Just testing me

OK - this whole training by body to recognize hunger has gotten to the phase where it (my body) is just testing me. I am SO HUNGRY! I haven't felt this hungry in years. And, I have no food. Usually I have some of the KIND bars in my drawer just in case I get hungry, but I ate my last one last week and haven't bought any more. I will have to do that soon. Anyway - so I know my body is just testing me right now... I have been telling myself (with habit changes and ALSO verbally) that I am not starving, I am not in a famine, I will feed me if I am hungry - and it seems to be working. As I have reported, my rapid increase in weight seems to have stalled (if not reversed) and in exchange, I am feeding me when I am hungry. However, about 40 minutes ago I got a wave of hunger that was really intense, and so, like the good citizen that I am, I fed the hungry belly - an orange. And I was satisfied. The orange was good. NOW - with the smell of orange still in my trashcan, by body is INSISTING that it is starving. What do I do? I don't want to get junk out of the machines. Sigh.

Lunch inspiration

After Emily's suggestion of making PB&J on graham crackers I thought of hummus as a lunch food. I love hummus. I didn't actually HAVE a lunch for today (well, and orange and a yogurt - but no protein). So I went to Wegman's (with my $7.49 that has to last me until Thursday) and bought a quarter pound of hummus and a bag of rice chips (sesame and seaweed). I ate one of the chips and thought "Man! They must have coated these in sugar!" They were very sweet - but not offensively so, just enough to make them VERY YUMMY! Anyway - I read the ingredients and there is 0g sugars in them. They just taste sweet naturally - and they taste really good with my very garlicy hummus. So, I may make that one of my lunch options. I just need to make a vat of hummus and subdivide it into single portions for ease of packing. I also need to make up a batch of cottage cheese with salsa. I can eat that with the rice chips too - or with the blackbeans and rice chips that Katie and I both love.

Emily - you mentioned The Big Pear in a post a while back. I just noticed it today. Is that Pearisburg? That is what Pat and I used to call Pearisburg - but I can't think of a reason you would be in Pearisburg...

142

I was up so early this morning that I forgot I should complain about that weight.  I have been consistently 140.5 or 141 for the whole last week.  But this whole week is going to be messed up.  I have to get up earlier than usual to get the kids dressed and breakfasted and their lunches packed before we have to head out the door.  Their zoo camp starts at 9 in Roanoke.  Then I'm stuck in Roanoke until 3.  

Yesterday Cecilia and I walked to the top of Mill Mountain to kill the first hour and then spent several hours in the zoo after it opened.  But this is a TINY zoo that only takes an hour, so by one o'clock, even after taking time for lunch and a snack and riding the zoo choo and playing on the playground and re-visiting the monkeys and the red panda and the really cool snakes, we were both ready to die of exhaustion and boredom.  So (out of numerous options) Cecilia chose for us to go shopping (what kind of shopping?  "Grocery store!" of course) so we went looking for a Kroger.  But she fell asleep and we ended up just driving around for 45 minutes before returning to the zoo.  We killed time at a kids' center we hadn't visited yet (and at their bathrooms -- Cecilia made about six potty trips yesterday) and finally got to go claim the kids at 3.  I walked 10,000 steps yesterday and ate less than usual, but this morning my weight was up.  Whatever.  I was so exhausted last night that I went to bed a 9:15.

Today, after that appalling 142, I'm in a Panera (with wireless, hooray!) and eating an asiago cheese bagel (with light cream cheese on top, of course -- I have to maximize the cheese) and helping Cecilia with her cookie.  Makes sense to me.  I will probably miss dinner tonight, because our church's dedication is tonight at dinner time and will go right up until bedtime, I suspect.  So I'll be wiped out again.

Tomorrow when I get home Daniel's parents will be there, and they'll be in town through Saturday.  And on Friday night I have a wedding rehearsal to attend (and said wedding is on Saturday).  So it's reasonably certain I'll be exhausted and eating wrong every day this week, after which Daniel is out of town for the next three days.  This is starting to seem comic!

