Wednesday, April 27, 2011

Work It: Sabotage

Workout: 2 mi run in 18:20 minutes
Calories: 2200
Sugar: 25g

At the beginning of April, I said it was going to be my last hurrah for trying to loose those pesky 5 pounds. The hurrah turned out to be more like - Wah Wah!

Looking back at my “weight journey,” I’ve come to realize that maybe exercise is not always key. Today, though, today I had to work out. Not for the weight loss, but more for the sanity :)

I know it was only 2 miles, but it was an awesome 2 that recharged me and got me going on my way! How was your workout?

Brielle slept through the night 9-5 and I think we are trying to drop the “dream feed”. Turned out well for me, but bad for the daycare cause they had problems getting her to nap. Which will probably come right back around tonight for me – it’s the sleepless cycle and I’m smack dab in the middle of it!

Kimberly, I know you’re in the middle of a move – but please take a nap while you still can :) Then you can write about it – it makes me feel better to know that naps do exist!

On the sugar front, I actually did ok today. Cut back on the creamer and avoided the SABOTAGE at work. The ice cream got me yesterday, but today I maneuvered away from sweet bread in the AM and birthday cake in the PM.

BTW, I learned the Bean & Cheese Taco Cabana TINY little taco is a whoppin 300 cal. A what?

Plus, if you’re looking to track your sugar – check out this little gem: Sugar Stats.

Off to finish AI.

ADios!

Tuesday, April 26, 2011

Little Things: Measuring Cups

Workout: None
Calories: 2200
Sugar: 42g (yowza!)

Last night I pulled out one of my many 1/4 measuring cups to prep my oatmeal for the night (me + oatmeal = bffs).

I wanted some milk and I had the cup out so it was just instinct to use it and measure 1/2 cup out of milk, not even thinking about it. Little did I know that I would be shocked to see how small 1/2 c milk looked in my glass.

I mean, really?

Blog 001

I know there have been many a day when I filled that puppy up all the while thinking I was having 1 serving of milk. Try more like 2.5x that amount.

Word to the wise (Vanilla Ice) – it’s always good to measure stuff from time to time! Do you guys do this? Ever been shocked like I was?

In terms of sugar tracking, the sugar is a ninja! You know that seasoned rice vinegar – 5g of added sugar for 1 tablespoon. That’s a 5th of my recommended daily intake.

I had to skip it since I was already at 15+g before noon – I couldn’t believe it. Turns out, maybe I should also rethink my coffee creamer as well and turn that into more of a “treat”.

I’ve been slacking (again) on the exercise front. I’m trying to stop the “dream-feedings” with Brielle, so she keeps waking up at 3 on the dot. It’s throwing me up a bit but I gotta keep on trying. After reading that link, though I think Maybe Brielle might not be ready to drop it yet. Decisions, decisions.

Off to watch Glee :)

ADios!

Monday, April 25, 2011

The Case: Sugar Addict

Workout: 0

Calories: 2100

Happy Easter!

Brielle 193

Hope it was a blessed event shared with family and friends – as it should be :)

We had a wonderful time, standing-room only at Mass with a baby with something to say. Loved it!

Brielle 176

It was a great weekend and we even managed to run a Bunny 5K that benefited an ALS foundation.

Brielle 175 

Richard’s brother and his wife joined us, too. Good times :)

Brielle 173

I even PRd, the official time was 28:52 but I started about 2 minutes back and they didn’t have chip timing so I’m thinking I finished in the 27-28 range – woohoo! It was so much fun!!!

Now that Lent is over, let me clue you in on a little known secret: I'm a Sugar Addict. I can't be trusted with a 20ft pole near sugar. It's that bad!

There is sugar running through my veins as we speak!

As some of you may know, I tried giving up added sugar (amongst other things) for Lent. I was semi-successful, meaning I ended up doing the no-sugar thing during the week and had some sweet treats on the weekend. I justified it because I was doing other things for Lent, but really I deserve a medal for my ability to justify things. I will always find a way ;)

On a good note, I did take something spiritual away from the experience. Mainly that I recognized how much I use sugar as a crutch when I'm dealing with stress. Acknowledging that little tidbit and trying not to resort to it by praying, writing or trying to take my mind off it was a growing experience :) One that I will continue to try and improve upon. One step at a time, right?

