Dukan Diet Experiment - OVER!

Okay, I was very exited about this diet.  Mostly because of the fast results.  I dropped 5 lbs the first day and 2 more the second day and 1 more the fourth day.  You wake up skinny!

That is the good part of the diet.

Now for the bad:

I had every bad side effect there was.  I had a constant headache, nausea, dizziness, couldn't think straight, and I was very, very tired.

That being said, I am a total carb junkie.  I love my fruits and veggies.  Normally, I eat pretty healthy.  No white stuff.  The attack day diet was extremely boring too.  Probably because I am a vegetarian.

But the absolute worst part of the diet was when you get off of it, BAMO!  Weight comes back in a flash.  The only day I felt good on the diet was the first day.  Probably because I was working off the carbs from the day before.

So, no more 131.8.  Back to 138.8.  I ran 8 miles today. That was the other problem I had with this diet, it is not for anyone who runs.  You need carbs for energy to run.

Well, today is a new day.  I am back on the SELF magazine drop 10 plan.  This is a good diet for me.  It has preset meals.  You don't have to think or figure out what to do.  Just select your 3 meals and on days I exercise heavily, have a 4th mini meal or treat.    I did this diet a few months back and it works. Now, I won't lose 5 lbs overnight tonight.  I will probably be down 1-2 lbs by next Saturday.  

Lynda

Dukan Diet-Day one Attack Phase

I downloaded the Dukan Diet book to my Kindle.  For the most part, I try to just count calories & exercise to lose weight.  This has worked wonderfully for me.  Especially if I can run and keep the calorie count to 1200-1400 per day.

Lately, however, I have been hungry all the time. Carb-starved, as I like to call it.  I have not stuck to my calorie counting.  I am still exercising and running but not making the best eating choices and my weight is up.

This diet has intrigued me since I heard about it on the Dr. Oz show.  I read the 4-Hour Body book.  While it was very good, the diet just did not work for me.  It is hard to stick to any diet that is low carb when you don't eat meat.

So, I decided to try this one.  It has a few paragraphs about what you can eat as a vegetarian during the attack phase. I read this entire book and went on the website to find my Dukan program:

2 day attack phase

20 day cruise phase

29 day consolidation phase

These two books have so many similarities (low carb, cold therapy, etc).  And differences.  One is the oat bran.   You have to have 1 1/2 tbsp. of oat bran every day with the Dukan Diet.  4HB makes you eat beans. No beans on Dukan Diet in this phase.

Today's menu:

Breakfast: 2 hard boiled eggs, Protein shake (water, Lean 1, 6 oz Chobani 0%, 1 c. crushed ice)

Lunch: 1 bocca burger, Protein shake (1/2 cup non-fat milk, 5 star Whey Protein powder - 1 level scoop, 4 oz Chobani 0%, Amazing Grass Cocoa, 1 c. crushed ice)

Dinner:  ahi Tuna steak, oat bran gallette (Dukan Diet recipe)

Totals for the day:  calories: 986, carbs:  60, Fat:  22, Protein:  142

You are supposed to have 1 1/2 quarts of water each day. I can tell you I have had more.  When I intake a ton of protein, this is what it does to me--it makes me thirsty.  I also ran 10 miles today. 

From reading this book (I could skip the chapters on obesity, smokers, etc.), I will feel really tired tomorrow.  This is due to the lack of carbs. I started this diet with a pooch of a belly (that is what I call it) and my weight is currently 140lbs.  According to the stats on the Dukan website, I should be down 1.63 pounds after I complete the full day tomorrow in this attack phase.  We shall see.  

Also, according to this diet plan, my goal weight should be 133.  The weight I am attempting to obtain (that I believe is best for me) is 129.

I do have to say that I am not hungry at all today.  I do feel tired, but that is probably due to me getting up at 4:30AM and running the 10 miles.

PS I had to revise my original post.  When it came time for dinner, I just could not have another protein shake.   I was too full!  Since I knew I needed the oat bran, I made the Dukan diet oat bran gallette (pancake).

Lynda

Dear Diary: 2011, how life has changed...

I thought I would start blogging again here at the running vegetarian website.  Unfortunately, I think I should get a new blog address.  You see, I am injured and cannot run.  

Last year, I thought it would be a great idea to sign up for a full marathon.  I had done a couple of Half Marathon's and it seemed like a logical step.  Plus, this year I turn the big Five-Oh!  I just wanted to finish one before I turned 50.

Training was hard.  I stuck to the Rookie Marathon's suggested running/training plan.  But with all of the running (8 miles on Tuesday, 5 miles on Wednesday, 8 or 9 on Thursday and 15 on Sunday), once I got to this part of the training, my knees started to go numb.  Then ache.  Really ache.  So, I put the knee straps on and plodded through the training.  

Word of advice to anyone training for their first marathon, don't "plod" through an injury.  It doesn't work.  By the time I returned from our vacation up north, my running friends could not believe my condition and my limp. After my long run, my knee looked swollen and ugly. 