141.2

OK, down from last week and not a lot up from the week before that, so I can't complain. Nothing to report otherwise--I'm just trying to eat well (birthday cake notwithstanding) so that I don't gain a lot for these weeks when I can't get to the gym. This is the last week of summer camp, then we've got Pennsic next week and then another couple of weeks of summer vacation before we FINALLY get back to a normal schedule! I shouldn't complain about my summer schedule so much--all I do is miss lunch break. Brian spends two months essentially not sleeping.

Weigh in day

My weight this morning was on the higher end of my 3 pound range - but it wasn't as high as I thought it would be - which is good.

As I was making my breakfast this morning I decided I needed to structurize my lunch a little bit more. I am GREAT with my breakfast (poached eggs, gluten free toast, and orange juice) and I am pretty good with dinner - most of the time... especially when Katie cooks. But I stink at lunch. I don't mind eating the same thing every day forever as long as I like it OK - but I have yet to come up with something that I CAN eat everyday forever for lunch. I think when I think about it a peanut butter an pickle sandwich, fruit and yogurt would be my top choice for lunch - but I really can't stand gluten free bread for sandwiches. I have considered going back to my regular whole grain light bread - but two weeks ago I finished off a loaf of that (since Katie hasn't been eating breakfast with me in the morning, that bread was just going to go moldy anyway) and ALL week I had the worst gas. It is very possible - probable in fact - that it wasn't the bread causing it - but it is an easy fix, just in case that was what was causing it. I have come to the conclusion that it is just food in general that gives me gas and reflux, and there isn't much I can do about it - if I cut one thing out, something else will become my trigger. Lately I have been noticing reflux from my coffee - even with the lactose free milk. Sigh.

Exercise... Sigh. Last night I got a craving to go to the gym and work out - but sadly, it was 10:30pm - which was too late to get changed and get there. I wish it were safe to walk at night. Maybe I should start borrowing Murphy from John and taking him (Murphy, not John) for a night time walk. I am actually looking forward to having my exercise room - but I think that is mostly from a decorating stand point and not an exercise stand point. Although, the idea of having a space to spread out a yoga mat, and have blank wall to work with is really exciting to me. I would love to do a daily yoga routine.

Mom - regarding Laura leaving... it really is natural attrition. She is working in Laurel now. With gas prices the way they are - and the amount of time it takes to travel there and back, it became too stressful to continue the commute. She is moving to an apartment in a house in Catonsville. I told her she is more than welcome to move back with me at any time (although I am excited about having the extra space) and if I ever buy a house in Catonsville she can move back in with me.

Did anyone else see Donna Downey's before and after pictures? I know she has been making great progress -but I have to say I am SO proud of her. If you watch her little video about it she says that it is a lot of work. I am glad she said that, because all along she has been making it seem so easy. And she got me back into the mode of GOT TO EXERCISE MORE. Sigh.

I did it!

I know this isn't weigh-in day, but I stepped on the scales today--twice--and they registered 149.5! It may not be that good tomorrow, so I wanted to record it!

I haven't done anything about new sneakers so we haven't wallked at all.

Amy, give me a call and tell me about Laura!

I'm Trying!

I have signed in about five times in the last week or so and I can't manage to actually write a post!! Even now, I got as far as five times and got pulled away.

So quickly - my weight hasn't changed. I had my period last week and I don't think I gained anything! This is a miracle!! So - two months in a row now with virutually no change in my weight. I fluccuate between about a three pound range - but nothing up - yet. So that is good news. Rebecca and I have been trying to figure out what I am doing differently, but haven't pin pointed anything specific yet. I have increased my kelp intake (sporadically) I have made my breakfast a bit larger - 2 eggs, a piece of toast, orange juice (with fiber added) and coffee with agave and milk. That is the only meal I am consistant about - but I definitely try to eat more sooner in the day. This past Monday I didn't have my breakfast - and I had the most miserable headache the rest of the day - but then the headache went on through this whole week, so now I am wondering if perhaps that it wasn't food related. I have been inconsistant with dinner, well - at least when Katie isn't around. I have been craving comfort foods - zucchini casserole, Mom's pot roast, roast chicken, instant pudding. I don't know if that means anything - but I have been making them as I crave them.