Segue into my next blog goal: tracking the grams of added sugar that I consume.

Imma scared!

I’m an avid calorie counter, but I’ve never tracked anything else really. Well, I tracked fat during high school because the low fat diet was all the rage.

I was clueless! I mean, doesn’t everyone know that consuming 8-9 servings of bread/cereal a day is ok cause that’s only like 8-9 grams of fat and you’re allotted like 20 a day? Silly Willies!

Drum roll for my first entry, please…

Sugar: 41 grams

I think the recommended is 25 grams and I’m not proud to say that about 50% of that came from my cup of crack (chai) tea. That’s right – 21 grams of the white stuff in one liquidy/sweet/delicious drink!

Needless to say, I can’t do this everyday!

Have you guys ever tracked your sugar intake? Anything else?

Had any diet follies like fat gram tracking? No, that’s just me? Thought so!

Have a great day tomorrow :)

ADios!

Thursday, April 21, 2011

Natter: Bad Aggie!

Workout: 40 minutes Insanity Power & Resistance DVD
Calories:2000

Today, the angels sung :) My Bebe slept from 9:30 til 5 straight - a new sleep record - I believe. To be honest, these occasions are rare and so I have not tracked them.

I managed to get through the Insanity Power & Resistance DVD at 5:40 and still get to work on time. Go me! What was your "Go me" moment today?

So for all you non-Texans, today is San Jacinto Day - the celebration of the Battle of San Jacinto on April 21, 1836.

A day that us people:


usurped and dedicated for the celebration of this:


If you didn't know, A&M is all about crazy traditions. Muster, however, I think sets A&M apart. It's a day where Aggies gather together to reminisce about our college days with fellow Aggies, celebrate the lives that connect us today and pay our respects to those who have passed.

The Roll Call honors Aggies that have fallen since the last Muster roll was read. As the names are read, a friend or family member answers 'Here', and a candle is lit to symbolize that while those Aggies are not present in body, they will forever remain with us in Aggie Spirit.

As you might have guessed, I've been a bad Aggie - a really bad one! Evidenced by this little gem:


Yes, amongst Aggies I may be known as a 2% (someone who may not fully embrace Aggieness) and have not participated in Muster since I graduated. I think as I get older and now that I have a little one, I'm all about instilling new traditions and look forward to celebrating this one.

Do your alma maters have any special traditions like this one?

ADios!

Wednesday, April 20, 2011

Work It: Insanity

Workout: 42 minutes Insanity video

Calories: 2100

Yayy, I got to work out this morning. Hoo-ray for stress-relief! I think I’m going to try and do the Insanity Challenge, but a modified version (thinking more yoga). I really feel like the intervals kick-start my metabolism, they’re fun and you get to look at this guy in the AM:

I gotta say, looking at exercise more as toning/stress-relief rather than weight-loss/maintenance is taking some getting used to.

I’ve been programmed to believe working out will erase those chocolatey-bars/ice cream/[enter foodie favorite here], it’s hard to get away from it. I’m trying :)

Brielle 147 

Here’s me trying with the girls of the house, they’re helping me learn how to use my camera. After 3+ years, I finally learned how to do the self-timer. Go me! The only problem is, the pictures come out a little grainier. Boo me!

Brielle 120

This was Abacus this weekend, does he not look ADORABLE?

How was your workout today? Do you look at them more for weight loss/maintenance or stress relief?

Have a great Thursday :)

ADios!

Monday, April 18, 2011

The Case: A Bitter Truth

Workout: 2.15? miles in 20 minutes

Calories: 1900

Fructose is ethanol without the buzz? What?
A calorie is not a calorie? What, what?
Sugar is not my friend? What?



This is a mega-long YouTube video but it is really interesting, I would highly recommend it to anyone who is into healthy eating. The one-line synopsis: sugar is evil!