They (my running friends) said STOP RUNNING!  GO TO THE DOCTOR!  I did the latter and eased up on the running.  I ended up with a kneecap problem.  Nothing serious but caused by the marathon training.  Doctor says "rest & cross train".  I am not a good cross-trainer.  I love running because I love the outdoors.  Hey, I live in SW Florida, how could you not love outdoors?  

I have been biking, lifting weights and using the elliptical trainer.  BORING!  Except for the weights, I am bored.  

And since I have not been exercising, I have gained weight!  I feel like a Mush-Mellow!  But that is about to change. You see, these last couple of month's taught me a lot about myself.  When I ran, I ate whatever I wanted, whenever I wanted.  Well, no more of that.  I found out, not running and eating like I used too equals an additional 10 pounds.  Clothes don't fit.  And I am miserable.

So, welcome 2011!  

Start weight:  143 (hard to even post)

Calorie Intake per day:  1,200-1,300

Eat at home more (more control on calories)

Get 8 hours of sleep

Drink more tea (notice it does not say "green" tea)

Exercise Plan:  

Elliptical 2 x per week   45 mins. per session

Stationary bike 1x per week  45-60 mins per session

Weight train 3 times per week; try to increase weight lifted

Walk or dog walk 1 x 60+ mins. per week (this is my rest day)

Yoga 1 or 2 x per week 90 mins. per session

That seems like a pretty good plan.  I am hoping that the yoga helps me heal.  I would like to run again in one month.  Even if it is just 3 miles without pain, I would be happy.

So welcome 2011 and the changes in my life.  I may even attempt pool running.  Anything to mix it up!

Breakfast today:  Oatmeal (Bob's  Red Mill) with banana and two tbsp. of Barney butter

Lunch:  2 slices of walnut arugula pizza (Men's Health Mag)

Dinner:  Leftovers

Lynda

Today's Run 7 + miles

Wow, today's weather was picture perfect for running.  The temps were in the mid 60's when we started at 7AM and no humidity.  My Florida friends would be sooooo jealous, because I know they are running in high heat and humidity.  

Yesterday, I stayed the course with my meal planning, but swayed off a bit when the hubby left an open jar of dry roasted peanuts out while I prepared dinner.  I have been craving sweet corn and purchased some from the supermarket.   It was just getting placed on the display area, so it was most likely fresh. Well, it was not very good.  Next time I crave sweet corn, I am heading to the local farm stand.  I did end up having some wine with dinner as well. Just one glass.  I did not have dessert, so I am proud of myself there.  All in all, not a bad first day, but I did go over that calorie count (I want to stay in the 1200 range).  Total for yesterday:  1,398.  I went over on, guess what?  Fat by 1 gram.  And I was under on the carbs a bit.

We also went to see the movie, Inception, with Leonardo DiCaprio.  Love him.  The movie, not so much.  The best description of this film was strange.

Today's meal plan is simple.  I have already had one green tea and it is starting to grow on me.  I really wanted that extra cup of coffee this morning, but had the tea instead.  I had a new cereal for breakfast called Optimum Slim & some blueberries.  That was only 369 calories, including my gummy vitamins and calcium pills.

Lunch will be a salad.  Dinner is tuna steak on the grill and some summer squash and cooked spinach from our garden.

I may even have room for a little dessert. I will update with a pic of the salad and dinner later today.  I have provided a link to our planned run from this morning.  I modified it a little as I dropped water before the run and probably added 1 mile to my total, including the run home.  I felt so good running and felt like I could definitely do more today, but my kneecap was hurting and of course, the old hamstring on my left side.  But you definitely have to say today is one of those perfect weather days.  This is what makes New England a nice place to be in the summer.

Lynda

Confessions: 137.8 OMG!

First let's start with the confession. I was moved by a blog post by another Spark Friend, Florida Sun, to come clean with my uprising weight. Yes, one year ago this week, I weighed 129 lbs. So what has changed?

Easy answer: I stopped logging into Spark, got too busy with my social life and work and stopped counting calories. Actually, I think it is not counting calories and protein, fat, etc. That is how I found out how to lose the weight last year. Once I started looking at my food intake, I found I was a high fat/carb person and my protein was too low. I am a vegetarian. So, I would eat tons of walnuts for protein. But also consumed lots of fat.

I worry about this marathon I signed up for. I am thinking I have bitten off more than I can chew. Can I do it? Is it too much? Too far? My friends gave me a training schedule, but I am going to follow the Marathon Rookie plan. It has long runs, but not as many. It is a much lighter schedule with the theory being not running as far is better because once your body has run for two hours the benefits for training are nil. When exhaustion sets in, the likelihood of injury does as well. There is a 20 mile run in the training and a few 18's. I will attach a post of the schedule in a later blog post. It is just that this schedule is not as daunting as the one my friends provided.

I have been struggling with injuries all summer, hamstring, knees, top of foot. Icing and Motrin constantly. And I am struggling with light headedness which my doctor says is allergies. None of my meds seem to help all the time.

So, it is posted. I am up almost 9 lbs. I am up a pant size (from 6 to 8). The size 8 is loose but the size 6 is tight. I can see the fat under my arms, on my back and in my tummy. Very ugly.