On the exercise front - I haven't really increased at all. I walk to church on Wednesdays and then do my 90 minute yoga class. That has been about it. I haven't been to the gym since - well - I don't remember... Maybe early June. When did I start yoga? I went to the gym once or twice after that and then nothing... I am thinking I should quit the gym and save the $36 per month. With Laura moving out I am going to move my stuff from the sewing room into the basement and turn that little room into a workout room - that I won't use - but at least it will BE there.

Yoga this week was led by a different instructor. I liked him - although he moved faster through things. He also kept doing level 2 stuff and then remembering we were level one. But we were diligently trying to do what he was asking... I was definitely sweating!

142

Ick. O.K., so I didn't watch what I ate at all last week and I'm retaining water, but still, I had hoped with all my exercise last week that I'd at least maintain my weight and not gain. Oh well. Maybe it'll all be gone in a couple of days. But then, I'm starting another two weeks of carting Claire home every day at lunchtime (= no gym) and then a week at Pennsic, so the only thing I can do now is watch what I eat, see what exercise I can squeeze in at night, and wait for summer to be over.

I forgot!!

Well, it's Tuesday again, but we got up to go to 7:00 Mass instead of 8:30 because Father Paul is on vacation and there was only one Mass today. I wasn't quite all there at 6:30 and forgot to weigh in.

My weight has been up a little since last week's steak on our anniversary and a few other indulgences, too. Then we had pizza Sunday night and chicken picatta last night--and both of those are probabloy too caloric. I know the pizza is and I suspect the chicken is, too, since it is breaded and sauteed. I wonder if I could bake it? Anyway--we have pizza leftovers tonight and chicken leftovers tomorrow night. However--we had barley pilaf instead of pasta with the chicken. Healthier.

I have had a pain in my ankle for about a week--I suspect it is time for new sneakers!

Welcome back to Tuesday

Our Tuesday postings aren't what they used to be!  Even if we're not all posting weights, it would be nice if we would at least all drop in and say howdy once a week.

Anyway, I weighed in at 140.5.  My exercise has slacked off and I'm still eating whatever.  The remarkable thing is that my weight has remained relatively consistent for so long.

The rest of this week is fairly quiet, after two days in a row of trips to the Big Pear, so I'll get some exercise, but next week is Zoo Camp, which means daily trips to Roanoke and no chance to get to the gym (but I should be getting a lot of walking in while we're downtown, just because it's better than sitting in my car).  After that the summer is calm for a little while longer, but then we have visitors (Hi, Mom!), and then we're out of town, and then, bam, we're into the school year.  Sigh.  Summer is too short!

What's your neighborhood walkability score?

I meant to post this a while back when I first found it--you enter your address and see how "walkable" your neighborhood is (not for leisure/fitness, but how many services and amenities you can walk to). When I first did it my neighborhood got a score of 71; today, for some reason it's a 69. And a lot of the information is odd (7-11 is a grocery store?) or very, very out of date--it includes stores that have been closed for years and doesn't have things that have opened up in the meantime. And they also don't consider the proximity of doctors and dentists in the score, which I think would be a bit more important than the proximity of things like music stores. I suspect if they updated the information we'd actually get a better score now since so many new places have opened in Catonsville. But overall something in the70 range seems about right.

http://walkscore.com/

I'm so weak!

I was feeling pretty good about myself and my ride on Tuesday. 28 miles and no muscle soreness or tiredness that evening or the next day. But when I went to the gym Wednesday afternoon it was like someone had attached sandbags to my legs! I could barely manage the workout at all--still no pain, but just weak, weak, weak! I didn't feel tired, but that effort was just too much for me. I'm glad I didn't try cycling two days in a row. I'll have to work up to that. I remember the same thing from back when I was touring--the first day of cycling was pretty short (maybe a grand total of 15 or 20 miles) but it wore me out and took me a couple of days to recover. And it probably took me a good three or four weeks before I got to the point where I could cycle 40 miles a day a few days in a row. And I was half the age I am now.