Ok, so I may be a little over-dramatic here - I could be a queen sometimes. Lustig goes into all these slides that I couldn't even pretend to understand. This guy tried to explain it to me:


I won't lie, I didn't understand most of it. I think I even had flashbacks to my college chemistry class. I got a 36 in my first ever exam in college (go me), and still I was right around the curve. That was a harsh awakening? Was your first college exam as bad as mine?

An even harsher truth: all calories are not created equal and sugar is like alcohol without the buzz.

There's another video of Lustig on ABC news where he basically wants stores to start carding teenagers who want a fizzy drink! A guy can dream, right?

I had my run-ins with soda before, but I gotta give it up to my parents for not keeping it in the house.

How about you? Are you a coke drinker? BTW, coke = all types of soda down in El Paso.

Also, I know I haven’t drawn up a plan for exercise this week mainly because both of my plans last week ended in miserable failure. I will have to regroup and move on.

“You had me at ‘I have to pee’”. 10 points for anyone who gets that quote.

ADios!

Saturday, April 16, 2011

Foodie Friday: Hula Burger?

Workout: nada (thought I'd switch up the "none" - wouldn't want to bore you;)
Calories: 2000

My workout recap: ran 20 minutes on Wednesday, nothing since. I'm sick again - big time sniffles + coughing for 1, no 2 - my baby has it too :( I think we keep infecting each other - how do you end this cycle?

Also, getting sick after that vinyasa workout was a MISTAKE. My abs are still sore so coughing takes on an added level of unpleasantness. I'm not kidding, this is deep-level soreness that I have NEVER experienced before. How does yoga do it?

Halfway through the day and I remembered today was Foodie Friday and I hadn't taken a single picture. Oh no!

I ate the same thing for breakfast that I did 3 of the 4 days this week, so please picture this:

boiled eggs + whole wheat sandwich thins + the secret ingredient = convenience/yumminness

The secret:



For sure, boiled eggs have changed the way I have breakfast: they're convenient, yummy, hold me over until lunchtime and require no extra packaging. I don't want to be like the Del Monte guy who thought this up:



I had a spinach salad with tuna for lunch and followed it up for some Chobani yogurt + sweet, sweet cantaloupe for a snack. Yum!

Then I debated: to filet or not to filet?


Lent is almost over and I usually have it at least once a  year. I looked up the nutrition info and asked myself, why do they have something that can be so good into something so bad?

I wonder what the nutritional value of the Hula Burger was as bad as this? That's right folks, it seems like McDs could have ventured into the grilled pineapple burger market. I wonder if they would have been able to make pineapple unhealthy? That was a rhetorical question, of course they would have!

So I filet'd purely for nostalgia reasons and I regretted it 5 minutes after. 380 calories for that little tiny sandwich could have been better spent!

I ended the night with some oatmeal + raisins + milk - you can never go wrong with that combo.

My parents spent the night and we had a great talk and watching yesterday's Oprah show. I decided to record her last 30 shows since it's so hard to believe they will be her last.

That is why this post is a day late.

On a GRRRREAT note I get to go pick up my hubby in 2+ hours. Can't wait :)

What are your Saturday Plans? Hope you have a great one ;)

ADios!

Tuesday, April 12, 2011

Little Things: Fire!

Workout: 30 minutes Energizing Flow Vinyasa
Calories: 2000

You know the saying, "Where there is smoke, there's fire" - oh so true.

No, it's not what you're thinking - I'm not trying to burn my house down like I was when this incident happened. This time it was all about the Vinyasa Fire.

I'm telling you, I think this Kathryn lady (the instructor) had it out for me. My golly, gosh, gosh!

I chose one of the 30 minute sessions and 30 seconds into it and she was all over the place, I was barely able to keep up. It was so much fun, I want to try it again tomorrow :) Coo-coo-Kcrazy - I know!

I'm just glad I tried it, I almost didn't but I felt like such a looser as I reached over to reset my alarm that I just had to get up. Plus, I have to admit, I wanted to write about it!

