Tuesday, December 21, 2010

Return of the Sweaty Bike Guy...

Yes, you read that right. I went to the "gym" last night. Wahooo for me! I made my friend Riana go with me. I'd been threatening to forever but last night we made it happen. I jumped on the Elliptical because I'm a nice girl (hey, quit scoffing, I can be nice) and Riana wanted the Treadmill. And naturally, "The Walker" wasn't there so she was able to get right on.

And who should come in while I was sweating away on the elliptical but Sweaty Bike Guy!!! We shared the same awkward smile as he got on the bike next to me and then promptly ignored each other.

So I did 2+ miles on the elliptical and then I did about a mile or so on the other bike (the one that used to squeak) by the treadmill so Riana and I could visit while she finished up her half hour. I went a little earlier because I wanted to do 45 minutes. Then feeling empowered we promised to try and go again tonight and walked our separate ways home.

Saturday, December 18, 2010

Family Pictures

We got a new family portrait done today.



Don't we look cute? I super love this new family portrait way more than our old one. Can you guess why?



Duh you say, the reason is that I look a TON better in the new one since I've lost 70lbs since May 2010. However, in this picture I'm at my heaviest so I'd say the weight difference between the two pictures is around 125lbs.

In all the poses we took to get the old family photo the photographer always put me in back. I didn't mind, I didn't want to be in the front. In all the poses we sat for today, I was always in the front, surrounded by my boys. I don't know for sure if it the weight made the difference on my placement or my attitude and how I projected myself did it. I know I was miserable 125lbs ago as you can tell by my half-assed smile and I'm a happy girl now as you can tell by my big teeth-baring grin. Don' we all look much happier? I wonder if the old adage is true: "If Mom ain't happy, ain't nobody happy!"

Tuesday, December 14, 2010

Partied Like It's 1999!

So, I lost 6 lbs last week, right? Guess how I celebrated on Sunday night. By eating my weight in Doritos Spicier Nacho Chips and espresso fudge crunch. Yep. Our neighbors brought over some really heinous coffee flavored cake with peanut butter frosting (super gross) and some espresso fudge crunch that was incredibly good. I'd been craving chocolate for girl reasons so I ate a square, then needed salt and spicy so had some chips, then needed sweet so ate another square, then needed salt and spicy so more chips... you get the idea. I partied like it was 1999 with food.

Am I guilty? Nope. Am I on a shame spiral? Nope. Should I have not overdone it as much as I did? Probably. But do I care? Nope. I'm living. I wanted it. I ate it. And when I thought I would puke if I had another bite (yes I really did go overboard, I'm not kidding) I threw the rest of it away (not the chips... those are the husbands) but the fudge and icky cake so I wouldn't be tempted to eat it again yesterday.

Yesterday, I walked 5 miles to the post office. My legs are sore today. But, as soon as I get the Grumpybutt down for his nap I plan on jogging my 30 minutes anyway. Go me.

Last night I made fish and chips for dinner. I breaded some Red Snapper in Panko (Japanese Bread Crumbs -- better for you than normal bread and crispier too when you cook them) and then fried them in a little olive oil with seasonings. Turned out so good. 3ft had two servings of fish he liked it so much. He has declared that Fish is his favorite and we need to have it more often. The husband, who hates fish and fish smells, is ecstatic about the idea of more fish in the house... really. Not!

I baked a ton of brownies yesterday and only ate a couple crumbs. Doing coconut macaroons today and hoping to only eat a couple. Plus I've got to frost an army of gingerbread people. Christmas baking = busy girl.

Healthy Lifestyle - Day 189

Total Pounds Lost - 70.9 lbs

Sunday, December 12, 2010

Switch ups and Jogging

So...

I don't know if it's the cereal switch up, the jogging 30 minutes a day 5 days a week, or the fact I've been eating provolone cheese on my sandwiches instead of mayonnaise but I lost 6.1 pounds last week. Let me say that again SIX point ONE pounds last week!!! So I'm point one pound shy of having lost 71 lbs. I'm beyond ecstatic. And I'm totally stoked to have achieved my mini 15-pound goal with 5.9 pounds to spare. How awesome is that? SUPER AWESOME!!!

