Post 10 day challenge

WOOPS!!  So this is a post that  forgot to upload from my days following the 10-day pledge!  I am going to load it now, with another update!


After 10 days of 'real food' I've lost a total of 6.5lbs. Crazy!! I expect to gain a little bit back, but I hope not because my school schedule is FINALLY going to calm down in the next week and I can exercise the way I want to. I have three weeks until Aruba and I have some Vicky Secret bikinis I need to do some justice in!! Haha

     Well I have done a pretty good job staying on track. My friend Katy and I spent an entire day shut in her apartment doing papers and presentation prep on Wednesday and Thursday so we had some time to make some pretty yummy food. A chicken and veggie stir fry with onion, green and orange peppers and bean sprouts. I found an organic, gluten free soy sauce... Holy crap it was expensive!! But if I intend to stay with 'real foods' for an extended period of time it wi be worth it.

  For dinner we made a margarita pizza with handmade whole wheat crust and organic tomatoes basil and mozzarella. One thing I am psyched for is the warm weather to come around and fresh herbs out of the garden. Because they aren't cheap!!! When I get time, I am going to make it a point to post actual recipes for everything I have made in the course of the challenge and after.

     Friday I met my mom for lunch and had chicken salad with raisins walnuts and craisins over a small bed of romain. It was at a cafe in town so I was able to confirm that everything was made fresh and really the only component that was 'off limits' was the mayo... Not too bad. And SUPER flavorful. I love salads with fruit and nuts. One of my favorite chicken salads I've ever had was at an Einsteins Bagels in Florida. I'm not sure they even have chains in the northeast. It was made with grapes, apples and walnuts. Amazing. And easily replicable at home, I just never think of it!! Maybe this week sometime. I was good the rest of the day having fruit and granola for snacks.

     Dinner time was another story.  I was really good during the 10 days avoiding tempting situations and saying no to the wrong things and in the end I was really satisfied with my decisions.  I felt like that Yoplait commercial about "swapertunity" haha Friday night was not a swapertunity kind of situation though.  I went to dinner for a friends birthday, and while waiting to leave for the restaurant I had quite a few corn tortilla chips.  They were "organic" but lets face it, they were chips.  I didn't dare look at the ingredients.  Strike one.
     The restaurant was really nice, a Chinese food place in Taunton.  I shared a scorpion bowl with Randy... which I am sure wasn't made with organic, no sugar added juices.  Strike two.  I shared an appetizer of steamed Peking ravioli... strike 3.  For the entree, I was good.  I had ordered off of the "light" menu which was steamed jumbo shrimp with a HUGE helping of veggies.  Unfortunately they didn't have brown rice, so I had a very minimal amount.  There was enough food that I didn't need the rice anyways.  It came with a ginger soy sauce that I didn't much care for so I used some duck sauce for flavor.
     Moral of the story?  Don't go out to restaurants.  I am not huge on self control, especially when it comes to Chinese food so I was pretty proud of myself that I didn't get anything fried, but still.  Not a success by any means.  When I am home, I can make as much food as I want and I know what is going into it and I feel good about it.  Also, I was a pretty bad stomach ache all night.. too much too fast.  My system was so conditioned to good food, the sugary juices and everything else did not go over well.
     I am pretty bummed that I let myself go overboard with "little cheats" that added up.  I am still continuing with "real food" until further notice and that was absolutely the last time I will do anything like that.

Until next time, happy running! :) xo

Day 10!!!!!

It's hereeee!!! Day 10! I made it!!

     I'm not going to lie, it was tough!  There were times I thought I would crack.  Not because I was starving, or I didn't like what I was eating (ok, maybe that's a stretch, the yogurt was painful at times) but because I was so used to reaching for things that were easy, but so bad for me.  I have to say, with my schedule, if I can make this work, anyone can.  There are NO excuses!

     Certain things were though, but others I didn't even miss.  Coffee was for sure the biggest woe.  I personally cannot cut sugar out of my coffee.  So giving it up cold turkey was really sad.  Also, as I had mentioned previously, fresh baked goods were an issue.  Mayonnaise was a HUGE issue.  I was really sad not to have mayonnaise, but because of that bread was a non-issue.  I thought I was going to really miss my white bread sandwiches, but not really.  I know a lot of deli meats have preservatives and I never got the opportunity to research which ones I could buy, so I just didn't.  I never ended up using the peanut butter I bought.  I never got the opportunity to.  Again, no bread= no peanut butter sandwiches and I didn't feel inclined to use it on anything else.  I'm sure I will though. 

     One of the things I wrote about was hoping to see an increased energy level... that didn't happen.  But that's what I get for trying to begin a challenge like this 3 weeks before the end of a semester!  Because I will put into practice these habits in the future, I know that in time (with restoration of normal sleep) I will see the benefits.