Do any other bloggers do this? Work out/eat better/try something new just to write about it? What's the craziest thing you've ever done?

As coo-coo as I may be, I know I could never sign up for the No Sugar Project for the entire year! Now that's one nest I could never fly over, could you?

We interrupt this blog-post to bring you a spoiler alert: I may be up all night with the LO! Apparently, a slight cough can lead to vomiting, and is causing her to wake up every half-hour. My poor little baby, I hope she gets better soon - dumb cough!

Have a wonderful Wednesday!

ADios :)

Monday, April 11, 2011

The Case: Slacker Alert!

Workout: NONE :(
Calories:  1900


Do they give out TOTAL SLACKER AWARDS? If so, I would be a shoe-in!

Yes, my name is Cynthia and I’m a slacker!

I think I was trying to recover from the non-sleep week at first, but now it’s gotten a little out of hand. I’m fining myself!

Well, not really fining – more like getting over it and moving on. On a good note, I did manage to run 3 miles on Sunday, but I had to force myself cause I went a little overboard on the food-front on Saturday.

As far as the plan for this week, they say third time is the charm. Right?

Day Plan Calories
Tuesday Yoga 1800
Wednesday 40 min run (intervals) 2000
Thursday 45 min circuit weights 1700
Friday Yoga 1800
Saturday 50 min run 200
Sunday 40 min walk doggies 2000

Otherwise, I’m gonna go coo-coo for Cocoa Puffs.

Cocoa Puffs!!!

How do you guys get over ruts? Any words of advise?

ADios!

Wednesday, April 6, 2011

Work It: The Return

Workout: 3 mile treadmill run in 28:15 minutes
Calories: 2000

Woof, woof, woof!

For those of you that may not know what that is, I'm channeling Arsenio here! I know, the geezer indicator is going off the charts here!

Today's treadmill workout:


AWESOME!

Even more awesome: close to 6 hours of uninterrupted sleep!

It’s amazing how getting a good night’s rest reenergizes you. That’s why I have to take advantage of those days when I have enough energy to work it out!

For a while I’d been locked down on getting an hour of exercise a day. I would feel bad if I only got 30 or 40, worse if it was only 20 minutes.

I think I’m getting past it and accepting that the circumstances have changed and I just have to adapt. I may not be able to do an hour of cardio followed by yoga (because sleep is of greater value), but it almost just makes the time that I do work it out so much sweeter. Plus, it pushes me a little bit harder.

Plus, plus and even more of a plus: I get an extra half-hour of sleep!!!

How about you, does sleep trump workouts?

t-2 days til the weekend :)

ADios!

Tuesday, April 5, 2011

Little Things: Whooooop!

Workout: None :(

Calories: 2000

Whoooooop!

2011 National Champions!

Whooooop!

Congratulations to all the Aggie Ladies, you guys are rock stars! No doubt about it!

Did you guys watch? I just loved the Coach kneeling on the floor, seconds away from reaching the top of his profession.

Plus the girls, counting down those last final seconds. All their hard work finally coming to fruition. It’s so inspiring to watch!

Hopefully it’ll inspire me to get up & run tomorrow! Let’s hope the baby cooperates :)

On a good note, she woke up at 1 but went back to sleep at 1:20ish. Then I got close to 5 uninterrupted glorious hours of sleep! I was like a kid in a candy store.

Yum, candy!

I used to play basketball in high school, and I loved it. The workouts, the competition, the comradery – I miss it so much. The only problem, I wasn’t very good at it. My nickname: butterfingers!

I was ok when I had the ball, getting the ball was not as easy as catching it. The hubby has even been known to make fun of my football-catching skills. What can I say?

Did you guys play any organized sports in high school? Got any cool nicknames like mine?

ADios :)

Monday, April 4, 2011

The Case: I'm doomed!

