SBF2: Reboot boogaloo...wk of Dec. 6

lotusfromthemud

I really need to start thinking about Christmas shopping. Also, I finally made it snow with my "snow already!" ramblings.

Goals for the week are as follows:

Eat some damn fruits and vegetables. To that, today I will stop at the produce market on the way home from my workout and stock up on easily chopped up goodies, and then chop them up. That way, they're always available and I can't use my whiney "but I don't wanna wash the knife and cutting board!" lame excuse. I've been relying way too much on carbs and things I can just take out of the pantry. Trying to shift my brain over to vegetables and nuts as easy snacks/meals.

Workout five days. Today, it's cardio salsa. This whole "take two days off a week" is surprisingly easy, especially since I'm monitoring general activity. It seems to manage my energy better, in that I can burn off all my nervous energy running a thousand errands vs. doing one workout.

Between now and Christmas, two work sessions every day, except for Tuesdays (my teaching/appointments day). I'm re-writing/frankensteining an old paper into something for publication and drafting my diss. proposal. Two pretty different, but demanding tasks. The re-write is so difficult (I have some different ideas/new information about the research to incorporate, I'm combining an older, longer draft and a short conference draft into a medium sized draft, it has to be "copy ready", or pretty much perfect since it will go into print and follow me around forever.) that I'm only aiming to get one page done per session on it.

Have one day a week where I either go out with my husband or take myself on a date (less lame than it sounds,). I'm somebody who actually loves to go to a movie by herself. Last week I went to the movies, and I was the only one in the entire theatre! It was awesome, and surreal (in a big city, you're never, ever by yourself anywhere). The main goal here is to remove myself from home, which is my work environment, for a few hours every week.

And yeesh, that's enough, especially since my special lady time is looming on the horizon, with all of its magical energy sucking powers.

Please keep snowing (don't tell anybody I wish for this), boogaloo.:flowerforyou:

cmw9696

Nicely written! You can do it!

mechanicmom

I'm glad for another week, and one that isn't so crazy.
V, I am with you: more fruits and veggies, especially for snacks. Oh and my girl time is around the corner too. I may pay for it this month with how well (not really) I've eaten over the last thirty days.
I am still feeling sinus-y, but better. Ready for this to go away. I'm just glad I didn't wait to go to the doc until I was completely miserable.
I'm going to try to eat healthy all week (no sweets/desserts?) because we have another birthday party to go to this weekend. :sick: Also the other goals still remain: drink LOTS of water, and walk everyday for 30 minutes at least. Sounds pathetic but even those I can mess up. I also need to get my house cleaned up because it exploded over the weekend. School work to do today. I also need to get used to Alex's "Hey Look at me! What am I doing?" questions ALL day long! I've been impatient lately.

Starting over for the three hundred billionth time boogaloo!
MM

yoginimary

So back to back out of town weekends are really taking their toll. My husband vacuumed. I was floored ( ) - but really, I'm so behind on everything. Christmas cards - what are they? Oh, those things we get from other people. Luckily, we do not have to buy that many gifts this year because we agreed with our families not to do the gift thing - this relieves lots o' stress.

CP - please keep any chocolate covered pretzels away from this area of the state

So I'm a little surprised about something with yoga training. So yesterday, we had a class on ayurvedic foods and people's doshas. Let me just say, I'm a bit of a skeptic and think this stuff is about as scientific as a Cosmo quiz - ok, that's overstating it a bit, but you get the idea. Everyone else seemed to swallow it all - actually all of the philosophy and belief system we've studied so far. I don't get it. Is no one questioning it because they don't want to rock the boat - or are they all believers? Don't get me wrong, these are some great people. But I don't get it.

Goals this week:
we are supposed to keep a yoga log for homework, so I need to do some sort of yoga every day this week - except Saturday when I'll be in Dallas.
remind myself that if I don't get it done, the world will not end.
stay away from dessert until Saturday - and enjoy that piece of cake

Cosmo quiz, boogaloo.

SMJ64

V. thank you for making it snow (I didn't say that btw)...keep it coming! I want to break in the snowshoes soon! If you want to join me sometime, you can get some for $100 at costco. Ian bought some and they are pretty slick looking.

Had an awesome conducting lesson today - I was a bit freaked but she was sooo nice...hallejuiah!!!!!!!!! now I feel like I have an ally.

Had a big breakfast, going to take it easy until supper as I find when I eat a big breakfast I am always starving at night and have run out of calories for the day. I'm going to do a bit of walking this afternoon so I'll have some wiggle room I guess.