150

Well, this morning I weighed in at 150! That's progress. Saturday morning the scale flirted with 149.5 but it went on to 150. We still haven't been walking more than once lately and that was a shortened route one evening. Friday night we had broiled salmon and since it was a big piece we had lots of leftovers. I used to do salmon tetrazzini with the leftovers, but that involves cheese and pasta, and I am trying to avoid those too often. So we had chef's salad a couple of nights, and we are having it again tonight. Boring, but low calorie! We had some sheese and chunks of salmon a tossed salad. Dick adds little tomatoes, but I prefer to wait for the bigger ones that should be coming a long soon!

140.8

I didn't post last week. I weighed myself on Tuesday and was so mortified at the weight gain (I was 142.6) that I just couldn't get on and post. See what I mean about summer? Last Tuesday was coming off of five weeks of essentially no exercise at all. But Claire is at camp at UMBC this week and last, so I've been going to the gym--three days last week plus one ten-mile outing on my bike, plus I've been laying off the cookies at night, so I was happy to see that 140.8 this morning. This week I went to the gym just the once so far, but I *finally* managed to commute on my bike this morning. Except for the hills it was actually pretty fun, and I definitely feel more energetic right now than I normally do at 9:00 in the morning. But the logistics at this end of the trip are a PITA. There's no place near my office to wash off and change, and no place near the gym to lock up my bike. And going to the gym adds nearly a mile onto the trip since I have to take the ring road around campus to get there. But I did a temporary lock up against a bench, changed really quickly, and made it into work with my normal amount of lateness. Oh, and I rode my bike across campus to get to a bike rack near my office, wearing my little summer skirt. I'm not sure which looked more dorky--me in my screaming yellow shirt (see, Mom, I'm doing what I can to keep cars from squishing me flat!) or me in my skirt riding a bike not meant to be ridden in a skirt!

Amazingly, the bicycle computer you all gave me for Christmas back in 1990 (Amy doesn't remember doing this, so maybe I'm remembering wrong. I thought it was a group gift from a bunch of you) still works, so I can tell you I went 13.44 miles (not counting the bit back across campus at the end) with an average speed of only 11.1 miles per hour (did you know when you type "miles" with your fingers one key off on the right it comes out as "nukes?") and a top speed of 29.6 m.p.h. And the scariest bit of the whole trip was the two miles on the bike path between Catonsville and Ellicott City--too curvy and bumpy and debris-strewn, and when it switches abruptly from pavement to boardwalk with no warning there's an inch and a half jump that nearly knocked me off my bike. I'm going to try the road next time and see how that goes. I also spent way too much time at traffic lights, including one at the very end that is triggered by traffic in the lane, but my bike wasn't enough to trigger it to turn green in my direction and no one came up behind me. So I waited through three or four cycles before crossing at the crosswalk.

The calorie counter thingummy tool (not on my computer--it's not that technical!) says I burned 504 calories this morning. And I get to do it again tonight. I don't, however, get to do it again until sometime in August--Claire is back to Kids on Campus for the next two weeks, then we've got a week of Pennsic. But I can probably manage a couple days a week for the rest of August and into the fall.

Quiet around here!

I'm not sure why we've all drifted away from here lately.  Nothing much new to say on the subject of diet and exercise after three straight years, I guess?

Anyway.  My weight this morning was 141.  Depressing.  Four days ago I was 137, and I am absolutely, positively certain that I haven't eaten 3500 calories a day for four days (or even on any one of those days) so either I was dehydrated then so I'm retaining something now, or maybe both, or my scale is completely insane.  In any case, it's very irritating, because when I saw the 137 I thought several weeks of very hard exercise as well as some slight success (finally!) in restricting calories was doing some good.  I didn't eat extremely well over the weekend, but I didn't get totally out of control, either, so I was sorry to go back over 140 again.  I know that a swing of some pounds is normal, but 4 pounds so quickly is pretty extreme for me.  Sigh.

late posting

I forgot to post Tuesday, but that was my high of the week---152. Sunday and today I was 150.5. I do wish I could break 150! I'm not exercising. Since my virus I'm having trouble getting my "oomph" back. We did get to Mass this morning--we drove--and I have finally been doing some sewing this afternoon.

