Short post here, as I am aware I've been slacking off regarding posting and I want to get this out there before I recommit.
After a trip to Kotaku to see an awesome video on how awesome we awesome humans are (or can be), I found the link to Nerd Fitness in the comments.
It has made me hopeful.
I'm a fan of gaming. I won't call myself a full-on "gamer" because I don't game as often as some (but I do get obsessed with the few games I adore -- I'm currently in to Guild Wars 2). My nerd-cred is all over the place -- certain TV shows, book series, and games. Not to mention MUSIC.
That said, Nerd Fitness hits a spark within me that I'm hoping will light a fire under my 300-lb butt to get out there and do something. Especially after reading a story about a woman who lost 100 lbs to become healthier and rock some cosplay :) She has a blog here: Project Reroll and it's lovely! Please check her story out!
How to be a plus-sized rock star in a galaxy of tiny dancers.
Friday, September 13, 2013
Sunday, June 30, 2013
Plus-size Sale!
eloquii is a plus-size clothing store by The Limited. In May, The Limited announced they were phasing out this branch. As we plus-size gals already have limited (no pun intended) options for our clothing, this is of course a sad piece of news for us.
On the plus side (I'm just full of unintentional puns today), I didn't know this place existed until a random ad popped up while I was researching a word ('tempted' if you must know). As such, I was thrilled at the sale.
Clothing that was normally $60 and $80 I got for about $10 per piece. They've also cancelled their ground shipping fee regardless of the purchase size, so free shipping, AND an extra 15% for the closeout! I ended up buying 8 pieces (two tanks, two dresses, two pairs of jeans, leggings, and a skirt) for $80.
Take advantage of this while you can, lovelies!
On the plus side (I'm just full of unintentional puns today), I didn't know this place existed until a random ad popped up while I was researching a word ('tempted' if you must know). As such, I was thrilled at the sale.
Clothing that was normally $60 and $80 I got for about $10 per piece. They've also cancelled their ground shipping fee regardless of the purchase size, so free shipping, AND an extra 15% for the closeout! I ended up buying 8 pieces (two tanks, two dresses, two pairs of jeans, leggings, and a skirt) for $80.
Take advantage of this while you can, lovelies!
Sunday, May 5, 2013
A Random Assemblage of Goings-On
Hello, lovelies! God has granted me with a full plate of late, and I am so very grateful for it! Here is a run-down of what's been happening lately with with this Rock Goddess:
The reasoning behind this is, mini-laptops have small processors as well. Beefy OS (like Vista or even Windows 7) will run slowly. Linux has quite a few lite-OS options. Ubuntu is one of them, but I've heard very good things about Mint as well -- mainly that it is like Ubuntu, but even more streamlined. And the best part? Linux is open-source. I am ALL about open-source :)
I recently was introduced to Bri Clark, who is an alpha female when it comes to many aspects of her life, and she gave me some excellent advice on editing as a career. After our advice luncheon, she asked if I would edit her newest novel. I have done so, and look forward to her feedback. I also look forward to when she publishes her latest work so I can pimp it to my writer friends! The novel is chock full of great advice for new writers from the perspective of someone who's been there, done that, and come out on top.
Editing is something which comes naturally to me, one of two things about myself I have confidence in. Getting into the business isn't a cakewalk, however, and as I've posted before I need a job. That has been thankfully solved, at least until the end of May. I've been substituting!
Because of this, I have let my VocRehab case worker know I will pick back up with sessions after the school year. I have no idea what will happen next year: whether or not the elementary will need me full-time or what. But I just can't say enough how happy I am to go in to work everyday. Do I feel anxious? Yes, some. Do I dread getting up? Always. :D But I feel secure at the school (which is blessedly close to my house) and not overwhelmed like at my last job.
Also, since the school is only a mile away, I've walked home a few times. I don't do it often, but the Hubs and I share the car and sometimes he has to work late. The path home is peaceful, flat, and enjoyable. Blessings I don't deserve... ^_^
One other thing: There's a bit of peer pressure in the working world. Did you know? Yes, and for me it has been: eating habits! The ladies (of various ages and body types) around me are eating tiny portions! With only 30 minutes to get in the lounge, nuke your food, and scarf it down before picking up kids, I can understand their choice of noms. But it has definitely made me rethink what I grab for lunch that day. Usually it's a Lean Cuisine-type meal, but if it's frozen, it needs to have a short cooking time. It needs to be something I can savor, because scarfing down 200 calories feels like filling up on packing peanuts. Sure I'm less hungry, but I'm not satisfied, nor do I feel like I had a time-out.