I feel like I've turned a corner. ...now to get some roasted veggies happening this week...it's my favourite way of eating them especially parsnips...nom nom nom...

boogaloobanzaibabies!

xoxo
s.

mechanicmom

Update:
Last year it snowed down here before it snowed in Canada. This is a more normal Texas winter although last winter was fun.

I walked an hour on the treadmill. :bigsmile: It helps to have an interesting movie to watch. I need to get some more cleaning done and then I'm done for the day. Dinner is in the crockpot so all I have to do is serve it and cut up an apple or two.

We heard from Russia. Andrei got our updated paper work with the new age ranges (0-7, not up to 10), and he has to translate it and get it certified which takes a couple of days. So he will not make it to the DOE tomorrow. It will be next Tuesday. So we may hear about a child next Tuesday or it could be another week or so. I really don't even get much in the way of feelings anymore when we get news. It's just whatever. My feelings seem to be asleep, for lack of a better word. And that's okay. I am able to keep more calm and stable. So we may or may not get an Asian child. Can't believe it's been over two years since we started this. Last year was almost a complete blur. I'm pretty sure last year did not even exist. We just skipped 2009. :ohwell:

Getting used to waiting. I still don't like it but it doesn't tear me up like it used to. I just hope one of these days I don't snap because I can't take it anymore.
MM

lotusfromthemud

Morning, pebbs...

no official workout today, but I aim to get at least 9,000 steps in. I have a sneaky plan (walk just one bus stop further away from my usual one, take the stairs, get off at a slightly further-away subway stop, etc.) to do this. It's my last morning (that went fast) of teaching until January, so I'm very happy about that.

So, a bit of extra walking, lots of commuting, a bit of teaching and sensible food choices. I'm going to confess, I'm jealous of ya'll's treadmill/movie combo. I was looking at some real estate porn (it's a hobby of mine to look at condo listings I could never afford and wonder what that's like...) and I was picturing having a room with a TV, some wireless headphones, a rowing machine and an elliptical. I could win the lottery! It could happen.:laugh:

MM, you are working your patience muscles. I get what you're saying about "cosmo quizzes", Mary...that was a reason I quit Bikram...it was just a little too much "do only this sequence, and while you're at it...here's some kool-aid to drink" for my tastes...I try to be of the mindset of "hey, whatever works for you..." but to preach against different needs for different people was just weird. When I told the studio I wasn't coming back at the advice of my doctor, one of the workers/teachers essentially tried to tell me that my doctor was an idiot. Um, not cool. Also, I have had exactly zero upper-respiratory infections since quitting it. Recycled, hot moist air in a crowded room + compromised immune system = not the best idea. Sarah, I'd love to go snowshoeing some time...I wonder if there's a place that rents snowshoes around? I'll look into it...although it looks like we're just getting weird, constant flurries that don't stick...still early, though.

Whoa, novella boogaloo.:flowerforyou:

mechanicmom

V, my patience muscles must be pretty buff by now. If I had the same consistency with physical work outs I'd be in good shape! :laugh: Hope your last day of teaching is a good one. I admire how you are working to get all those extra steps in.

The girly cravings attacked last night. I didn't need it but I ate it and it contained chocolate. Must quit that. Overall I was still under maintenance calories, but that doesn't seem to be enough any more.
Today: horse therapy, avoiding the sweets at the farmer's market (this could be tough. I'm having a difficult time resisting right now.), walk on the TR at least 30 minutes, school with Alex, and a relaxing evening.
Oh I have to tell a kid story! Yesterday I showed Alex how to count by two's: 2 4 6 8 etc, then I showed him how to count by five's. About ten minutes later I asked him to count by 2's for me. He counted: 1 3 5 7 9 11 13 etc! He didn't even hesitate! He just rattled them off! Amazing! You should have seen the look on my face. :laugh: I'm so proud of him.:bigsmile: He's come such a long way! Later he counted by 2's (2 4 6 8) all the way up to 30 and would have kept going if I had not interrupted him.

Proud momma boogaloo!
MM

yoginimary

I know some adults that would have a hard time counting odd numbers by 2, MM :laugh:

Crud, I was researching renting an arm band thingy and I lost my post. I want to rent one for a week. That should be enough. What is the name of yours again, V?
Calling your doctor an idiot just shows how much kool aid they've consumed.

Today is the big day - teaching chair yoga. I'm going to a "cooking" class tonight to learn how to make gelatin poinsettias - looks like glass and is somewhat edible. I'm going to walk this morning before class, then hopefully get another walk in this evening.