Workout:None :(

Calories: 1900

According to this article, What are the Consequences of Not Getting Enough Sleep?, I’m doomed:

  • I’m going to eat 300 calories more per day
  • Which will lead to me gaining more weight
  • It’s going to raise my blood pressure
  • Increase my changes of me getting sick – cough, I’m already there
  • Shrink my brain and worsen my memory. Did I mention my first batch of my wonder remedy tea went to the drain – I forgot to put the pot over my cup before I sprained it!
  • I’ll skip my workouts – haven’t worked out since last Wednesday
  • I’m already cranky & totally off my game.

Did I mention the bags under my eyes have reached gigantic proportions. I could go around the world with these things. Kids, look away.

I almost got to this point today – I would have taken my own picture, but I pretty much sleep-walked through the day. Holy Guacamoley – I’m doomed I tell ya!

Any miracle lotions you guys know of that don’t involve placing something on your eyes for 5+ minutes?

For the fourth night in a row, my munchkin has woken up around 2 and taken 1.5+ hours to go back to sleep. I have no idea what’s going on.

I think she’s waking up by rolling onto her tummy and I have no clue how to stop that. We’ve decided to feed her a little later and a bit more to see if she’s not waking up because she’s hungry. We desperately need a good night’s sleep so any ideas you may have, please pass them along.

As you may have guessed, I missed my workout. I didn’t go back to bed until 3:30 and it took me a while to get back to sleep so I had to say no and try to “enjoy” those extra 50 minutes.

On these type of days, I thank God for a hubby who offers to pick up dinner and try to focus on the nutrition aspect of it. I didn’t make my goal: 1800 – but at least it wasn’t 2300!

Off to watch the NCAA Championships. Don’t forget to watch tomorrow, my Aggies are taking on the Fighting Irish.

Whoop!

ADios:)

Sunday, April 3, 2011

Sunday Setup: “Be my sweet tea?”

Workout: 25 min walk with the doggies

Calories: 2100

Don’t you love Country music lyrics? Nothing speaks to the heart like being like being asked to be someone’s sweet tea. I’m gonna have to work on Richard on that one ;)

The cough is getting better, I made myself some of my parent’s cough remedy. A tea made out of 1/2 onion & splash of oregano with a lime & a teaspoon of honey.

I know, crazy! My sense of smell is really gone so I can’t taste it, plus they swear by it and I’ve been drinking it for years when I get sick.

Do you guys have any crazy at-home-remedies?

As you may remember, my last hurrah starts tomorrow. I’ve added the calorie goals back in because I’m really going to try to loose those infamous “last five pounds.”

Since I only did the first 3 days of last week’s plan, I’m pushing the rewind button and using the same plan for this week.

Day Plan Calories
Monday 45 min circuit weights 1800
Tuesday Yoga 1800
Wednesday 40 min run (intervals) 2000
Thursday 45 min circuit weights 1700
Friday Yoga 1800
Saturday 50 min run 200
Sunday 40 min walk doggies 2000

Let’s hope I actually get to follow it this time!

Off to finish watching the ACM awards. I think I haven’t been listening to my Pandora country station cause it sounds like brand spankin new music too me.

Overall good show so far! Did you watch? What was your favorite performance.

Mine was Steven & Carrie. Too cool for school!

Hope ya’ll have a great week ;)

ADios!

Saturday, April 2, 2011

I no likey!

Workouts: none since Thursday :(

Calories: not really counting, too busy coughing!

That’s right, the flu looked me up and found me this week. Boo flu!!!

I had such a great 3-day workout stretch and I was looking forward to my weights on Thursday, but then the baby had a not so fun time with her incoming teeth.

Translation: no sleep on Wednesday night –> no Thursday AM workout :(

Then the flu started rearing it’s ugly face. First it was only a sore throat, then it morphed into CONGESTION. The horror!!!

Another sleepless night, another missed AM workout on Friday.

Enter cough & another sleepless night with the baby (notice a pattern here?) enter another missed workout today.

I could punch the flu in the face.

I won’t though, I’m still to busy coughing!

On another note, I have decided to make April my last-hurrah before this years swimsuit season! That’s right, I’m gonna tackle those last five pounds with a vengeance!!! Muahahah!!! More on that in tomorrow’s post, tonight is for rest, tea & honey.

ADios!