Geek Goals

This year is about getting my sanity back. Getting my health my house and my family into a better place by deliberate incremental changes in all areas of my life.

Tuesday, April 17, 2007

Wedding Blog of things I will never have

There were a few cute things out here (the cups with the tree and letters carved in it), but overall its way fancier ideas than my wedding is, but fun nonetheless.

http://www.stylemepretty.com/

Thursday, April 12, 2007

New Goal.

I have wanted to do a 5K run/walk for the longest time. So i just signed up to do one in late May. So I will have to workout to get ready for this. I just hope I can do it. I already feel my legs today since I worked out this evening for an hour and15 min and no Kids.

Bad Bad Danielle!

I gotta work out. I keep saying it all the time. I keep saying I gotta start working out. It's been about two months since I've worked out. And I just don't have the time. Which uh..is odd. Because I have the time to go out to dinner. And uh..and watch tv. And get a bone density test. And uh.. try to figure out what my phone number spells in words.
- Ellen DeGeneres

Been 4 months for me without a regular workout routine...

I'm working on it!

Wednesday, April 11, 2007

Really need to start doing something.

I feel like I haven't done anything. I really need to start working out more. My parents came down here so all I have been doing is eating. And I feel it. I haven't went on the scale yet since I know I don't want to see the number.

Cleaning the house counts as working out right? LOL Because it seems like I do that all the time. I just signed up to go workout every Thrusday night so that should help me.


Here's is what I would like to do:
Want to be at 145 at Aug. 12th my b-day.
I want to work out 3 times a week.

Good lord Gertruide...

Do you have ANY idea how hard it is to get in all of that protien?!?!

If you checked my fitday journal, you would see that I only got in 112 grams of protien yesterday. I really thought I'd get closer than that! UGH! I bought some protien bars yesterday afternoon. Hopefully that will help me get closer. The good news is, my carb count is low *AND* I dropped 2 lbs! :) SWEET! I also did an additional workout last night -- which is wonderful since my children decided to wake me up 7 - yes, you read that right - 7 - times between the 2 of them last night. Needless to say, I did not get up and workout again this morning. The good part is, today is Wednesday and that means that it's Daddy's day. I'll have time to workout tonight since it's snowing in Rochester and I'm not heading that way in this snow crap for my voice lesson! :)

I'm going to change my goals up in the little Orange section above, but did anyone else see the whole Valerie Bertinelli article in People? Supposedly she's a size 14 (my current size!). The picture on the front makes her look huge!!! I was obsessing last night asking the boyfriend if I looked that big. He said that I wasn't that big and that she looked WAY bigger than me. :) (See - they DO get smarter the older they get!) That being said, her goal is an 8 by September. Mine is going to be a 10 by August. Totally do-able. I figure that I should hit a 10 somewhere between 160 & 170. Right now, I'm at 197. At 2 lbs a week, which I usually surpass when I'm really trying, that would put me at 28 lbs down by August 1, or at 169. That should be a nice solid 12 -- at MOST! Hopefully, it'll be a 10. :) We shall see, right?

The Jenni's Bridal folks ordered me a size 16. She said that right now, my measurements are between a 16 and an 18. My only fear is that -- WHEN -- I get to a 10 that it would put me in a size 12 dress, which is 2 sizes of alterations to the dress. Now, the skirt I'm not worried about. That should be as easy as removing 1 panel or gore or however they've got it put in and adjusting the waistband. The top will be trickier. But, whatever. That's up to my mom or Jenni's Bridal -- whoever does the alterations.

Wow - this got long. Anyway... the moral of the story is -- I shouldn't be the fattest bridesmaid. :) I will be tall and skinny like Karen! :) (no offence, Jenny, but I don't remember if you're tall and skinny or not... :) Let's all aim for a size 10 or smaller, k?)

Edited to add: Here's another link to Valerie's Jenny Craig Blog. That way I can keep up with her! :)

Tuesday, April 10, 2007

Photo Finish... On your lunch?

How hard is it to write down everything you eat in a day? Not too hard, but how much easier to just take a photo of each meal :)

Photo food diary's and I haven't signed up or anything but it is supposed to be free!

Article: http://www.happynews.com/news/1212006/group-launches-nutrition-support-line.htm

Website: http://www.myfoodphone.com/

Easter

I think we all assumed Easter weekend would be a dieting fiasco... but for me it was SO much more.

I had some friends over on Saturday to dye Easter eggs and one (who shall remain nameless) brought over 3 bags of candy. Needless to say I took in more sugar that one day than a human should in a month!

Sunday I was good during the day but from the Ham dinner on it was all about food and snacks. Even kept on the candy that had been mercilessly left at my house!