On Friday, I jogged, had a play date with my friend Riana and her kids at their house, did some baking, and made Enchizagna's for dinner (enchilada/lasagna).

On Saturday, the husband had to work but was able to carpool in so I had a car. I did a lot of running around and shopping. I hit Target for more baking supplies and Christmas shopping, and then I had 20 bucks of Kohl's money so I went there and found some ornaments for this year.

And I still have more running around to do today. 3ft's got a birthday party, then we need to go to Safeway, Costco, Richards (a craft store), and back to Target for some things I forgot. But before I got swamped I just had to share my elation that I've lost SEVENTY POINT NINE POUNDS!!!!

Healthy Lifestyle - Day 187

Total Pounds Lost - 70.9 lbs

Thursday, December 9, 2010

Child for Sale.

I'm finally getting to sit down for a second and have a moment to myself. I've had a crazy busy day.

I jogged for 30 minutes this morning. That makes 4 days in a row this week. I'm ever so proud of myself and so is the little balance board on the Wii Fit. Or so it tells me. He looks a little shifty to me though, so I don't know if he can be trusted.

I chased after Grumpybutt all day. He's pulling himself up to a stand against anything and everything. That kids gone on so many headers and butt plops I'm just beside myself. I'm thinking about getting him toddler football gear complete with a helmet so he survives this phase. So, that has kept me busy.

And if those weren't enough, 3ft suckered me into making Gingerbread Cookie Pops for his class. Now, could I go the easy route and buy a couple boxed kits to make them from? Oh, no..... I've got to make the gingerbread from scratch, cut down the "pop" sticks, sand them, then wash them, then roll out the dough, cut the shapes, bake them, make homemade cinnamon royal icing, and then frost those bad boys. However they're totally not that bad for you as it's my gingerbread recipe. I think they turned out pretty cute, though:


After 34 cookies baked, cooled, iced, and packaged -- I'm pooped and would sell my first born for a back rub. Actually, make that my second born -- he's the one who makes me feel like I should be in the Notre Dame Cathedral (get it? I'm hunchback from bending over him while he holds my hands and walks. So I'm like Quasimoto. Get it? I crack myself up).

Healthy Lifestyle - Day 184

Total Pounds Lost - 64.8

Wednesday, December 8, 2010

Evil Spawn.

Oy. and Vey. My children got me up at 5 am this morning. FIVE A.M.! I keep trying to tell them that it's an ungodly hour and that only Satan's little playmates get up that early so they must be evil children. They snicker wickedly and continue on with their devilish ways. It's not right I tell you. Not right. How did such an angelic girl such as myself get saddled with spawn of evil? That's what I want to know.

So, I've already jogged this morning. I woke up grumpy, irritable, and downright bitchy if I do say so myself and I knew it was going to be a long day. So I remembered babbling something about endorphin highs yesterday on Facebook and how great I felt after jogging. So at 5:30 I pulled on my sweats and sports bra, turned on the Wii Fit, and started jogging. My husband did his best to keep the Grumpybutt entertained and 3ft enjoyed watching my Mii fall (which proves 3ft really is evil). If you run to fast your Mii trips and falls and this morning you'd have thought my Mii didn't tie her shoes. But I jogged for 30 minutes and felt much better after. Now I don't have to worry about it the rest of the day, how awesome is that?

I made homemade Cheesy Scalloped Potatoes for dinner last night. They turned out really good. I was impressed with myself. Next time I think I might throw a little ham or bacon inside them and make them a main dish instead of a side dish (especially for how much effort they were to make). 3ft liked them but what he went back for seconds on was the green beans. I spend over an hour and a half making scalloped potatoes and my son goes back for the canned green beans that took me 3 minutes to pour into a bowl and nuke. *sighs* At least he's eating his vegetables.

So we're up and at 'em and ahead of schedule this morning. Go Team Dovichi!