I kept looking to Hubs for clues as to how I was sounding, and he had a sympathetic twist to his lips. I sound horrible, I realized. There wasn't anything I could do; we both talked with the sound manager and he told me his monitors weren't the best. I was not going to be able to hear myself.
At the end of the show I placed my mic stand next to Hubs and said to a mutual friend, "Thanks for coming to our second and final show." It was a joke, but I was so sick at my stomach I felt like vomiting, and that is something I do. not. do. But I do not want to make StV look bad because of me!
After talking to a few other peeps who stuck around, however, I discovered I hadn't sounded bad at all. The problem was not my voice, but the fact that no one could hear it very well. When they could hear it, it was apparently awesome.
I immediately felt loads better. Sound issues like that are out of our hands -- we as a band did the best we could, and we rocked at it. That's all that matters.
I chatted with my fellow vocalist's neighbor for awhile and felt myself coming down from the show rush. I didn't fall asleep on the drive home, but only because it was short.
There is nothing quite like the sleep of adrenaline-crash. I got to bed around 2 am this morning, fairly positive I'd be too exhausted to move until 12 hours later. However, my alarm for church rang, I sat up to shut it off, and as I laid back down I realized, "Hey... I'm not sleepy. And I feel rested! I... I'm gonna get up! Yes! And get dressed and drive to church! YES!"
And so I did. Whether it was a nudge from God telling me "Really, Brianne, it's time," or a perfect alignment of body chemicals, I slept fantastically. I was still tired after church (and took a nap in the car after lunch with the Hubs and BiL), but I was just so very grateful to be blessed with a new day.
Q: In what aspect of your life are you most confident? In what attribute do you take most pride, knowing it's use of this which makes you truly shine?
Netbook
The reasoning behind this is, mini-laptops have small processors as well. Beefy OS (like Vista or even Windows 7) will run slowly. Linux has quite a few lite-OS options. Ubuntu is one of them, but I've heard very good things about Mint as well -- mainly that it is like Ubuntu, but even more streamlined. And the best part? Linux is open-source. I am ALL about open-source :)
Editing
I recently was introduced to Bri Clark, who is an alpha female when it comes to many aspects of her life, and she gave me some excellent advice on editing as a career. After our advice luncheon, she asked if I would edit her newest novel. I have done so, and look forward to her feedback. I also look forward to when she publishes her latest work so I can pimp it to my writer friends! The novel is chock full of great advice for new writers from the perspective of someone who's been there, done that, and come out on top.
Editing is something which comes naturally to me, one of two things about myself I have confidence in. Getting into the business isn't a cakewalk, however, and as I've posted before I need a job. That has been thankfully solved, at least until the end of May. I've been substituting!
Substituting
Because of this, I have let my VocRehab case worker know I will pick back up with sessions after the school year. I have no idea what will happen next year: whether or not the elementary will need me full-time or what. But I just can't say enough how happy I am to go in to work everyday. Do I feel anxious? Yes, some. Do I dread getting up? Always. :D But I feel secure at the school (which is blessedly close to my house) and not overwhelmed like at my last job.
Also, since the school is only a mile away, I've walked home a few times. I don't do it often, but the Hubs and I share the car and sometimes he has to work late. The path home is peaceful, flat, and enjoyable. Blessings I don't deserve... ^_^
One other thing: There's a bit of peer pressure in the working world. Did you know? Yes, and for me it has been: eating habits! The ladies (of various ages and body types) around me are eating tiny portions! With only 30 minutes to get in the lounge, nuke your food, and scarf it down before picking up kids, I can understand their choice of noms. But it has definitely made me rethink what I grab for lunch that day. Usually it's a Lean Cuisine-type meal, but if it's frozen, it needs to have a short cooking time. It needs to be something I can savor, because scarfing down 200 calories feels like filling up on packing peanuts. Sure I'm less hungry, but I'm not satisfied, nor do I feel like I had a time-out.
Concert!
I kept looking to Hubs for clues as to how I was sounding, and he had a sympathetic twist to his lips. I sound horrible, I realized. There wasn't anything I could do; we both talked with the sound manager and he told me his monitors weren't the best. I was not going to be able to hear myself.
