Ahhh!!

I have to scream, suddenly it feels like I have too much going on, not enough hours in the day, and not enough patience or energy to accomplish anything. I've even skipped two days of P90X just have that hour to get other things done. Did they? *sort* of course not, I should have just worked out.

Tomorrow we leave for the coast and I can't wait! I'll have to drag some of my work with me (grrrrrr) but otherwise it will be nothing but 3 days of sand, sun, and family. Err...well...at least the Pacific Northwest version of sun, lol!

Three days in...very sore

Sore and a little achy but man it feels good. I feel like I've actually accomplished something...though, lets face it, I'm so out of shape I'm not completing nearly the same amount of reps/weight as the people on the show. Oh well, a little at a time and I will get there.

Splurged a little today on the dark chocolate. Hubby found some 60% stuff that is awesome! I actually felt satisfied after one piece, but then I got to working on homework and didn't put the bar away so next thing I know its halfway gone. Next time I'll only take a serving and then put it back in the cabinet. You'd think I'd have learned by now that when I get to reading/taking notes/distracted the hand keeps shoving things in the mouth, even if the body is happy.

It is really getting to be fall here. This weekend I hope to talk hubby into going to apple picking. Other than that its just working out and cleaning house on the agenda. Maybe we'll take a walk down to the library. Happy weekend everyone!

And So...It Begins

P90X...Feel the burn!!!

Oh yeah, I am very much feeling it. I've never done so many push-ups in my life, it feels great! In a weird, masochistic way. Tony Horton is extremely cheesy, which is strangely what I need when I start to wuss out. Just when I think I'm done and going to pack it in, he says something so off the wall dumb I start giggling and pump out a couple more reps. Technically P90X isn't really primal but I am hoping it will speed up my results.

So, here are my goals for the next 90 days:

Workouts 5 days a week with the 6th day optional.
Reasoning: 5 days a week I know I can get a workout in during kiddo's nap. During the weekend we are often out of the house, or hubby and I do house/yard work together so I can't guarantee a workout time. Don't want to set myself up for failure.

Primal Diet that Includes Dairy
Reasoning: Trying to do 80/20 just isn't cutting it, I give myself a little rope and then I suddenly realize that the little indulgences have become big ones. I will give a little lee-way for my birthday trip, Thanksgiving, and the Christmas trip. This will give me something to look forward to (on those days its milk chocolate or die) so I shouldn't feel deprived.

My Stats as of today:

Weight: 222.0
Waist: 47"
Hips: 46"
Chest: 47"
Right Arm: 17.5"
Left Arm: 17"
Right Thigh: 26.5"
Left Thigh: 26.5"
Neck: 18"

Happy Fall Equinox!

What a weekend! Spent Saturday at the university watching us get our butts kicked. *sigh* We managed to avoid the high-sugar, high-carb tailgating though there were some biscuits and gravy that smelled divine. Must stay on track!

Sunday was spent cleaning the yard and prepping for the cold season. Last weekend we split the oak rounds and this weekend I stacked all the wood while hubby mowed the yard. My back is whining about all the bending and lifting but it feels good to look out and see all that fire just waiting to burn. Got it stacked and covered just in time too, right after I came in the house to wash up it started raining.

It is now officially fall so we unpacked the Fall/Halloween decoration box. Kiddo was amazed at all the lights and had a blast helping hang them up. The house is looking very bronze and copperish-I love it! From now till the Winter Solstice is my favorite time of year, with the warm days and cool nights, the trees changing color, Halloween and Thanksgiving and Solstice to look forward too.

Today is a cool, drizzly-gray day and occasionally the breeze kicks up a little cloud of bright yellow leaves. I've got kiddo down for her nap and the house scrubbed; now to figure out dinner, do some homework and decide whether to chance taking a walk to the library. Ahhhhhhhh I LOVE FALL!

sugarsugarsugarsugar

I realized today that 80/20 probably isn't a safe thing for me. On one hand I've been eating more veggies (thank goodness for Farmer's Markets and end of summer deliciousness!) and lots of healthy fat. On the other, every night I've given in to the craving of a peanut butter cup. And no, not the primal version, the Reese's version.