     I am excited to continue on the challenge.  I want to complete two full weeks before I start cheating and allowing certain things back into my diet.  First thing, definitely coffee.  Definitely.  Final (10 days) weigh in will be tomorrow, I'm excited!  I will not continue blogging every day from here on out, but I will be updating several times per week, especially once I start cheating, I will post about what I have allowed back in.

Day 10:

     Breakfast was grapes on the run then two eggs with fresh tomatoes.  Really yummy.  Lunch was leftovers of corn on the cob and couscous.  Not very well thought through, and I was quite hungry not long after.  Study snacks in the afternoon included cheese, grapes, raspberries and kale chips.
     Dinner was somewhat bad.  I went out with a friend in search of a restaurant that was airing the Bruins game.  We decided on a local Thai place.  In hind sight, maybe not the best choice, but hey.  I did the best I could with the menu and am going to consider it my cheat meal for the past 10 days.  Tomorrow is a new day, and I will be continuing on with "real food" until at least Monday (the two week marker).

Happy running :) xo

Day 9

Super crabby today. The lack of sleep due to enormous amounts of school work had me craving really bad-for-me comfort food. For some reason a bowl of fresh strawberries doesnt hit the spot quite like a chocolate chip cookie. Maybe I can mash up some strawberries into the shape of a cookie...  If I had more time, I would definitely investigate a good whole wheat flour cookie recipe, maybe next week!

     Breakfast was simple, yogurt and granola. I have to say, I am finally getting used to the texture of the plain yogurt. I don't prefer it, but I don't despise it as much as I did. As far as the taste, I added a teaspoon of honey in it and man, what a difference!! SO much better!! Really enjoyed that. I had a plum in class and half of a leftover pork chop with green beans for lunch. More snacking in the afternoon of grapes and cheese as well as some mixed nuts.

     Dinner was amazing. My mom adapted a sauce recipe for seafood using balsamic vinegar, olive oil, cream cheese, fresh tomato and basil.  Shrimp and scallops were sauteed in the balsamic vinegar and oil, then removed and the cream cheese and tomatoes were added until it is reduced down to a uniform sauce.  The proteins were tossed back in and served over pasta.  I made some whole wheat shell pasta to go with it. It was incredible!!

Late night snacks of raspberries, mango, and a laaaaarge triple brewed green tea with quite a bit of honey to hopefully shake me awake. I see shots of espresso in my future...

Day 8 - Real Food

     Holy moly! Day 8?!  I can't believe that I have already reached this point.  I feel amazing.  I have noticed my clothes fit better and my pants are needing another notch in the belt to hold them up!  I think it is pretty safe to say that most of the weight I have lost so far is all bloat.  The biggest difference by far is in my stomach.  I have considered before and after pictures (I took a pic of myself the day before I started for personal comparison) if I think that it is warranted.  So far, the change is pretty noticeable so I just may.  I wish I had more time to exercise during this challenge because with all of the good foods I am eating, I know it would kick fat-burning into high gear.  Oh well, soon.  I have already decided that I will be extending my pledge to be at least two weeks.  We will see from there, a girl can only say to no cheeseburgers for so long!

     Breakfast was nothing special, granola and yogurt with a plum.  I froze a full two pounds of strawberries this morning.  They were on sale, and I'm a sucker for a good deal! haha  My mom gave me a great tip.  If you half the berries freeze them flat, on a cookie sheet or something similar, and then place them in a freezer bag or Tupperware, they don't clump together and are MUCH easier to just grab a few for a snack at any time!  Worked great, I was really happy about that.  I was on the run this afternoon with a big presentation at school, so the frozen berries ended up being lunch and needless to say I was STARVING by the time I got home this afternoon.  A snack of grapes and cheese while I made dinner hit the spot.

     Dinner was pork chops cooked in olive oil with sauteed onions and Old Bay seasoning.  I know it's more than 5 ingredients, but I was too lazy to put all of the spices together myself.  But man, was it good!  Along with fresh mashed potatoes and green beans with grated Parmesan cheese I was quite full.

     

Days 6 and 7- Real food

     Day 6 - This morning I woke up and brewed a cup of green tea as usual.  But I was so preoccupied with Luke Bryan's hotness that I poured a whopping spoonful of sugar right in.  And as my luck would have it, it was the last tea bag... bummer :(  But I mean come on...

     For breakfast, I have to brag.  I made some pretty awesome "baked egg cups"  They weren't quiche, just scrambled eggs with mushrooms and spinach.  I scrambled the eggs and spooned them into the cups (greased with just a touch of butter), then added the mushroom and spinach.  I stirred it with a spoon to make sure that the veggies were well coated and would just burn sitting on top of the egg.

15 minutes in a 375degree F oven and these little lovelies come out :)

     I had two with a dollop of sour cream.  Weird I know, but I have been going through mayonnaise withdrawals and I was in need of an acceptable condiment in my life!! haha

     Lunch was fantastic.  Salmon on the grill with a salad of shrimp and pine nuts over wilted baby spinach.  I cooked the shrimp also on the grill in an aluminum packet with a little bit of butter.  I used the melted butter and some fresh squeezed lime as the dressing for the salad.  