At the end of the show I placed my mic stand next to Hubs and said to a mutual friend, "Thanks for coming to our second and final show." It was a joke, but I was so sick at my stomach I felt like vomiting, and that is something I do. not. do. But I do not want to make StV look bad because of me!
After talking to a few other peeps who stuck around, however, I discovered I hadn't sounded bad at all. The problem was not my voice, but the fact that no one could hear it very well. When they could hear it, it was apparently awesome.
I immediately felt loads better. Sound issues like that are out of our hands -- we as a band did the best we could, and we rocked at it. That's all that matters.
I chatted with my fellow vocalist's neighbor for awhile and felt myself coming down from the show rush. I didn't fall asleep on the drive home, but only because it was short.
There is nothing quite like the sleep of adrenaline-crash. I got to bed around 2 am this morning, fairly positive I'd be too exhausted to move until 12 hours later. However, my alarm for church rang, I sat up to shut it off, and as I laid back down I realized, "Hey... I'm not sleepy. And I feel rested! I... I'm gonna get up! Yes! And get dressed and drive to church! YES!"
And so I did. Whether it was a nudge from God telling me "Really, Brianne, it's time," or a perfect alignment of body chemicals, I slept fantastically. I was still tired after church (and took a nap in the car after lunch with the Hubs and BiL), but I was just so very grateful to be blessed with a new day.
Q: In what aspect of your life are you most confident? In what attribute do you take most pride, knowing it's use of this which makes you truly shine?
Saturday, March 2, 2013
Diet & Mental Health
I have not forgotten about PIYF, not at all. However, there's been little going on lately and I didn't want to fill a blog post with nothing but selfish ramblings (though, isn't that kinda what a blog is for?).
First off, I haven't been keeping up with my calories. So girls (and guys), you aren't alone. You were working your tail off (so to speak), counting the calories in a cup of spinach, and then two or three days later you ate that giant Fuddrucker's burger with both pieces of the bun AND cheese and totally did not attempt to figure up the calories for it (or at least that's how it worked for me).
Plus, you haven't been exercising (because you totally take the stairs when you go to the kitchen and band practice) and you're surprised you haven't budged on the scale. Because of that, you felt a little bad, and punished yourself with some brownie bites from Jack-In-The-Box two nights in a row...
Yup, there's the wagon, driving away after I fell off it.
What's done is done, lovelies! You (read: I) made a mistake. Time to start again! We're gonna take a hint from the airlines and lose this baggage!!
Here's a couple other things:
I posted before regarding my job search. One $10 spring orientation and $40 background check later, I'm in the substitute pool for the local school district. Obviously not a full-time job, but that's good for me. I can set my own pace(-ish) and not feel overwhelmed. I've also began dialogue with Vocational Rehabilitation (VocRehab), starting just this past Wednesday. My caseworker put me in for a psych assessment (which is used to see if I qualify for VocRehab's services) on Thursday. The results of that will be in next week, and some time in the week after that I'll have another appointment with VocRehab to go over the results (including info from my general doctor).
This is where the title comes in. I haven't done any research, so don't expect rampant fact-flinging. It's just fairly common sense that a better diet will equal better mental health. At the very least, one feels better about oneself if s/he has eaten well instead of scarfing down a giant fried entity larger than one's own stomach.
I'm a rather anxious person (I think I've mentioned that before). I don't usually give credence to alternative medicine, but I will be looking up foods to help alleviate those negative feelings. I've never had a panic attack, for which I'm thankful, but the constant stress of a slowly winding gear which pulls me tighter and more highly strung until I'm 'confident' I will die is... well it's a downer. I don't accomplish anything, which makes me feel worthless, and the cycle begins again. My rational brain is telling me to get over these emotions and just grow up, but I can't. I hide in bed, in sleep, in dreams, and absolutely dread everything not sleep-related.
We're gonna fix that. Starting with this evaluation, it is my hope we can move forward by getting me a counselor to talk with regarding these feelings, someone knowledgeable, non-judgmental, with whom I'm comfortable.
Meanwhile, I need to remember that eating right isn't just about looking good, but about feeling good. And I need to want it (more than I apparently do now). Exercise will help with mental health as well. You've probably heard that. I've heard it most of my life. Now to put it in motion. A simple walk each night, now that it's warming up. Maybe the Hubs will go with me; maybe he won't. Gotta do it. Gotta do it for me.
As an aside, I've been reading about food for vocal health as well. I plan to write a post dedicated to that in the near future.