Today is a new day, right? And every day is a gift. I learned that when I lost my son two years ago. I plan on counting my calories again. Doing more yoga and trying to like green tea. That is what worked last year and hopefully this almost 50 year old body will respond again!

So far today, I had a ; small organic yogurt before Powerflex class, spinach/goat cheese/omlet for breakfast and two homemade Tazo green teas, with agave (1 tsp.) and lemon (why don't I like green tea?). 

Planning on a corn on the cob, summer squash, and Rachel Ray's Open Eggplant sandwich for dinner.   

Lynda

Sticking to the Game Plan

Day 6:

Okay, sorry I did not post the pic of my pasta dish from Sunday.  To be honest, the dish was quite bland.  Instead of the Parmesan cheese that was recommended as "optional", I used smoked Gouda.  So it made the dish at least have a flavor. That did add calories, but I just shaved the Gouda and only used less than one ounce.

 Yesterday's dinner was scrumptious:

I made a swordfish steak and just grilled/steamed it in a tsp. of olive oil and some lemon pepper seasoning. For the side, that is a big portion of sauteed spinach that I cooked with a small amount of water until it wilted and then added a pat of butter (real kind).  Also, I cut up 1/2 of an avocado and squeezed some lime onto it.  Delicious and low calorie and good fats.

This morning I was up at 3:50AM.  I have accomplished so much already.  6 1/2 mile run- check done! Dog walk- check done!  Garbage out-check Done! etc. etc.  I ran with the running group that meets at 5AM and I am so glad I did.  Good run, good friends.

For breakfast today I have had 4 egg whites and 1 small individual package of egg beaters, scrambled with 1 c. spinach and some fresh basil chopped up in it.  I did spray my pan with a  little olive oil pam.  For my "side" I just put a little fresh salsa.  That should keep me full till lunch time.  Oh, yes, and I am having my chocolate-pistachio green tea with honey.  It is the only green tea I like.

Lunch today will be small.  Another Bocca Burger and that black bean - avocado - corn dish from Sunday.  Snack will be an apple.

Tonight's dinner is at Naples Flatbread and Wine Bar.  I will order my favorite dinner, the Mediterranean flatbread.  It will be cut in half, as they serve such large portions there.  And this is my only wine night.  I have not had one glass since 3/31/10 - part of my detox/cleanse plan.  

And it is working (down 2 lbs already).  I feel better and my run today was a great one.  Felt like I could keep on truckin! What is that old adage?  You are what you eat.  So true.

Lynda

1200 Calories

Okay, so I got the idea about 1200 calories from the biggest loser show. And from entering my settings on www.Sparkpeople.com website. But after reading several articles regarding women in the over 45 age group needing 1 hour of exercise per day to MAINTAIN their weight and reading how women after the age of 45 start to have their metabolism slow down and require less calories per day than before that magic number to MAINTAIN. I figure it is much better (for weight-loss purposes) to keep the calorie count in 1200-1299 range and exercise every day.

Today's breakfast was oatmeal pancakes (this is a file pic-I did not add banana):

	Oatmeal pancakes

I found this on www.sparkrecipes.com.  It is delicious, easy to make and makes 3 servings.  And did you check out that protein count?  Awesome.  Especially for vegetarians.

Now, since it is Easter Sunday, I am planning on a long dog walk (long for them is 2-3 miles) and 1 hour of weight training with a short bike ride today to the gym.  It is supposed to be another glorious day, sunny and in the mid 80's.

Lunch will be an avocado-bean salad and a bocca burger (more protein) again found on www.sparkrecipes.com.
Snacks for the day include a serving of 100 calorie Orville Redenbachers kettle corn fat free popcorn, a handful of apple chips from Fresh Market and 1 skinny cow vanilla ice cream sandwich for dessert.

Does that sound like 1200 calories?  Well it is if you measure and pre-portion out those serving sizes.  The total calorie count for the day only comes to 1,234 and I am well within my protein and fat and carb numbers that work for me for weight loss.

I will update and post pics of the dinner later in the day.

Spring has sprung!

My April promises to myself:

I am going to try to keep the calorie count to 1200-1299 every day. This promise will include pre-planning and calculating my meals in advance.

I am reading the Runner's world book, Run less, Run Faster. I plan to implement some of their program (more to follow). So far, the training only has you running three days per week and it highly recommends cross training to strengthen your runs.

8 Glasses of water per day.

Green tea (still not liking it), but I am drinking it daily. And 1 cup of coffee.

Yoga class 1 x per week; this will help with the running plan.

Weight training 2 x per week

Now, this week we have a training run tomorrow that is 12 miles. It is funny even writing this, as that is almost a half and now I use 12 as a gauge for my training runs.

Next week I am scheduled to do a 10k that is hosted by the Naples Philharmonic. They are going to be playing at every mile marker. Hal Higdon is going to be there signing books. Pretty cool, huh?

I forgot to add this one link:

www.womenshealthmag.com/nutrition/detox-diet?page=3

It was an interesting article and I tried this meal plan o 4/1/10. On 4/2, I can honestly say I woke up with flatter abs. Not sure why, but I did feel "cleansed" a bit. And I felt better, which is the real whole point of the article. This page link brings you to the sample two days of foods to eat. It is from Women's Health Magazine.