Nothing to report again

I totally forgot to weigh myself this morning. I thought vaguely about it - and had I rememebered it was Tuesday I would have - but I didn't, so I didn't. I have no idea how much I weigh. I haven't been on the scale in over a week. I haven't exercised in FOREVER - with the exception of the walk to church last Wendesday and a short bout of badmitton and about three miles of non aerobic walking on Friday. The badmitten was surprising effective. It was SO much fun - as much fun as I remember from my childhood - and the next day I felt it in my quads and abs. Not BADLY - but I could tell I had been jumping and bending the day before. I now want to get a badmittin set. (Did anyone notice I spelled badmitten differently each time? Maybe one is right...)

Sarah has me on this bicycle kick now. I want one of the cute comfort bikes! I want one badly enough that I am seriously considering learning how to ride. My plan is that KATIE should buy one - and then I will learn to ride it - and then I can buy one after I learn. This is perfect for her to ride to school. She can get a nice basket to carry her books in. Awwwwwwww.

My instant pudding kick has eased off. Did I mention that here? I was going through this major instant pudding kick. I think I was needing the milk - but my brain translated it into instant pistachio pudding. Now I am eating the ice pops. Lower calories - no redeeming food value - and giving me reflux. This is good actually because I then eat Tums - which give me calcium. 8-)

140.5

My weight spiked again at the end of last week and dropped a bit when my period started.  I never used to notice water retention and weight spikes associated with my cycle; maybe it's because I was so irregular before I had kids, and then there were so many things interfering with my cycle after having children.  This is the longest I've gone not pregnant so maybe it's the first time in almost a decade that my cycle could be normal in that way.  It's just interesting.

I'm still eating too much junk; no surprise there.  But I'm exercising very well these days.  I have five gym appointments scheduled for this week.  Yesterday I had a great workout but it was otherwise a frustrating day -- just at the time we needed to be leaving to run a bunch of in-town errands (UPS store, post office, gym, Kroger) it started pouring, so we had to drive.  It was gorgeous just when we got out of the gym, but we already had the van out and Kroger was right there, not out of the way, so I took advantage of it by stocking up -- if I'm going to use the van I might as well use its carrying power so it's less likely I'll have to drive to Kroger on another rainy day.  We were in dire straits -- no milk, no bread, almost no fruit, no fresh vegetables.  But I still hate that I caved on this -- I hadn't driven to the grocery store in a month, and I could have gone home and gotten the bicycles.  But I couldn't have bought nearly as much.  Oh, well.

150.5

I actually tried to post Tuesday but something ate it. That day I was 151.5. I have been sick all week so I have had very little appetite--all that was interesting was yogurt and applesauce and cereal. I did eat a normal dinner each night but nothing tasted good so I usually left part of it on my plate. I haven't wanted to snack very much either. This won't last but I'll be pleased with the weight loss as long as it lasts.

I haven't been exercising! I feel so wiped out much of the time that I either nap or read. And all from a simple little virus!

Sorry to disappear

I haven't been posting because there's nothing for me to post. I was up to 140.8 on Tuesday--no surprise given that I'm not exercising these days, and a pound a week is about what I've come to expect in weight gain when I'm not moving at all. I was also internetless on Monday and Tuesday (moving offices at work and they didn't have the network set up in our new area yet, then on Tuesday evening I took Claire to see Wall-E) so that kept me from posting my weight on Tuesday.

The good news is that starting next week Claire is at a camp at UMBC so I won't be driving her home at lunchtime every day, which means I get two weeks when I can get to the gym again. Yay! Maybe I can make a dent in this weight gain during that time, or at least slow it down so I don't gain any more.

Interesting article

Time had this article I found interesting...10 good things about $4/gallon gas

I have nothing really to report.

139 again

No real surprise there.  I've been exercising -- 4 days last week and 2 this week so far -- and getting around on foot and by bike as much as possible; in fact, last Friday we were home all day and Mary, Alexander and I all started to get restless for a bike ride.  We ended up going to a homeschool picnic we didn't really want to go to just to get out of the house and moving for a mile.  (Uphill both ways, I might add -- but mostly uphill the first way.  It's my least favorite ride.)  And today I offered the kids the option of staying home with me exercising here, and they both protested -- they wanted to take the three-miles-each-way ride to the gym!  I've created a monster (two, actually!)!