Why do you really want to get healthy? What, to you, is more important than food?
First off, I haven't been keeping up with my calories. So girls (and guys), you aren't alone. You were working your tail off (so to speak), counting the calories in a cup of spinach, and then two or three days later you ate that giant Fuddrucker's burger with both pieces of the bun AND cheese and totally did not attempt to figure up the calories for it (or at least that's how it worked for me).
Plus, you haven't been exercising (because you totally take the stairs when you go to the kitchen and band practice) and you're surprised you haven't budged on the scale. Because of that, you felt a little bad, and punished yourself with some brownie bites from Jack-In-The-Box two nights in a row...
Yup, there's the wagon, driving away after I fell off it.
What's done is done, lovelies! You (read: I) made a mistake. Time to start again! We're gonna take a hint from the airlines and lose this baggage!!
Here's a couple other things:
I posted before regarding my job search. One $10 spring orientation and $40 background check later, I'm in the substitute pool for the local school district. Obviously not a full-time job, but that's good for me. I can set my own pace(-ish) and not feel overwhelmed. I've also began dialogue with Vocational Rehabilitation (VocRehab), starting just this past Wednesday. My caseworker put me in for a psych assessment (which is used to see if I qualify for VocRehab's services) on Thursday. The results of that will be in next week, and some time in the week after that I'll have another appointment with VocRehab to go over the results (including info from my general doctor).
This is where the title comes in. I haven't done any research, so don't expect rampant fact-flinging. It's just fairly common sense that a better diet will equal better mental health. At the very least, one feels better about oneself if s/he has eaten well instead of scarfing down a giant fried entity larger than one's own stomach.
I'm a rather anxious person (I think I've mentioned that before). I don't usually give credence to alternative medicine, but I will be looking up foods to help alleviate those negative feelings. I've never had a panic attack, for which I'm thankful, but the constant stress of a slowly winding gear which pulls me tighter and more highly strung until I'm 'confident' I will die is... well it's a downer. I don't accomplish anything, which makes me feel worthless, and the cycle begins again. My rational brain is telling me to get over these emotions and just grow up, but I can't. I hide in bed, in sleep, in dreams, and absolutely dread everything not sleep-related.
We're gonna fix that. Starting with this evaluation, it is my hope we can move forward by getting me a counselor to talk with regarding these feelings, someone knowledgeable, non-judgmental, with whom I'm comfortable.
Meanwhile, I need to remember that eating right isn't just about looking good, but about feeling good. And I need to want it (more than I apparently do now). Exercise will help with mental health as well. You've probably heard that. I've heard it most of my life. Now to put it in motion. A simple walk each night, now that it's warming up. Maybe the Hubs will go with me; maybe he won't. Gotta do it. Gotta do it for me.
As an aside, I've been reading about food for vocal health as well. I plan to write a post dedicated to that in the near future.
Why do you really want to get healthy? What, to you, is more important than food?
Monday, January 28, 2013
:: motivation ::
I've been keeping track of my calories these past few days, even though I haven't posted them (*looks* wow, it has been awhile). Between the laptop and my desktop I'm unsure which days are which, but I made sure I was under 2500 Calories, and tended to stay around 2000.
Yesterday I ordered pizza. Here's what the day turned into:
Breakfast:
Cereal: 320
Lunch:
Pizza (3 slices): 900
Dinner:
Pizza (2 slices): 620
Snacks:
1 Rice cake: 50
1 TBSP PB: 80
1 TBSP GJ: 10
Milk: 90
Cheese: 110
Meat: 100
Total: 2280
We also went to Maui Wowi for smoothies two days in a row, and the 20 oz. Hawaiian Breeze I drank was 357 Calories so I'm fairly pleased with that.
But that's not what I'm writing this post about. Through some twisted trail of YouTube magic, I ended up watching an episode of Supersize vs Superskinny. And now I'm in a bit of delirium.
Yesterday I ordered pizza. Here's what the day turned into:
Breakfast:
Cereal: 320
Lunch:
Pizza (3 slices): 900
Dinner:
Pizza (2 slices): 620
Snacks:
1 Rice cake: 50
1 TBSP PB: 80
1 TBSP GJ: 10
Milk: 90
Cheese: 110
Meat: 100
Total: 2280
We also went to Maui Wowi for smoothies two days in a row, and the 20 oz. Hawaiian Breeze I drank was 357 Calories so I'm fairly pleased with that.