Healthy Lifestyle - Day 183

Total Pounds Lost - 64.8

Tuesday, December 7, 2010

Cereal Shake Up

I finally got tired of FiberOne Honey Cluster cereal. After having eaten it everyday for pretty much 4 months I don't think I could eat another flake. I tend to do that, eat something to death and then don't eat it again for a long time. So I've moved on to Kashi GoLean Crunch. I'd had it suggested to me by an old friend awhile back, but I was still loving the Honey Cluster, so I put it off. So, I bought a box and it's actually not that bad. It's not Cinnamon Toast Crunch or Frosted Flakes (Mmmm) but then again what healthy cereal is? I slice up a half banana to add to it and pour a 1/2 cup of homemade almond milk over the top of it and munch it down. I find that it keeps me fuller longer with the protein/fiber combo instead of just the extra fiber of FiberOne. And since I've been jogging everyday, that's a good thing.

I experimented with my take on a Reuben Sandwich yesterday. Sort of gave it a makeover to make it a little better for you. I made homemade sour coleslaw instead of sauerkraut and then I used a ham/turkey meat combination with a slice of 2% Provolone cheese and stuck it in the oven. It turned out pretty freaking delicious. I'm going to have it for lunch again today. I made my friend Riana, who came over for lunch with her munchkins yesterday, try it too and she said it was really good. I think her favorite part of lunch was the S'more Brownie I "forced" her to eat, though.

I've decided I really like jogging. Granted because the husband is working overtime a lot and the weather being cold I've been jogging in place, indoors, on the Wii Fit but I jog pretty fast and do a lot of sweating so I figure it's just as good. Plus I can do it while the Grumpybutt takes his morning nap. So I've been jogging for 30 minutes 5 days a week (taking the weekends off -- too hard to do it with all the boys underfoot and at night I'm too tired) and jogging a little further everyday, according to Wii Fit.

Sunday, December 5, 2010

Week of 11/29 through 12/05 Recap

Guess what?

I've lost 64.8 lbs. Do you know what that means? It means that if I lose another .2 lbs by Christmas I'll have achieved my mini goal of losing another 15 lbs by Christmas. Can I get a Hallelujah? Oh yeah! HALLELUJAH!

Not that I'm excited or anything. Really.

WOOOOOOFREAKINGHOOOOOOOOO!

A quick week recap: I jogged everyday for at least 30 minutes nonstop. I'm building up my endurance for when I get off my butt and find a 5K to run. I decorated a graveyard of melting snowmen for a fundraiser/contest at 3ft's school without eating a single cupcake. I sneaked vegetables into my boys by grating zucchini and carrots into my spaghetti meat sauce and they devoured it. I got a yen for s'mores so I created a new brownie recipe I call, "Gimme S'more Brownies". (and in case you missed the picture)


Gimme S'more Brownies

Ingredients
*Graham Cracker Crust

5 graham cracker sheets (crushed)
2 TBS sugar
1 TBS butter (I use Brummel and Brown Spread w/ Yogurt)

*Double Chocolate Brownie

1/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
1/2 cup granulated sugar
2 TBS butter (Brummel and Brown Spread w/Yogurt)
1 egg
1 TBS water
1/2 TSP vanilla extract
1/2 TSP instant coffee granules
1/4 TSP baking powder
1/4 TSP kosher salt
1/3 cup all purpose flour
2 TBS semi-sweet chocolate chips

1 1/3 cup mini-marshmallows

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees

Combine graham cracker crumbs, 1 tbs melted butter, and 2 tbs sugar together in a medium size bowl and mix together thoroughly.

Line an 8x8 glass baking dish with parchment paper and then spray bottom only with cooking spray (leave enough parchment paper on 2 opposite sides to use as handles to lift the brownie out)

Press graham cracker crumbles into bottom of prepared baking dish and bake in the oven for 10 minutes.

Combine first 9 ingredients (cocoa powder through kosher salt) of Double Chocolate Brownie in a large bowl and whisk together until smooth. Add flour; mix. Fold in chocolate chips.

Pour on top of graham cracker crust and spread evenly. Bake for 12 minutes.

Top with mini marshmallows and bake another 5 minutes until marshmallows are browned and melted.

Let cool in glass dish on wire rack for at least 30 minutes, lift out by parchment paper, and cut into 16 equal squares. (cutting tip, use a warm, wet knife to reduce stickage)

Healthy Lifestyle - Day 180

Total Pounds Lost - 64.8