Pretty food, boogaloo.

lotusfromthemud

Crud, I was researching renting an arm band thingy and I lost my post. I want to rent one for a week. That should be enough. What is the name of yours again, V?

Bodymedia (formerly "go wear fit"). I takes a little while of you wearing it before it settles in...so you might want to go for two weeks (my first week was showing me just a slightly higher burn for things that it's now registering lower...not sure why this is, maybe it needs a large sample to run whatever analytics it does.

My great-grandmother used to make this poinsettia "salad" every Christmas. It involved artfully arranged, boiled apple slices in red food colouring and green marischino cherries. Now I want to try to make it, after your glass gelatin poinsettia description. Sample Scandinavian culinary awfullness: it was served on a bed of iceberg, with a sometimes homemade, sometimes out of the jar mayonnaisse "dressing". Yep, radioactively red/green food with mayonnaisse. Festive!:laugh:

lotusfromthemud

Uh-oh...talking to myself again.

Bad afternoon/evening yesterday. I had a super-stressful/breakthrough level therapy session...and then I went home and I had a real-live binge. I was over by nearly 700 calories, I think...I actually think I may have forgotten a few things I ate. It was not good, and I was so sad when it was over. But, I now know what my number one trigger is, so maybe if I can break the silence that trigger is maintaining (long story, trust me...but the simplest version is when I remember feelings of not being safe, then food = safety. This isn't true...but that's how my brain is currently wired down at its reptile core) then I can quit it finally and for real.

Moving on...

Recognizing that this is an apparently difficult time for me, I planned today's food completely out, and will not deviate. Later today, I aim to do that with the next three-four days or so, and then go shopping. This seems to be the best way to re-gain control. Also, exercise. I'm leaving for dance class in about five minutes, despite having a massive food hangover (an entire container of sour cream onion dip? Really? Ooof.)

More academic work will also take place. I am luckily chugging along smoothly in that regard.

Whoops/recover boogaloo.:flowerforyou:

mechanicmom

V, I'm sorry you had a bad evening. :frown: I understand the "feelings of not being safe, then food = safety". I think I do the same thing. Don't feel too bad. I had had six gluten free chocolate fudge cookies yesterday.

In spite of the six cookies I had yesterday, I have lost the weight I gained around Thanksgiving, so that is an encouragement. I notice I do better for the day when I've logged everything in the morning before I start eating. So I am going to try to stick with doing that.
I've been walking like I said I would, and that makes me feel better physically. I'm struggling with sweets because it's lady time and that's about all I want. I think if I start at the beginning of my cycle eating right, then I will feel better at girl time and won't be craving so much junk . It hasn't been proven for me yet but I think I need to give it a try.
Goal today: clean every room in the house! It's not horrible but every room needs some straightening up. I also need to do school with Alex and make a grocery list and walk on the TR. Oh and watch BL and Charlie Brown Christmas from last night.
Fitting it all in boogaloo!
MM

yoginimary

It's more important to understand the trigger of binging
I was thinking about the flower salad - I think I could do it without the food dyes and heavy dressing - I'm thinking place a red apple, white side down or use a bell pepper (might be harder to shape and I don't like peppers, but it could work) - I would use a dark green lettuce - more for the right color (I have nothing against iceberg, it's a vegetable after all). Could use golden raisins for the flower part of the poinsettia. I think the hard part is getting "more" to the salad - I'm thinking walnuts and crumbled cheese. A star fruit in the center would be cool too. Or you could do a fruit salad - as a center dish - a layer of kiwi with a layer of strawberries on top (though I think strawberries will be out of season for a little bit longer). Ok, enough food planning - but this is what my mom and I do for her parties, think of ways food can be made to fit the occasion. Last week I made: mini cake houses (cute but dried out by party time, would use brownies next time), peppermint meringue with ganache filling, and a way too complicated (thanks, Martha) 6 layer carrot cake. This week - more peppermint meringue with ganache (ooh, it's gluten free - I'll post recipe below), and three kinds of fudge - so needless to say, I'm not doing well with the no sweets - but I'm keeping it reasonable considering.

Today - double yoga and a little walk.

http://www.marthastewart.com/recipe/peppermint-meringues-with-chocolate-filling
a note here - in the latest Martha Stewart, she did a spiral bowl design and filled with piped chocolate - very easy. You do have to refrigerate the ganache to pipe it. Oh, and Martha thinks food doesn't last very long - these will easily last a week or longer if you don't pipe the chocolate right away.