But that's not what I'm writing this post about. Through some twisted trail of YouTube magic, I ended up watching an episode of Supersize vs Superskinny. And now I'm in a bit of delirium.
Wednesday, January 23, 2013
To Become an Adult
I haven't had a true job in forever.
The last job I had (June 2012), lasted one week before I had to quit. Such a severe bout of anxiety came over me that I lost nearly 10 lbs from loss of appetite. I didn't sleep well, and felt like a husk.
Since that time, I've come to regret badgering my husband to the point he felt he needed to call my employers and quit for me. It's possible -- probable, even -- that I would have gotten over the fear I felt winding up in my head and stomach while I was on-the-clock. I'll never know, at least in that situation.
Due to our lack of finances, however, I must get a better job than the part-time work I have online. Tasks are not always available and I have a less than stellar willpower to continually check for work. As such, I needed to look for work in the real world.
I started today, having lit upon the idea of child-care, but there was none in this area. I remembered substitute teaching, as I had done that when in AR and loved it. I pushed down my fears and applied. Now... now I wait.
In the meantime, here is my food count for the day:
Lunch:
Tortilla (2): 160 C
Meat (3 TBS): 100 C
Cheese (1.5 slices): 75 C
Sour cream (2 TBS): 20 C
Refried beans (black, low fat): 110 C
Tomato (Roma): 35 C
Donut: 310 C
Milk: 90
Dinner:
Pizza: 640
Yogurt: 90
Yogurt: 80
Carrot mix: 150
String-cheese: 50
Total: 1910
The last job I had (June 2012), lasted one week before I had to quit. Such a severe bout of anxiety came over me that I lost nearly 10 lbs from loss of appetite. I didn't sleep well, and felt like a husk.
Since that time, I've come to regret badgering my husband to the point he felt he needed to call my employers and quit for me. It's possible -- probable, even -- that I would have gotten over the fear I felt winding up in my head and stomach while I was on-the-clock. I'll never know, at least in that situation.
Due to our lack of finances, however, I must get a better job than the part-time work I have online. Tasks are not always available and I have a less than stellar willpower to continually check for work. As such, I needed to look for work in the real world.
I started today, having lit upon the idea of child-care, but there was none in this area. I remembered substitute teaching, as I had done that when in AR and loved it. I pushed down my fears and applied. Now... now I wait.
In the meantime, here is my food count for the day:
Lunch:
Tortilla (2): 160 C
Meat (3 TBS): 100 C
Cheese (1.5 slices): 75 C
Sour cream (2 TBS): 20 C
Refried beans (black, low fat): 110 C
Tomato (Roma): 35 C
Donut: 310 C
Milk: 90
Dinner:
Pizza: 640
Yogurt: 90
Yogurt: 80
Carrot mix: 150
String-cheese: 50
Total: 1910
Tuesday, January 22, 2013
Hi, I'm Bri and I'm a sushi addict.
Yesterday was band practice. Due to life being all life-y at me, I ended up not eating lunch until after I got to our drummer's house (ie: practice space). It was a small frozen noodle meal paired with a can of tuna, and while tasty and low-cal, I was hungry when I got home. Suddenly, one bowl of cereal turned into two, plus two roll-ups of Havarti cheese and lunch meat. I still had less than 2500 Calories, but I learned I need to plan a little better to insure I have filling meals so I don't mindlessly snack.
Today I had a doctor's appointment. I updated her on my new inspiration and that I was limiting myself to 2500 Calories a day (and had stayed under that so far). She was happy with this, though she asked why I hadn't continued to lose since my initial 30-lb drop. I continued talking with her about my current living situation, and how stressful it's become for the Hubs and myself. She nodded and explained emotions mess with everything (obviously). When one part of our well-being is out of whack, the entire body is out of whack. Long story short, I'll be looking into a therapist soon to help guide me to better myself. Doc also told me one burns more calories in the winter because our bodies need to heat up when we're outside, so walking outside is a bonus. So... I'll need to do that, even in the FIVE DEGREE weather we're having >_<
Meanwhile, Hubster wanted sushi after my appointment. A local chain grocer has some tasty sushi so I popped in to see their selection. I'm pleased that they offer brown rice sushi as well, though the selection isn't usually as wide. I asked the woman at the counter if she could make other items with brown rice and she said she could, if told in advance. She makes all her brown rice items in the morning (I assume because it's not as popular as white rice), but has return customers who call in and request it on certain days every week. She pointed out some flyers with a few examples of their offered sushi, so I've taken them to get familiar with what they have.