Happy Easter everyone!

Monday Monday

 Today my hubby comes back from wet, rainy Rhode Island. He is in for a treat because it is 75 degrees and "bountiful" sunshine today.  I love the way the weathermen down here come up for new ways to describe sunny weather.  Makes me glad I live here.

So far, for breakfast, I had a smoothie.  It looks like I did that alot when I was successful with my weight loss last year.  So, I am coming around full circle.  The smoothie consisted of:

1 c. fresh squeezed OJ
1 scoop Pure Protein brand whey protein in Vanilla
1 c. frozen unsweetened strawberries
1 tbs. flaxseed
1 small container of Fage 0% greek yogurt, vanilla flavor

Total Calories for breakfast:  458, carbs 52, fat 7, protein 30

The higher carbs will help me to fuel.  Today I went for a 20 min. dog walk (aka stroll) and then went for a two mile run to my gym and did the full circuit with heavy weights.  Then I ran to where the alligators are and did 100 pushups off the wall.  Then I walked 1.3 miles home.  Whew!  Since I was not hungry this morning, I only had 2 cups of black coffee and 2 large glasses of water before the workout above.  Had the smoothie at 11AM after the workout.  I know the experts say this is bad, but I am going to try to eat when I am hungry and stop when I am not. 

Now, for dinner tonight.  As I said yesterday, the hubby wants to lose some weight.  So I made my famous Pea soup.  I will post on that later and take a nice picture of it with the recipe.  I found this interesting article on Prevention Magazine, which I would like to share:

One woman’s scale diary

Don’t let the number determine your self-worth! One 40-something Prevention reader shared how her weight fluctuated in 1 day.

7:15 AM: 133.8 lb, Right before hopping in the shower

8:30 AM: 137.5 lb, Wow, my clothes weigh 3.7 lb!

9:15 AM: 138.7 lb, Gained 1.2 lb from breakfast

10:30 AM: 137.9 lb, Bathroom break, -0.8 lb

1 PM: 135.8 lb, Lost 2.1 lb, thanks to a sweaty cardio workout

1:30 PM: 137.4 lb, Up 1.6 lb from lunch

4 PM: 138.6 lb, Gained 1.2 lb, probably from all the water I was drinking

5:30 PM: 137.5 lb, Bathroom break, -1.1 lb

11 PM: 140.8 lb, Yikes! Gained 3.3 lb—probably the pasta I ate and the wine!

11:30 PM: 137.1 lb, Undressed—huh, gained 3.3 lb since this morning

7:15 AM: 135.4 lb, Lost 1.7 lb while sleeping

Now, my weigh-in at the gym today (fully clothed and all I had was the two coffees and two large waters) was 140 lbs!  Ahhhh!!!!!!!  But I don't feel that fat today, what is up with that?


Lynda

Back on track

Today I decided would be a good day for me to get "back on track".  I have been eating well (for the most part) for the past 10 days.  I have not had dinner out and have been preparing meals (breakfast, lunch, dinner) with recipes found on Spark People Recipe website.  I have been counting calories.  I decided to return back to this blog because last year at this time I was at a lower weight (by 3 lbs) and I was actually keeping fit. 

So, I plan on going back in time to 2009 and see what I was doing "right" and find out why I feel a little pudgy and not fit and trim like last summer. 

I ran 4 miles this morning and it was a beautiful morning  We ran down at a place called "Clam Pass" in Naples, Florida. It had this really cool boardwalk that is pretty new and was made from recycled milk cartons--really cushiony run.  We ran at 8:30AM, ran on the beach and actually made a circle and ran back to our car.   I need this practice running on the beach since my next 5k is the Beach bum 5k, which is held on the beach.  Beach running is tougher on the knees and ankles than running on a flat road.

Tomorrow is meal planning like last year.  I think why I haven't been doing so well is that my portions are not the same as the ones posted on the Spark Recipe website.  Hubby is back from Rhode Island and wants to lose weight too. 


Lynda

I am back!

Where have I been?  Great question. I have formally moved to SW Florida.  It is supposed to be warm here but someone left the door open to Canada and we are freezing!   So, I am sitting here enjoying a nice cup of Chocolate Pistachio Green tea and writing this blog.  I have my electric heat on 73 degrees.  This house just does not warm up like the one in Rhode Island, which is probably due to the heat rising and we have 12 ft. ceilings here.

So, what have I been up to?  I am training for my first Half Marathon.  I started in late October and am now into my final week!  How did that happen so fast?  I have also found out that my inner athlete has finally come out and I am officially a "crazy runner".  I joined the running group down here, The Gulf Coast Runners".  What a cool bunch of healthy people this group is.  And it is also a wonderful way to meet people with my same interests.  So far, the farthest I have run is 12.8 miles.  Next Sunday is the big day.

Updates:  Unfortunately, I was unable (or unwilling) during the holidays to maintain my weight loss.  I had managed to get to the magic number of 129 lbs. and felt and looked so great and light.  My size 6 clothes were falling off of me.  However, I am not at what I guess you would call my happy weight of 135 lbs.  Not tragic, but I am going to try to get to the 129 again and maintain.