So, I haven't had ANY grains this month. But in the Reese's are soy, sugar, lactose, nonfat milk (and then strangely milk fat, why not just use regular milk??), some chemical stuff as a preservative...not exactly happy, healthy food. But damn it tastes good. And I'm staying under 100 carbs a day, and I feel great, and...

*sigh*

Honestly, I don't think its the sugar, I think its milk chocolate. That creamy taste, the smell, the color, the way it glues itself to your fingers and has to be sucked off. Mixing cocoa with a sweetener (coconut milk, fruit, etc) just doesn't cut it, even though it is healthier and doesn't taste bad-its just not milk chocolate.

So, how did you kick your worst eating habit? What's that one food that is just refusing to leave?

Just a calm Sunday

Not much excitement this Sunday-a little cleaning around the house with lots of sitting on the porch enjoying the breeze and watching the leaves dance. There is a definite feeling of fall in the air, even if the thermometer says its 90 degrees out. I'm starting to think of fall decorations-I wonder if petunias come in yellow, red, and orange-it would be cool to replace the hanging flower baskets out front with those colors.

Hubby read through the P90x instructions and we went through the beginning assessments. I can jump higher than him, which was a surprise, though he can hold a wall squat for much longer. Our plan is to start the program tomorrow (that way we can finish it before the Christmas holidays) and see what it does. I'm kinda excited but more hopeful than anything else.

Got my new Vibrams in the mail yesterday *squeal* Unfortunately I think they might be too big, there seems to be a lot of space at my heel when my toes are in the correct spot. The shoe doesn't slip around at all so I think I will wear them a little bit and see if they are comfortable. I won them off eBay and can't return them-if it ends up I really need a smaller size I'll post them on eBay. Hubby wants a pair but he has a longer middle toe so I'm not sure if they will fit on him, we need to find someone in town who carries them so he can try some on.

Off to go look at fall garden magazines and think about decorating for the autumn holidays. I love this time of year!

Game Day!

Saturday post
It's FINALLY football season. Whoo-hoo! I've waited all summer to see my boys in action and here they are!!

And, of course, along with football comes the food. My team was playing away today so no tailgating but that didn't stop me from going a little crazy in the kitchen. I whipped up a batch of Buffalo wings, bacon wrapped stuffed jalapenos*, and for a sweet, chocolate cheesecake. And yes, it was all diet-approved deliciousness!!

First off, the Buffalo wings, courtesy of this recipe from MDA. The first batch I followed the recipe exactly, the second batch I added a lot more hot sauce-fire in the house! I really had trouble limiting myself to three, they were so good.

Second was the jalapenos. After a slight malfunction when I accidentally rubbed my eyes while cleaning the peppers (it is possible to laugh and cry at the same time, though my eyes are still red even as I type) these came off perfectly! The crispy, salty bacon offsets the cream cheese and both help to mellow the spice of the pepper that it is very easy to get a little carried away nibbling on these bad boys.

Last was chocolate cheesecake, made with 100% cocoa, cream cheese, an almond flour and butter crust, and a little bit of xylitol for sweetening mmmmmmm-MMMMMM! A perfect end to the day's gorging (which after nibbling here and there, plus actual meals, I felt like I'd overdone things by the time the last game was over.)

Not much exercise happened, though we did get the pool flipped upside down so it could dry completely and put away the pump and toys. There is now a huge bare spot in the yard but the grass underneath is already starting to green up. Hopefully it will grow back before the fall rains hit. And my boys lost...*sigh* but otherwise it was a great day!



*Bacon Wrapped Stuffed Jalapenos

Ingredients:
As many jalapenos as you can scarf down (I used 6 since they were huge)
Cream cheese (depending on how many jalapenos you'll need more or less, I used about 3 ounces)
Bacon (at least one piece per jalapeno)
Toothpicks

Heat oven to 450 degrees
Slice jalapeno in half and remove seeds
Stuff as much cream cheese in the two halves as can fit
Fit the two halves back together (I found if I scrap off any excess cream cheese the halves will fit snugly back together)
Wrap a slice of bacon around the jalapeno, secure with toothpick
Lay on foil covered cookie sheet
Bake for 15-20 minutes (basically till the bacon is crispy)
Let cool completely
Scarf down!