In the end I grabbed a Chef's Sampler for Andrew, as it had what appeared to be the best selection of salmon (which he'll eat raw if given the chance), a brown rice Spicy California Roll for myself, and we split a Hawaiian Roll (which had 12 pieces total). After looking up the foods online and doing a little over-estimation, and adding in the small amounts of sriracha, soy sauce, and soda I had, I ended up with a <650 lunch (that is, without the dessert I almost forgot I ate! Gotta write things down immediately!). Rather happy that I can keep eating sushi!!
**
It's the end of the day, and I've had a late dinner. I felt it important to show the total of my day.
Breakfast
Cereal: 360
Skim Milk: 90
Lunch
Soy Sauce (2 TB): 20
Sriracha: 5
Spicy CA: 286
Hawaiian roll: 300
Soda: 20
Donut: 310
Dinner
Tortillas: 160
Sour cream: 20
Salsa: 5
Black Beans: 110
Cheese: 110
Taco Meat: 100*
Total: 1896 Calories
* Until I get a food scale, I can only go by generic internet nutrition guides. I had 3 Tbs of taco meat, and of the few sources I found, most had less than 100 Calories for 1/4 cup (or 4 Tbs). I rounded up to account for the fat-to-meat ratio (which I don't know) and any 'secrets' in the seasoning.
If I have a snack before bed, it will be a donut (310) and some milk (90). That will be 400 extra calories to what I have, still putting me under my 2500 daily goal (at 2296 Cals). I mostly am putting this here so I don't have to amend it later if I do in fact snack on that very tempting donut. I ended up going with the BiL to Burger King and getting a medium caramel frappe without whipped cream. That's somewhere under 500 calories (and as such, under my goal) but I'm unsure how much. No, I didn't need it. I'm still learning to control such urges.
Today I had a doctor's appointment. I updated her on my new inspiration and that I was limiting myself to 2500 Calories a day (and had stayed under that so far). She was happy with this, though she asked why I hadn't continued to lose since my initial 30-lb drop. I continued talking with her about my current living situation, and how stressful it's become for the Hubs and myself. She nodded and explained emotions mess with everything (obviously). When one part of our well-being is out of whack, the entire body is out of whack. Long story short, I'll be looking into a therapist soon to help guide me to better myself. Doc also told me one burns more calories in the winter because our bodies need to heat up when we're outside, so walking outside is a bonus. So... I'll need to do that, even in the FIVE DEGREE weather we're having >_<
Meanwhile, Hubster wanted sushi after my appointment. A local chain grocer has some tasty sushi so I popped in to see their selection. I'm pleased that they offer brown rice sushi as well, though the selection isn't usually as wide. I asked the woman at the counter if she could make other items with brown rice and she said she could, if told in advance. She makes all her brown rice items in the morning (I assume because it's not as popular as white rice), but has return customers who call in and request it on certain days every week. She pointed out some flyers with a few examples of their offered sushi, so I've taken them to get familiar with what they have.
In the end I grabbed a Chef's Sampler for Andrew, as it had what appeared to be the best selection of salmon (which he'll eat raw if given the chance), a brown rice Spicy California Roll for myself, and we split a Hawaiian Roll (which had 12 pieces total). After looking up the foods online and doing a little over-estimation, and adding in the small amounts of sriracha, soy sauce, and soda I had, I ended up with a <650 lunch (that is, without the dessert I almost forgot I ate! Gotta write things down immediately!). Rather happy that I can keep eating sushi!!
**
It's the end of the day, and I've had a late dinner. I felt it important to show the total of my day.
Breakfast
Cereal: 360
Skim Milk: 90
Lunch
Soy Sauce (2 TB): 20
Sriracha: 5
Spicy CA: 286
Hawaiian roll: 300
Soda: 20
Donut: 310
Dinner
Tortillas: 160
Sour cream: 20
Salsa: 5
Black Beans: 110
Cheese: 110
Taco Meat: 100*
Total: 1896 Calories
* Until I get a food scale, I can only go by generic internet nutrition guides. I had 3 Tbs of taco meat, and of the few sources I found, most had less than 100 Calories for 1/4 cup (or 4 Tbs). I rounded up to account for the fat-to-meat ratio (which I don't know) and any 'secrets' in the seasoning.