So, for New Years, I pledge I am going to try to make the following changes:

1. Yoga (I think I stopped doing this due to all of the running and distances and time alloted for that during training.  Very dumb of me as if I ever needed a little yoga for my body, I need it now!
2. Green tea - I have to admit that I am not sold on the taste of green tea (bitter to me).  So, I remembered how I went to this awesome store down here in Estero called Teavana.    The lady taught me how to brew tea.  I know, this sounds silly, but, all teas should be made at different temperatures.  Green is brewed at 175 degrees, not boiling and only for 1-2 minutes of steeping.  I think in the past I boiled the water and left it to steep too long.  So, this morning I am having Chocolate Pistachio Green Tea and it is Yummy!  
3. Run my Half Marathon injury free!  This is a goal that I am enjoying so much now that I have friends to run with.  I am exited and I know that I can do this.  I am almost sad to know that I will no longer have this goal after next weekend.  My running friend told me that once I am hooked after the half, I will be signing up for a full marathon.  Question is:  Do I have that in me?
4. Drink less wine.  This is a tough one for me because I love my Cabernet.  However, with all of the training, I quickly found out that my running ability is linked to no alcohol the night before.  Since I have been running 4 days per week, that limits the wine.  I have found that less is best.
5. Sleep more and plan my sleep time.  Does this sound like a strange thing to add?  Well, I have been getting 7 1/2 to 8 hours of sleep per night and it is heavenly.  You have to plan on your required amount first and then adjust your time you retire for the evening.  It works!
6. Plan my meals.  When I get overwhelmed with work, this is where I slack off.  I am back to calorie counting and planning because that worked for my weight loss. I have learned eating healthy has made my running better.

So there you have it.  New year, new me.  Let's see how I do!  Green tea below:

Breakfast this morning was baked banana oatmeal brulee! (One fourth of this pan).  I added a little dollop of vanilla yogurt mixed with Fresh Market almond butter which was made right there in the store.  Recipe for the oatmeal was from www.katheats.com.  Her website is wonderful and has great healthy recipes.

Whoops, forgot to give the recipe totals:

Calories:  375 (including my topping)
Carbs: 77 (which you need in the morning)
Fat:  12 g
Protein:  15g (yeah)

I also did yoga at home this morning for 60 mins.  I got the class off of www.yogadownload.com. This is a great website if you cannot get to a yoga studio.  I am not much one for doing a yoga dvd, I find it distracting.  This is just downloaded off your iphone or ipod.  I did the 60 minute Detox yoga.

Happy New Year Everyone!
Lynda

Has anyone tried the Amazing Grass Products?

Sunday, September 13, 2009

I am big into protein powders as way to get my protein numbers up on the nutrient calculator. I love the products from Amazing Grass and in a recent order, I tried the Amazing Meal Pomegranate Mango infusion in my "green" smoothie. It is delicious! I have tried all sorts of protein powders and now this one is a new favorite. You can find it on www.amazinggrass.com. For some reason (I wasn't sure if it was all in my head), I feel energized when consuming their products. I am always trying to find ways (because I am a vegetarian) to get my daily protein. When I do not have my smoothie for the day, it is very difficult. I was eating eggs till I read that story in the ProJo (local newspaper) about how egg processors throw the male chicks into the machinery to kill them because male chicks do not produce eggs. It makes me ill to think of that. I have been researching other ways of eliminating the dairy products or at least minimizing them. I have been reading the raw food way to eat. All interesting, although I am not sure I would take the plunge.

Sometimes in the morning it is tough to look at a green smoothie, but boy does the one I made with Amazing meal taste good. The ingredients I used are:

1 c. soy milk
1 medium banana
1 scoop Amazing Meal
1/4 c. raspberries
1 c. baby spinach
3/4 frozen mango
crushed ice


Lynda

Finish for a Guinness 5k in Warren RI

Tuesday, September 08, 2009

Boy, did we have fun at this race. The fun part is there is a group of us that goes to these 5k's from the gym. Our Trainer, Linda, wants to beat everyone, especially her 15 year old son. Well, it is kind of hard to beat someone who is 20 years your junior. He usually runs with us and as soon as he sees that 3 mile marker, he looks back to see where we are and those 15 year old legs turn on the steam and blow us away. That is Eric (her son) in front and I am in pink in the middle and Linda is in pink behind me. :)



Of course, the food after this race was spectacular. There were approximately 300 people running in this race. At mile marker #2, a sign was posted that said "only one more mile to your Guinness". We all had a good laugh at that one. The food after this race was donuts, watermelon, apples, bagels, oranges, brownies, cookies, clam chowder and of course, beer.



The best part of the race is that I beat my trainer by .10 seconds! I always beat her (and she is 7 years my junior and I have bad knees right now). But she forgot her inhaler (boy do we sound old or what?). So, I cruised past her at the last leg of the race. I do this to her all the time. I never knew I had a competitive side!



Looking forward to two weeks and the CVS 5K. I better work on my speed because I know Linda, my trainer, told me she is done letting her "elders beat her and I am going down!"




