000-07:00

So, I never thought I would be a blogger. I know plenty of people that do, and I love reading about their careers, babies, weddings and other happenings they pen (a.k.a. type) about. But I could never muster the time or subject to actually write one. That is until a few days ago...when I stepped on the scale. Yes, like millions of Americans, I need to lose a few p-o-u-n-d-s. My goal is 25 to be exact. And like the name of my blog, I hope to shed about 2 pounds per week to reach my skinny jeans destination. I thought writing about my experience would not only keep me on track (and hopefully running around a track) but maybe help others who want to slim down their own muffin tops. I plan to try different food plans (p.s. I hate the word, "diet") exercise routines, helpful wellness tips and quirky tricks to reach my goal of the big 2-5 by (hopefully) November. I will also delve a bit into why I want to lose weight, my past hurts and happinesses related to weight and what has and has NOT worked for me. So grab a carrot stick and enjoy the read! :)