Sunday, January 20, 2013
Singapore Noodles!
Today was the first day I had a hard time. Not with cravings, necessarily, but with what I would be eating. The past two days we’ve gone out with Ricky and with a little research (made much easier thanks to smartphones and tablets), I’ve been able to figure out food options fairly easily. But today I was at home, and I wanted something quick. I didn’t want a donut, because while I could figure in those calories later in the day, having one for breakfast would not be satisfying.
We woke up around noon. Yesterday our heater (unbeknownst to us) reset in a power flicker and we returned to an approximately 40° room. I slept in two long-sleeve shirts, a pair of sweatpants, two pairs of socks, under a comforter and an electric throw (Hubs had his own). We basically hibernated.
Then I honestly just put off eating. It was in the back of my mind constantly, but I knew I’d have to cook and I did not want to deal with rummaging for foods that would go well together and calorie-counting. In fact, in opening the freezer to see if I had any Lean Cuisine meals left, I instead stood staring at two bags of horrible-for-you frozen burritos. Again, knew that wouldn’t be filling, even if it was quick.
Internet to the rescue!! I bought some fabulous noodles at Whole Foods a couple days ago (that was a trip! We’d never been to WF before) and remembered this evening that I had seen at least one good recipe for them. While checking through the recipe’s instructions and item list, I mentally went though what foods I had available to substitute. What resulted was probably the best Asian-inspired noodle dish I’ve ever made. A super special Thank You! to Beth at Budget Bytes for the inspiration!
We woke up around noon. Yesterday our heater (unbeknownst to us) reset in a power flicker and we returned to an approximately 40° room. I slept in two long-sleeve shirts, a pair of sweatpants, two pairs of socks, under a comforter and an electric throw (Hubs had his own). We basically hibernated.
Needless to say, waking up to temperatures that didn’t get above 20° meant we weren’t going anywhere to buy food (even though I planned to get groceries at some point). I remembered my soup drawer, found a can of light chicken soup with brown rice, and had it with a few black bean tortilla chips. Donut for dessert.
Then I honestly just put off eating. It was in the back of my mind constantly, but I knew I’d have to cook and I did not want to deal with rummaging for foods that would go well together and calorie-counting. In fact, in opening the freezer to see if I had any Lean Cuisine meals left, I instead stood staring at two bags of horrible-for-you frozen burritos. Again, knew that wouldn’t be filling, even if it was quick.
Internet to the rescue!! I bought some fabulous noodles at Whole Foods a couple days ago (that was a trip! We’d never been to WF before) and remembered this evening that I had seen at least one good recipe for them. While checking through the recipe’s instructions and item list, I mentally went though what foods I had available to substitute. What resulted was probably the best Asian-inspired noodle dish I’ve ever made. A super special Thank You! to Beth at Budget Bytes for the inspiration!
Saturday, January 19, 2013
Day at the Museum!
Stayed in bed as long as possible. When it's 9°F outside, no one wants to go anywhere. I mean really. But I finally got up around 10:30-11 am, and after getting dressed +Andrew (Hubs), +Richard Chason II (BiL), and I all went to Starbucks. I had the same breakfast I had yesterday (when I actually started counting calories): oatmeal and coffee. I cut out the half & half and instead went for a sampler cup of whole milk. I used to hate oatmeal, but for the past year or so I've grown very fond of it, especially when I'm able to add in apples. A few days ago, Hubs even commented:
A: "I thought you hated raisins?" B: "Well, I hated oatmeal too. But they go great together." BiL wanted to go to the Boise Art Museum, so I asked to stop in Walmart and buy some healthy snack foods. For whatever reason, my heart (and tongue) was set on carrots. I grabbed two bags of baby carrots; a small box of seasoned, crumbled feta; and a large bag of lightly salted almonds, plus a box of sandwich bags to stuff my snacky-snacks in.
On the way to BAM I assembled little ~150-Calorie bags and stuck them in my pockets, intending to munch away at feta-seasoned carrots and almonds while walking through the museum. Unfortunately, as soon as we walked in the door we were politely told no water was allowed (Hubs and I had brought our cups from Starbucks) and allowed to place them on a counter to pick up when we left. I put my coat back in the car so there would be no hint at funny business.