It also struck me that if I'm biking to the gym three times a week I'll be getting a minimum of 18 miles a week in, and usually more like 20-25 with other trips -- so I'll make up at least one tank of gas pretty quickly, and I make up a full gallon and then some every week, considering these are all short trips in my van.  In the month of June I didn't have to refill at all -- we filled up just before Memorial Day and not again.  I'm at about a quarter of a tank now, 200 miles later.  Daniel usually drives a lot more short trips in a month than I do, because he has to get to work, but he cut out his work trips almost entirely.  Unfortunately, he had two trips to the airport last month, one of them in West Virginia, so he still needed to buy gas at least once or twice.  But our total gas expenditures last month were WAY down.

I see a lot of people around town on bicycles and I know the bike racks everywhere are more full than they used to be.  But I'm amazed at how many people I know aren't cutting back.  One friend I have lives in walking distance of the Christiansburg library, where we had a meeting one evening, and I really had to wrestle with myself to admit that it needed to be a drive for me and I'm a LOT farther away.  But she drove her minivan, and she didn't even have her kids with her.  And when we showed up at the park a mile away from home on our bicycles, everyone exclaimed and seemed impressed -- but we rode to this park even before we pledged not to use the car as much, and we even tried walking there once a couple of years ago (but Mom was with us, and unfortunately she injured herself on a loose patch of gravel just a few blocks from our house -- it's not a good walk because there are several stretches without sidewalks, and the road can be busy).  Why WOULD we drive when it's only a mile, we have our bikes, and we'll be home before dark?  I guess as a society we've really gotten that lazy.  Sigh.

This month I'm going to be burning through a tank of gas in a week.  In the last week of July the kids have a day camp in Roanoke at the zoo.  Some resources we just don't have in Blacksburg.  Hmm... wonder how much the SmartRide would cost, and whether it would take us as far as the zoo?  I suspect for four travelers it would cost more than the car.  Oh, well.

No Way!

Where is everyone? I can't believe the last entry is the one I made last week. It wasn't even an interesting entry!

I don't have a heck of a lot to say. I weighed myself this morning - but I wasn't paying that much attention to it. I can't remember what my weight was. However, I do know it was up - because I remember thinking - "Hummm, it must have been Katie's birthday weekend that did it." My weight was on a downward trend (which counts for NOTHING at my level - I have to be down by 8 pounds before I can actually see it as any sort of real trend...) last week - but today was right where it was before it started going down. Coincidentally we had I-Hop on Saturday and then Katie and I went to Padonia Station on Sunday (where I ate the insides of a meatball sub and the outsides of an order of onion rings - and several Tums later on).

I have been tracking my basal temperature for the past month. Rebecca asked me what my basal temp was (a low one is a sign of hypo thyroidism also). Anyway - How can you tell? My temp (which I always take at 5am when I first wake up) ranges GREATLY. This morning it was 96.5. That is low by anyone's standards. But yesterday it was 97.1 and the day before was 97.5. It most consistantly comes up either 97.1 or 97.3. HOWEVER, the time between ovulation and my period my most consistant temp was 97.6. 97.1 is low, 97.6 is in the normal range. I will probably run an average of all of the numbers to get ONE number - or maybe I will use 2 numbers. I don't know. I don't suppose it matters.

I just bought a big bag of freezer pops from Wal-Mart - you know the kind I used to be addicted to years ago. I am excited about these. They are the perfect summer snack food as far as I am concerned. Very low calorie, sweet, but last a while. Actually the bag isn't that big - I think it is only 36 pops.

I have no yoga tomorrow. I am pre-emptively missing it. I really like my yoga. I have to find something else to do. Unfortunately my alternative plan of using the pool at the gym was thwarted by the fact that the pool at the gym is closed for the next two weeks for its annual (it isn't even a year old!) maintenance. Sigh. Katie and I talked about going out to Liberty Resevoir to do some sort of boat thing... kayak or canoe or something...