Lynda

First day back to the gym.....and back to running again!

Another picture of our Washington DC trip. That is me and the hubby. Our hotel package came with a fabulous picnic lunch. Arugula salad with walnuts and goat cheese, gourmet black olive pesto sandwich with roasted tomatoes and cheese, oatmeal cookie and of course Cabernet. We ate our lunch at Lafayette Park across from the White House. What a wonderful trip we had. Now, onto today's blog posting....

Today I was very excited. It was the first day I figured I would test out my knees and hamstring from their week off of exercise. Well, almost a week. So, I started with a shorter run, just 3 miles. Ran half way, stretched the ever tightening hamstring, and off I went to complete my run. And boy, did it feel good to be out there. I missed my running. It is like my therapy. And I missed the gym and lifting weights.

So, before I left to exercised, I jumped on the scale. Looked down and saw 129 lbs. even. Wow! For the past month, I have been up and down between 130 - 134. To see 129 even was surprising given my lack of exercise and recent return from vacation. And there is something psychological about 129 being in the 120's for me. I do like breaking the 130 barrier. But for the life of me, I don't understand the weight loss this week. I know I have watched my calories and food intake very carefully. I have not felt as hungry as normal which I attribute to my lack of exercise.

So, I am trying to figure this all out. Do I decrease my normal exercise routine? I kind of have to right now due to the injuries. Maybe the key for me is less is best. Less exercise, less food intake. Who knows? I guess only time will tell. I do know one thing, I need more sleep!

Lynda

Back from DC and resting the knees

Thursday, August 27, 2009

Since my return from vacation, I was pleasantly surprised to find that I did not gain any weight from my eating out every meal last week. I tried to make good choices and it is definitely challenging when you are a vegetarian.

We slept in every day. What a treat that was. We would go to bed by 8PM (wild party animals, aren't we?) and would wake up at 7AM. We would be on the road for breakfast by 8-9 AM. We had eggs on a bagel with cheese and a fruit cup most mornings. We did have pancakes and fried eggs one day. But they did not taste too good to me. I haven't had a fried egg in 20 years. One day, I had a yogurt cup mid-day to keep me going. I usually had salmon for dinner. One night I had a big salad and a flat bread cheese pizza. We had too many glasses of wine most nights (that is more than one for me). We never had lunch, since we ate breakfast late and dinner early.

My knees were sore when I left to go on vacation, so I figured it would be a good rest for them with no running scheduled. What a mistake that was! We walked 10 miles minimum each day while in DC. By the last day of our trip, there were no more walking left in them.

So this week, I have done NO EXERCISE. You have no clue how scary this has been for me. I need to rest my knees or knee surgery will be in my future. And a funny thing has happened to me. I am not as hungry and not as carb-crazed as I usually am. I have been diligently planning and counting calories each day and not feeling hungry at all. I am keeping that protein count up, eating bean dishes and lots of veggies. My lunches have been egg sandwiches (see prior posting) or peanut butter and sugar free jelly on fiber one english muffin. I do feel flabby, but my weight has stayed exactly the same at 130. It is nice to have more time in my life as well. I usually work out a minimum of 1 hour each day and some days I workout 75-90 minutes. Sometimes 120. I have tracked a ton of fitness minutes in since I started counting. Now, I sit back and think that maybe I should not do so much running. My plan is to try and run 3 miles tomorrow and see how the knees feel. I also plan on going to the gym and do a kickboxing class with weights. I do miss my running (I love it!) and I do miss the weight lifting, but sometimes it is good to take a step back and relax and heal. It is good for the soul!

Blueberry-Hemp nut smoothie

This is how my body feels this morning (See pic of my fat cat). I had fish and chips for dinner last night. It was a craving. BIG MISTAKE. It is good to do this to remind yourself why you eat healthy. I bravely stepped on the scale this morning and the fish and chips did not disappoint. Up 4.4 lbs. I didn't even finish my dinner last night. I also did not run yesterday. My leg has quite a bruise on it from my fall this week and the skin is tight from the abrasion. I have the 5 miler on rolling hills (this part scares me) tomorrow, so I am resting up. Did go to Powerflex class and upped my weights a little (punishment for the bad dinner?).

So, after class, I decided to mix it up with a smoothie. I had a ton of blueberries hanging around, so I added 2 cups to the blender, 1 c. TJ soy milk, 1/2 banana, 1/2 container 0% fage, 2 scoops Lean 1 protein powder, 1.4 c. black raspberries and the newest ingredient: Nutiva Shelled Hempseed. I have to say the hempseed smells so good, really nutty. I was hoping I would taste it in the smoothie, but I did not. Hempseed has a ton of protein (33%) AND 9% Omega-3. This recipe made 4 cups. I ended up having two cups. Calories: 413, carbs: 49, fat: 12 and protein: 29

I am eating out for dinner this evening and I plan on having some edamame, avocado and tomato salad for lunch. Dinner is Pasta night. I better load up on the veggies!

Lynda

Waffles with fresh blueberries and a digger!

Doesn't this look yummy? It was so good.