A: "I thought you hated raisins?" B: "Well, I hated oatmeal too. But they go great together." BiL wanted to go to the Boise Art Museum, so I asked to stop in Walmart and buy some healthy snack foods. For whatever reason, my heart (and tongue) was set on carrots. I grabbed two bags of baby carrots; a small box of seasoned, crumbled feta; and a large bag of lightly salted almonds, plus a box of sandwich bags to stuff my snacky-snacks in.
On the way to BAM I assembled little ~150-Calorie bags and stuck them in my pockets, intending to munch away at feta-seasoned carrots and almonds while walking through the museum. Unfortunately, as soon as we walked in the door we were politely told no water was allowed (Hubs and I had brought our cups from Starbucks) and allowed to place them on a counter to pick up when we left. I put my coat back in the car so there would be no hint at funny business.
Friday, January 18, 2013
Intro and Explanation
A good buddy of mine has been kind enough to chat at me regarding my want to lose weight and get healthy. We had similar interests in high school and I kinda think of him as a (slightly) younger brother. I have appreciated so much that he was willing to take time out of his life (wife, baby, another on the way, full-time job) to give me direction and encouragement. Thanks again, Robbie!
As such, I'll be chronicling my health journey here. This means at least once a week I'll be posting my progress (probably Wednesdays): meal plan, any weight/inch loss, ups and downs. I decided to start a blog to better myself, really. I want it to be personal, but helpful to others out there like myself (specifically the "I'm a fat girl but I wanna rock people's faces off!!" crowd). Also, for the record, I'm a fat girl. I don't use that as an insult. It's what I am. When I go shopping, I tell the hubs I'm headed to the Fat Girl Clothes, and we often refer to ourselves as Fats, Fatties, or Big'Uns. If you for whatever reason find that offensive, then A] You must not have known me very long, and B] I don't see a reason for you to be sensitive regarding what I call myself.
Even when I lose weight, I will always be "plus-sized". When I was in high school I weighed around 180 lbs at 5'10, and my pants size was 14. Had I actually done any exercise and watched my eating habits, that number might have fluctuated but more importantly my body would have been more fit, though I'd still have been plus-sized. For the current fashion world, anything 14+ (and sometimes anything 12+) is considered plus-sized. Ridiculous? Sure, especially when you see the images of those women, and realize they aren't obese, but simply average (I can understand the "plus" coming in around 18/20, which some label as XL).
I say all that to say, don't get offended. If you're fat, you're fat. I'm not saying it as a bad thing. The bad part is if you're unhealthy, and that's what I'm looking to change. I'll never be a stick, and I'm fine with that. I know there are women who wish they could gain weight, and while that is something bigger women often laugh about and mutter how we'd love to be in their shoes, the world is hard on them, too.
Aaanyway, that's a bit of insight into what I plan on doing from now on. Starting out simple and working my way forward, one day, one meal at a time.
As such, I'll be chronicling my health journey here. This means at least once a week I'll be posting my progress (probably Wednesdays): meal plan, any weight/inch loss, ups and downs. I decided to start a blog to better myself, really. I want it to be personal, but helpful to others out there like myself (specifically the "I'm a fat girl but I wanna rock people's faces off!!" crowd). Also, for the record, I'm a fat girl. I don't use that as an insult. It's what I am. When I go shopping, I tell the hubs I'm headed to the Fat Girl Clothes, and we often refer to ourselves as Fats, Fatties, or Big'Uns. If you for whatever reason find that offensive, then A] You must not have known me very long, and B] I don't see a reason for you to be sensitive regarding what I call myself.
Even when I lose weight, I will always be "plus-sized". When I was in high school I weighed around 180 lbs at 5'10, and my pants size was 14. Had I actually done any exercise and watched my eating habits, that number might have fluctuated but more importantly my body would have been more fit, though I'd still have been plus-sized. For the current fashion world, anything 14+ (and sometimes anything 12+) is considered plus-sized. Ridiculous? Sure, especially when you see the images of those women, and realize they aren't obese, but simply average (I can understand the "plus" coming in around 18/20, which some label as XL).
I say all that to say, don't get offended. If you're fat, you're fat. I'm not saying it as a bad thing. The bad part is if you're unhealthy, and that's what I'm looking to change. I'll never be a stick, and I'm fine with that. I know there are women who wish they could gain weight, and while that is something bigger women often laugh about and mutter how we'd love to be in their shoes, the world is hard on them, too.
Aaanyway, that's a bit of insight into what I plan on doing from now on. Starting out simple and working my way forward, one day, one meal at a time.
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