Monday morning I still weighed 162, but this morning I weighed 163.

On the plus side I got lots of cleaning the house exercise Friday (rearranged the living room) and Saturday, and last night I got my butt on to the treadmill for 1/2 hour of walking. Now just to keep it up.

How was your Easter?

Monday, April 09, 2007

Revised Goals... :)

Or maybe just updated? I dunno.

I gained 4 lbs over the weekend. It sucked, but ya know - with my period starting (and I'm totally holding more water than ususal, I can feel it in my ankles especially!) - and the holiday at my mom's, I'm not surprised at all. I haven't worked out in 5 days either. I was just beat! So, that being said - there are new goals now. The good news - the size 14s still fit. ;)

The weight goal remains the same, but will probably NEVER happen, at least not the 180 by the end of the month!

I got told that I need to up my protien intake. I bought a cookies and cream flavored protien shake mix this weekend at GNC. I'm going to mix it with some milk and boost up my protien. My goal is to eat at least 200 grams of protien a day. We'll see if I can manage it without being full ALL the time (wouldn't that just suck?!)! :)

Secondly, I'm cutting out the carbs after 4. Ok, not completely cutting, but no rice or potatoes with dinner, etc. I'm going to attempt to get in most of my carbs at lunch time or before. Oatmeal for breakfast -- that kind of deal.

Thirdly, eat more. Yes, you heard me, eat more of good things, like fruits and vegetables. I'm already not eating much red meat, though I did splurge and have a burger last week. My grandma sent us home with 3 lbs of fresh ground beef -- from the butcher in Cando -- for our Easter present. I'm not complaining, but it got thrown in the freezer. :)

Fourth, less running more walking. I'm going to split up my hour workout into 30 minutes running, 30 minutes walking. Supposedly part of the reason I'm not dropping weight as quickly as I think I should is because my heartrate is constantly in 'cardio zone' instead of 'fat burning zone'. Duh - who knew there was a difference! The zone to burn fat, for me, is 114 to 152 bpm. That's about 30 bpm slower than my heart rate is when I'm running. So, I figure I'll do the morning run like usual to blast the calories and then do a nice 30 minute walk in the evening. I hope that works!

And that is my update for this lovely Easter Monday.

Friday, April 06, 2007

Thursday April 5th

4/5/07
Scrambled Eggs and ketchup, banana
2 cups Rice including stir fry veggies with Tofu, Banana, apple juice
1/3 apple, 1/3 orange
Miso and Veggie Soup
Banana and PB Toast (no butter)

Not the best day (had the toast and eggs which are not on the diet)

Sorry to say Karen my Miso soup experiment was kind of blah. I think we got the wrong kind of rice noodles because the recipe said to put them in with all the veggies and boil for 10 min, while the instructions on the back said to boil, then drain. Brandon said it was just like they got too mushy. They were more like spaghetti looking noodles, rather than the really fine angel hair like ones. For Veggies, I used Celery, Pea Pods, and Carrots. It was ok, I saved 3 small leftover containers, trying to get as much of the veggies as possible, but still tossed out quite a bit (it made 9 servings!). It was definitely edible though!

Maybe cut the servings in 1/2 for your first experiment.

Brandon is officially off the diet wagon. He had a HUGE bowl of ice cream complete with caramel, fudge and nuts last night. Also he broke into his summer sausage while he was foodsavering them. I was able to resist on both counts... but now its making me hungry :(

Still NO workout though! I procrastinated my work and cleaning by doing other things, like making Miso Soup?!?! So by the time that was all wrapped up I HAD to get to my work.

If no plans come up I should be able to get 1/2 hour in on our treadmill tonight. 5:30 pm appointment!

Thursday, April 05, 2007

I'm not a bride to be but I once was.

Here is what i have been doing for my workout:

Monday: Starting weight 162.

Tuesday: Did windsor plitates for 20 min. and did 20 min of Fat burning work out.

Wednesday: walked around the block with 30 pound toddler on my back. Weight 161.

I would like to get down to 145. I was at that for my wedding two years ago. Where did my skinny body go?

Thanks.

Thanks for letting me post on here. I am super excitied.

April 4th

Today was the first day of solid foods.

4/4/07
2 strawberries and 1/2 banana
6 oz of straw/ban/orange shake
1/4 cup short grain brown rice, Veggies, Cranberry Juice
V8 Juice, Tuna/Crackers/Olives
Uncle Ben's brown rice, stir fry veggies with Tofu cubes.

I think I ate a bit too much at dinner last night. I also failed to do any intended workout. I got home and had lots of food preparations and house cleaning up to do. Then after a bit I had to settle in to some work. I should have worked out right away when getting home instead of cleaning and prepping food. I did feel a bit woozy still after the juice fast however, so I wussed out.

