Grumpy Gills

I'm grumpy.  I'm weepy for no reason, and I hate that!  My eyes are puffy.  I need some sunshine.  I need this headache behind my left eyeball to disappear.  I need all of the papers on my desk and everything on my to-do list to just go away!

I'll stop the whining now, I promise!  I feel better getting it out there!

Usually, when I'm in this kind of mood, I want to sit and eat.  Preferably chocolate in any form- hot cocoa, ice cream, you name it!  Today it's tough to stick to my plan, but I'm going to do it or else I know I'll be in an even worse mood!

For now, it's a WW Dark Chocolate Turtle (no turtles were harmed in the making of this product, only pecans!) to fend off my cravings.  It's actually really yummy and satisfying, even though it's small, and has a WW Points+ value of 2.

Here's hoping that by tomorrow my funk disappears!

...but I'm soooooo tired!!!!

One of the biggest ways I used to hurt myself was by making excuses.  I can't go to the gym tonight because I'm too busy.  I ate really bad foods all week because I didn't feel great.  When you really think about it, why do we make so many excuses that just hurt ourselves?  It's not like we're doing anything that effects anybody but ourselves.


I stopped making excuses, and I think that that one change has helped me to be successful this time around.  Even if I'm tired, I still drag my butt to the gym.  Even if I only get on a machine for 20 minutes, it's 20 minutes more than nothing, and I feel better about myself for putting in the effort.


There are times throughout the week that I just want to pull into Carvel and grab a large extra thick chocolate shake, but is it really that good?  I am more satisfied by making chocolate milk at home with unsweetened vanilla Almond Breeze and light chocolate syrup, not because it tastes better, but because I don't have to feel guilty for guzzling useless calories.


So, if you're having a tough time getting on track, see what excuses you make for yourself.  Try to go a week without making any excuses to yourself, just do what you set out to do in the first place.  It's not that hard, and you'll feel so much better about yourself!


Let me know how it goes!

Easy Catalina Chicken Dinner

One of my favorite dinners growing up was catalina chicken.  My parents would take chicken wings and legs, coat them in catalina dressing, and bake until the chicken was cooked and the dressing was nice and thick.

My version uses chicken breasts and fat-free dressing to improve the stats.  The recipe below is for one person, multiply accordingly.  It has a WW Points+ value of about 10.

Ingredients:

8oz.  raw chicken breast, cubed
1/2 cup fat-free catalina (or french, just make sure it's not creamy) dressing

Directions:

1.  Pre-heat oven to 400.

2.  Place chicken in a small oven safe dish.  Cover with dressing and toss.

3.  Put dish in the oven and cook until chicken is no longer pink in the center (about 15 minutes).

4.  Remove chicken pieces to a plate, and put remaining sauce into a small saucepan  (you can always add more at this point if you want it to be more saucy!).  Cook over medium heat until it has reduced to a nice, thick texture.

5.  Pour sauce over chicken and enjoy!  Serve with rice or barley.

Looks strange, tastes great!

Sooooo easy, sooooo delicious!!!

Week 7 Weigh In

Current Weight: 204.4 lbs
Weekly Loss: 2 lbs           Total Loss: 17.6 lbs

 I thought that a day of delicious but unhealthy food and drinks on Saturday might ruin my week, but I guess it didn't!  I've been working out a lot, and really feeling good.

I just might reach my goal of being under 200lbs by the end of the month!!!  WOOHOO!!!

Gym Pet Peeve of the Week

I have germ issues.  Not so many that I compulsively wash my hands or anything, but I cringe when I see germy situations.

So, the other night at the gym, I was on my favorite elliptical again (yay!).

Those 2 annoying women from last week were back, although still not exercising- literally- their machines weren't even registering movement.   I listened in this time, it was too entertaining not to!

"Do you think I burned off 400 calories yet?  I only had a Lean Cuisine for lunch, but I also had 2 regular Snapples.  I just love those things!"

I wanted to scream at them!  Get off the machine and let someone else use them!  Go chat about your empty calories over a steaming extra large cup of regular hot cocoa from DD that they were talking about how much they love!  WAKE UP PEOPLE!!!!

Anyways, I digress.  After they finally decided they were tired of standing still, they left.  This middle-aged man got on the machine next to me.  As he began to workout, he had to pause after a minute because of the whooping cough problem he appears to be having.  COUGHING LIKE CRAZY!  So, cough over, he wipes his hands and face with his towel, and resumes working out.  Okay, maybe he just swallowed his spit down the wrong pipe or something, give the guy the benefit of the doubt.

1 minute later, HACKING UP A LUNG!!!  I can hear the phlegm trying to escape his lungs!!!  Cough attack over, little towel wiping action, and back we go.

After about 4 times, he finally quits.

Then he just walks away from the machine WITHOUT SPRAYING IT DOWN.  Our gym, like most, provides spray bottles with sanitizing solution and paper towels.  A good gym member is supposed to wipe down the machines after using them so I don't have to touch your sweat or germs.  Not this guy.  He just walks away.  Luckily, no one went to that machine, and when I was finished, I cleaned both so no one else catches the plague from this guy.

The worst part?  I assumed that he was going to leave since he was obviously having breathing issues.  But no.  He was working his way around the weight machines and free weights, coughing away and using that same towel that needs to be quarantined by this point.

I need to go wash my hands now...

Midday hunger

You know that time towards the end of the work day when lunch is already over and done with, but dinner is still a ways off, and your stomach just can't make it?

I try to keep snacks on hand at work to satisfy this hunger without scarfing down whatever goodies may be hanging out in the Faculty Room or in the office.

My new favorite go-to snack is a packet of Quaker Oats Lower Sugar Flavored Oatmeal.  I pour a packet in a mug, add hot water from my coffee maker, a packet of Splenda, and in a few minutes I have some scrumptious, filling oatmeal to enjoy.  I particularly enjoy the Apples and Cinnamon flavor since the bits of apple add fun texture!

When you prepare each packet with water, it has a Points+ value of 3!  Hooray!  This is also perfect for those days when you forgot to have breakfast.

I'm going to go enjoy some right now!

Best Yoga Class EVER

A while ago I took part in the yoga classes offered at my gym.  I really enjoyed the woman who led the class, and felt like I got a great stretch and some relaxation which can never hurt.

Then, when I wanted to get back into it, I saw she was gone!  So, first class, the instructor wasn't there, so we had a sub.  SHE SUCKED!  Oh man, I really was so turned off and disappointed, I was hesitant to keep it up.

I'm so glad that I did go back for more yoga, though!  The next time, Nick was back.  He was great, and it was a great workout on top of all the stretch and relaxing benefits.  The muscles in my legs/back are always on the tight side since my ACL surgery, and he did so much with these muscles to stretch them out.  My arms and abs are sore from YOGA!!!  Whodathunkit!?!?!

So, Nick, thank you for your awesomeness.

Check out my awesome yoga mat!  And one of my awesome dogs doing her version of downward dog!

And she's down!  Namaste!