Candy, boogaloo

SMJ64

V. I'm sorry about your difficulties. I understand the concept of food making me feel safe. It calms me down and seems to be a way to control how I feel. I'm always so surprised at how complicated our behaviour is, the influences, memories, trauma, it lives in our flesh I think and we have to almost exorcise it out of us. Keep on keeping on girl. You have been an inspiration to me these past few months and I'm ever so grateful that you turned me on to this site. xoxoxox


as for myself....I have a headache...and haven't been hungry at all. I hope I don't go overboard tonight (my weakness is before bed eating). I went to the store and bought cabbage and peppers and mushrooms and other stuff, going to make a salad of sorts and see if I can feel better after some veg. I've been walking in short spurts because I can't seem to deal with the cold. I need to find a hat that actually fits and is warm. So many are not warm, look pretty but suck as winter hats. ugh! Maybe I'll have to sew my own with a lining. Heavy feeling going into the darkness of december and solstice...mysterious but a bit isolating too.

carry on my beauties!
xo
sarah

yoginimary

I need to find a hat that actually fits and is warm. So many are not warm, look pretty but suck as winter hats. ugh! Maybe I'll have to sew my own with a lining.

My friend makes some fun hats - they are made out of reclaimed sweaters - is that warm enough?
http://www.etsy.com/shop/FreakyFootsies?ref=seller_info

oh, and that's me displaying most of the models.

mechanicmom

I kind of like those sweaters Mary. They are pretty neat.

I had a fail last night but it sure tasted good. I have been craving chocolate ice cream in a bad way, so I got some last night. Tasted good all the way to the last bite! Regrets? Nope! I just can't do it again today!

I have a busy day ahead. I'm not going to be able to get a walk in on the TR but I am going window shopping and grocery shopping, so that should suffice. Then I am going to rake our front yard this afternoon. That should definitely suffice. I don't want to be a Jollux anymore, V. So I have to get school done with Alex right away (trying to be more consistent) this morning, then go shopping. Some how I will need to fit drinking water into my busy schedule today as well.

Getting off here boogaloo!
MM

lotusfromthemud

Finished one current project, which thankfully/regretfully just frees me up to work more on the other project. Also, when I'm "finished" with something, that usually means that I just have one or two more re-writes to go after it gets sent to committee...

today is Zumba at 10, more editing from around 11:30-12:30, and then my first holiday party of the season this evening. Don't feel very festive, but will resist my urge to cocoon and stay home.

Other than that, it's my current "eat what's in the house" challenge to both clean out the freezer and cupboards and resist shopping.

No cocooning, boogaloo.:flowerforyou:

yoginimary

Only got an 8 minute walk in yesterday - will do better today. I tell myself every time - a little is better than none at all. I will also scan the web and see if there is a convenient yoga class. We are supposed to keep a yoga log - what a motivation to practice - someone else will see it!
I just found a class at 5pm - that should work - as long as I don't get on the computer when I get home. Found another one at 6 - so no excuses.

No rant today, boogaloo.

lotusfromthemud

stupid special lady time. Headache all day, turned into a migraine this afternoon. Looks like I'm cocooning after all. best laid plans...

At least I got my workout/work done before it hit.

mechanicmom

Mary, I believe a little is better than none.
V, I hope your head is better this morning. I hate migraines. Even the word tries to give me a headache.
SMJ, how are you doing today? Good devotion to the site! 70 days! Congrats!
CP, WL where'd you go?

Yesterday I worked in the yard for almost two hours and I was sore last night. It's a good thing I worked so much yesterday because I ate to make up for it. Once AF starts my appetite goes back down. I just hope it starts this month and soon. Antibiotics throw it off some times. :grumble: My system is so sensitive to change.
Today is Bible study, school (hopefully), a walk on the TR (or outside if it's nice), and a visit from Alex's OT tonight which means straightening up what I haven't straightened up yet in the house.

MM

yoginimary

Mary is currently ready to scream. My cough came back last night and this morning. It's not that bad, and I do have another week supply of the inhaler. I'm going to wait until I get back from Dallas to see how I feel before using the inhaler again. Going to Dallas today, coming back tomorrow.

I'm also thinking that, in a weird sort of way, my lung function is going down - I'm not doing too much hard cardio - maybe it's time to go for a bike ride today - even if it's short. Should be warm today. Other than that, I'm teaching yoga. I will walk uphill if the bike ride doesn't appeal. That actually might be best as I have a good movie right now (Temple Grandin).

I got my homework assignment for the break. I signed up to do the first round of presentations. Get it over with, right?

Do it now, boogaloo.

ps: I'm also thinking of quitting sugar to see if that helps - hard time of year to do so...