Re-Attempting the workout tonight. I have been asked to restrict my hours to 40 a week now so getting in a few workouts a week should not be a big deal.

Wednesday, April 04, 2007

So far, so good... :)

Ok, well, mostly good on my 1 hour of cardio.

Let's rewind, shall we?

Monday: Ran 30 minutes (2 miles) in the morning. Completely meant to get my other 30 minutes in after work. Instead, I fell asleep on the couch at 8:30 -- in the middle of the Twins season opener! Oh my! I have no idea what is wrong with me! I did get in the 30 minutes of weight lifting that I meant to do. I'm up to 3 sets of 10 reps at 15 lbs for my biceps. I'm going to have nice arms come August, damnit. Just wait until you see my tricep definition!

Tuesday: Was up at 4 to do regular workout of 2 miles. I woke up feeling exhausted. My eyes were puffy in a way that the good Lord never intended. I finally forced myself onto the treadmill, got .5 miles into my run and almost collapsed (ok, so I exaggerate a little). Needless to say, I decided to give up for the morning. I sat on the couch and went to watch some TV. I almost fell asleep! I was inexplicably exhausted. I just don't get it! I called into work to tell them I wasn't coming. Then, like a really good mom, took the kids to daycare and proceeded to sleep until after 11! That is SO not like me! :) I have a hunch that my poor body is fighting something, but I'm not sure what it might be. I did get in my hour of cardio though - from 4 - 5 right before I had to get the kids. I think I did a total of just over 4 miles (it would have been more if I'd actually run the whole time.)

Today: Plan is to get my hour in today at the gym. I think I'll mix it up with some eliptical (is that how you spell it?).

To win the final weigh-in over my co-worker (who has lost 50 lbs since January 1!), I'd have to lose at LEAST 25 lbs this month. Did I mention that he couldn't lose another lb for me to win? ;). Even to win the last weekly weigh-in, I'd have to lose 4 lbs by Monday. That's most likely not going to happen since there's ham involved this weekend.

Meanwhile, Ms. Bride-to-Be, any idea what size ended up getting ordered for me for the maid-o-honor dress? I'd love to hear you say that if you take me down a size that I'm a 12. ;) I'm still aiming to be a size 8, but ya know... we'll see.

And lastly, have we mentioned that I'm planning on doing a 5K in May?

Tuesday, April 03, 2007

Juice Fast - Day 2

Yesterday I started a juice fast. No restrictions on how much I can drink, just that it has to be fruit/veg juices, herbal tea, green tea, water, and even a protein shake I can make myself. We couldn't find a small amount of vegetable protein powder to add to it, just a huge container, so we are going without that part of it.

Its only 2 days, and then we move on to a restricted veggie diet. It includes brown rice or wild rices, and even Miso Paste, which we are interpreting that to mean we can use Tofu as well. We picked up some extra firm Tofu and are going to incorporate it into a few meals this week.

Yup I have been saying We, Brandon is doing it with me! I'm so happy and I hope he keeps it up.

We also decided to stop 12 hours early on Easter Sunday so that we can eat an Easter Dinner. It will still be mostly veggies, but can't pass up ham!

I envision when we complete this detox, that I will be able to control my portion sizes better, and continue to include more veggies in my diet. I am even considering one meal a day be a juice meal, as I start to lose weight towards my 150 lbs by May 1st goal!

Thanks Brandon for you support.

Sunday, April 01, 2007

A Challenge...

My boyfriend's very, very good friend is a personal trainer. He has extended a challenge to us: 60 minutes of cardio every day in April. Holy crap. I suppose if I'm going to do the 5k in May, an hour of cardio won't kill me, right? :)

Think thin. Think thin.

I challenge every one of you, dear readers (are there any? ;)) to do the same. 60 minutes of cardio. 30 days. Good luck and may the force be with you.

Because I can can can...

That's one of the songs on my workout list. :)

Anyway, I dropped this to the 'bride to be' in an email, but figured I'd post it here too because I'm so fricking excited. :)

Here's my measurements as of yesterday in the fitting room at Talbot's shortly before I purchased a size 14 dress for the summer!

Bust: 40.5"
Waist: 35"
Hips: 45.25"
Height: 68"

Mom retook them yesterday. I'm glad she did. My waist measurement was off by a good 2.5 inches. :)

I'm pretty much a standard size 14 now. I tried on some Calvin Klein pants last night -- they are notoriously small -- and the 14 fit. Talk about exciting! :) Ralph Lauren 14 fits too! WOO HOO! I bought myself a new suit in a 14 yesterday too! A $200 suit for $50. WHO is the shopping goddess? :)