I decided I was all smoothie'd out. I wanted to chew real food for breakfast. I went out and ran 5 miles and came back hungry. You know it is bad when you are day-dreaming about breakfast while running! So, I popped a couple of Trader Joe's multigrain waffles into the toaster. These are really good and much better than the Kashi brand. I added some fresh blueberries, some cool whip lite, real maple sryup (see my post from July from Vermont on that--I have syrup for life). I also added some Salba for extra protein. Well it as a good thing I ran this morning because the calorie count on this meal is as follows:

Calories: 521 (Well, that canceled out my run!) Carbs: 95 (ouch)Fat: 8 Protein: 7

See, that is the problem with not having the smoothie. I get so much of my daily protein from my morning smoothie. I have a hard time making it to my protein level for the day, when I start out with a 7 for breakfast.

Now to my digger story:

I had my 5k trail run last night in Bristol. The nicest group of people run this race. I was excited because it was cool and the humidity was low. It was much improved from last week's run, where it was so hot in the woods, it made me sick.

Anyway, the hubby has now taken to coming with me and bringing our dogs. This is a special treat for them. They get to ride in the car and go for a dog walk! You cannot get better than that in the dog's world.

So, it was dark last night with a threat of rain (typical Rhode Island). It was even darker in the woods. I was flying through -- trying so hard to get a good time for my run. There are TONS of roots exposed on this path. I was running up a hill, using the roots to propel me and increase my speed. When suddenly my right foot got caught in one and down I went. How embarrassing! The girl in front of me heard my fall and turned around to check on me. The girl behind me stopped too. What nice people. I see them every week, since we run around the same pace. I made them both promise to tell everyone that I fell gracefully, like a ballerina! They both laughed and promised to lie for me and we finished our race. I fell quite a bit behind them, but still finished in 30 - something for my time, which isn't too bad considering my fall. I was filthy. Covered in dirt on my left shoulder and my knee (the left, bad one) is scraped up a bit. Oh well.

Now, I am scheduled to run in North Attleboro this weekend in the 5 miler. I am taking a day of rest today since my left leg feels tight, probably from the bruise. I think my pride is hurt more than my body.

The good news is that my hubby met with the guys who run the race. He chatted with them both and they offered to lend me some timing devices for my 5k run that I am organizing in memory of my son in Bristol RI at Colt State Park on October 11th. I was having trouble getting any responses from the timing companies. I guess because this is my inaugural race, they figure I won't get many entrants and they cannot be bothered to even return my calls or my emails. I have had so many people offer their help with me arranging the race. I have a friend of my daughter's offer to disc jockey the race with some good music, one friend is donating the water, many have offered to help. I'll need it. I have one friend who has designed the t-shirt and promised it will be "cool". Since the charity is the RISPCA, I am sure some animal theme is in the works.

So, that is the story of my digger. I am sure that my race on Sunday will be very interesting.

Thursday, August 13, 2009

I had my 5k trail run last night in Bristol. The nicest group of people run this race. I was excited because it was cool and the humidity was low. It was much improved from last week's run, where it was so hot in the woods, it made me sick.

Anyway, the hubby has now taken to coming with me and bringing our dogs. This is a special treat for them. They get to ride in the car and go for a dog walk! You cannot get better than that in the dog's world.

So, it was dark last night with a threat of rain (typical Rhode Island). It was even darker in the woods. I was flying through -- trying so hard to get a good time for my run. There are TONS of roots exposed on this path. I was running up a hill, using the roots to propel me and increase my speed. When suddenly my right foot got caught in one and down I went. How embarrassing! The girl in front of me heard my fall and turned around to check on me. The girl behind me stopped too. What nice people. I see them every week, since we run around the same pace. I made them both promise to tell everyone that I fell gracefully, like a ballerina! They both laughed and promised to lie for me and we finished our race. I fell quite a bit behind them, but still finished in 30 - something for my time, which isn't too bad considering my fall. I was filthy. Covered in dirt on my left shoulder and my knee (the left, bad one) is scraped up a bit. Oh well.

Now, I am scheduled to run in North Attleboro this weekend in the 5 miler. I am taking a day of rest today since my left leg feels tight, probably from the bruise. I think my pride is hurt more than my body.

The good news is that my hubby met with the guys who run the race. He chatted with them both and they offered to lend me some timing devices for my 5k run that I am organizing in memory of my son in Bristol RI at Colt State Park on October 11th. I was having trouble getting any responses from the timing companies. I guess because this is my inaugural race, they figure I won't get many entrants and they cannot be bothered to even return my calls or my emails. I have had so many people offer their help with me arranging the race. I have a friend of my daughter's offer to disc jockey the race with some good music, one friend is donating the water, many have offered to help. I'll need it. I have one friend who has designed the t-shirt and promised it will be "cool". Since the charity is the RISPCA, I am sure some animal theme is in the works.

So, that is the story of my digger. I am sure that my race on Sunday will be very interesting.

Thursday, August 13, 2009

I had my 5k trail run last night in Bristol. The nicest group of people run this race. I was excited because it was cool and the humidity was low. It was much improved from last week's run, where it was so hot in the woods, it made me sick.