     At work I snacked on some strawberries and cantaloupe as well as a plum.  Dinner was on the move, just the rest of the shrimp salad.

Day 7 - Nothing fancy for breakfast this morning, just scrambled eggs.  I had a cranberry tea later in the morning that was wonderful.  I feel like such a brat sometimes checking labels on absolutely everything.  I think that is one of the reasons I have refrained from going to a restaurant so far.  Like I said before, I work in food service and no one likes that whiny customer.  Plus I enjoy experimenting with things at home.  Anything that can get my brain off of my homework for half an hour is ok in my book!

     Today was a hard core school work day.  I had a few friends over to work on some things and throughout the day we enjoyed some good snacks including this frozen fruit salad concoction.  Blueberries, blackberries, raspberries, strawberries and mango.  So good.  I also had some granola and a plum.  

     Dinner was really good.  My mom had made a red sauce with crushed tomatoes, mushrooms, spinach and onions.  They had the sauce with hamburg over pasta, I mixed it with couscous.  Doesn't look very appetizing I know but it tasted amazing!

     Going to try and muster up the strength for 50 push-ups before bed... We'll see.

Happy running :) xo

Day 5 - Real food

     Good news!! I'm down 4lbs! Honesty, I forgot to weigh myself on Sunday, right before I began.  But the last time I remember weighing myself was about a week before and I am down 4lbs!  I was shocked.  I didn't think that it would make such a big difference so quickly.  I had it in my mind that if I lost 5lbs in the 10 days, or even two weeks that it would be a success.  But 4lbs in 5 days?!  Never would have thought that.  I have decided to only weigh myself on certain "milestones" if you can even call it that.  Today was day 5, so I am halfway through the intended plan.  I will wait to weigh myself again until day 10 (the potential end).  If I decide to extend my pledge I will weigh in again on day 14, and so on until I feel like I can't take it anymore and eat something really terrible.

     I want to reiterate that I am not doing this purely for the number on the scale.  Anyone that knows me knows that I am not one to pay attention to that.  I am not saying that I don't need to loose weight, but if I feel comfortable with my body, and how my clothes fit then I am alright with whatever that number may be.  That is why I didn't expect to actually loose that much weight.  I have practically no time in my schedule right now to exercise the way I should, so I thought maybe a few pounds.  But I have tried really hard to tell anyone who asks that I am not on a diet.  I called it a challenge, or a pledge because I didn't want it to be something I did for 10 days and then gave up.  It is way more mental than anything else and I wanted to challenge myself to doing it.  If I look better in a bikini in Aruba in a few weeks, then hey, I won't complain! :)


     I did my "8 minutes to a better day routine" this morning, had a bowl of Kashi and then went off to work.  I brought plenty of snacks with me to deter from the wonderful fried food and clam chowder :)

     Lunch was baked cod with fresh pico de gallo and a double helping of broccoli.  It was delicious but I would have really loved some crunchy breadcrumbs! I finished all of my snacks, except for the orange.  Got home pretty early so I made scrambled eggs with tomato and Tabasco sauce for dinner.  Overall a pretty boring day. 

Day 4 - Real food

Oh my goodness.  What I would not give right now to have a Chippi!! haha

          By late last night, my day had really worn on me and I wanted nothing more than to reach into the freezer, grab the Snickers ice cream and say "to heck with it."  But I stayed strong and just went to bed.  That is one of the biggest changes I have noticed in my eating habits.  I am usually a late night snacker of brownies or cookies or whatever wonderful baked good my mom has around the house.  That's the biggest hazard of living at home with a mom who doesn't need to watch her weight, a father that works hard construction all day and can eat whatever he wants and a brother that is trying to GAIN weight... C'est la vie

     Breakfast was Kashi cereal with more iced green tea.  Mid-morning munchies led me to yogurt with granola in class while my professor very hilariously described the "girly bits and boy bits" of flower reproduction systems.  Far From Boardinary knows what I'm talking about hahaha.  Speaking of which, big congrats to Boardinary for his acceptance into med school yesterday!! A few of us in the lab had a beer this afternoon to celebrate... The guidelines to the challenge say that alcohol doesn't count, but it still felt like cheating! Haha woops!! :) Bravo Tim!

     

     Lunch was a big fresh salad with carrots, tomatoes, mushrooms and the yummy honey mustard chicken.  

     This afternoon was tough, I went to a small gathering where linguica pizza was served... Not cool. Dinner was boring. I made some fresh warm kale chips but then had the rest of the chicken and broccoli from two nights ago with a sweet potato.

     50 push ups before bed. Double shift at work tomorrow... We will see how that goes. Really tough not to snack while I am there. So much yummy stuff!!

     Happy running xo