Anyway, the hubby has now taken to coming with me and bringing our dogs. This is a special treat for them. They get to ride in the car and go for a dog walk! You cannot get better than that in the dog's world.

So, it was dark last night with a threat of rain (typical Rhode Island). It was even darker in the woods. I was flying through -- trying so hard to get a good time for my run. There are TONS of roots exposed on this path. I was running up a hill, using the roots to propel me and increase my speed. When suddenly my right foot got caught in one and down I went. How embarrassing! The girl in front of me heard my fall and turned around to check on me. The girl behind me stopped too. What nice people. I see them every week, since we run around the same pace. I made them both promise to tell everyone that I fell gracefully, like a ballerina! They both laughed and promised to lie for me and we finished our race. I fell quite a bit behind them, but still finished in 30 - something for my time, which isn't too bad considering my fall. I was filthy. Covered in dirt on my left shoulder and my knee (the left, bad one) is scraped up a bit. Oh well.

Now, I am scheduled to run in North Attleboro this weekend in the 5 miler. I am taking a day of rest today since my left leg feels tight, probably from the bruise. I think my pride is hurt more than my body.

The good news is that my hubby met with the guys who run the race. He chatted with them both and they offered to lend me some timing devices for my 5k run that I am organizing in memory of my son in Bristol RI at Colt State Park on October 11th. I was having trouble getting any responses from the timing companies. I guess because this is my inaugural race, they figure I won't get many entrants and they cannot be bothered to even return my calls or my emails. I have had so many people offer their help with me arranging the race. I have a friend of my daughter's offer to disc jockey the race with some good music, one friend is donating the water, many have offered to help. I'll need it. I have one friend who has designed the t-shirt and promised it will be "cool". Since the charity is the RISPCA, I am sure some animal theme is in the works.

So, that is the story of my digger. I am sure that my race on Sunday will be very interesting.

Great run, great running friend!

So my friend and I planned on running 7 miles today so we can prepare for our 5 miler next weekend. She had the route all mapped out and I put on my gps (run keeper) app and off we went. It was a really nice route she mapped out. It ended up being 7.26 miles in total for the run part. We walked home another mile.

Our run was all through Rumford and actually almost went by my house. We ran by the back of Wannamoisett CC, down Roger Williams Avenue by the water where the breeze picked up. It is starting to get humid here, but is still very cool and quite enjoyable for running. No sunshine now, but there was some on our run.

On the way back, our ending point was the Seven Stars bakery in the Rumford Center. If you have not been by here, you need to check it out. The food inside the bakery is amazing. There coffee is fabulous. I had a ginger scone, with large pieces of ginger in it. I am assuming there was approximately 410 calories in that scone, so it probably canceled out much of my running, but it was so good. I had an iced coffee and they do what I do and put coffee ice cubes in hot coffee to make the iced coffee. So good and your coffee doesn't get watered down. The bakery is truly a treasure for Rumford.

I know the hubby wants to eat healthy the next few days because of the bad eating he did during his golf tournament, so I have to start planning!

Lynda

Two very good eating days in a row

So, the hubby was in a golf tournament this week. I was free to eat and plan my food around my own choices. So, I was good. (Now, I am not trying to imply the hubby makes me make bad choices, but.....). I had grilled tuna, grilled sweet potatoes and grilled asparagus. So good and so low in calories. And high in protein.

Today, I went out to lunch with the girls. I could have chosen the "Annie's special" grilled cheese on multigrain bread. Till one of my girlfriend's told me "there is a lot of bread in that sandwich, but it is so good." Well, my weight climbed 4 lbs this week. As much as I wanted that sandwich, I chose spinach salad. It was good. And the dressing came automatically on the side. We ate at the Rue on Hope Street in Providence. Great service and they come by with fresh baked (just out of the oven) Italian bread that was to die for! So, I still got my bread, but in a much more manageable portion. I also ran 5 miles today and went to an hour long powerflex class.

Weighed myself this morning and I am only up one pound now. So, all of my good efforts (and increased cardio) paid off.

Lynda

Too Many Calories, but good food

a

Well, I need to start with last night's run. It was so humid in the woods. I actually had to walk part of the run. I just could not do it. I was mad at myself for taking my vitamins at 4PM and eating those Triscuits so late. Ugh! Half the race, I felt like vomiting. Burped all the way. Just awful. I guess I need to learn from my mistakes and this was a big one.

This morning, I woke up bloated and sore. My upper back hurts. I am not sure why, but I blame the class I took in the morning with Beth. I must have done something to hurt this much.

Now, onto today's meals:

Breakfast: I had a pure protein drink. It was good. I poured it over crushed ice. Then I had a bowl of Kashi Autumn Harvest Wheats and blueberries. Very Good, Very filling.

Lunch was a hollowed out french bread stick with homemade egg salad. This is basically hardboiled eggs, chopped scallions, and light mayo. Add a couple of plums.

Dinner was so good. I chopped up 1/2 an avocado, 1/4 c. black beans, 2 Joseph's oat-flax tortillas (small size), 1 piece of light swiss cheese, 1 chopped tomato. I just put all the ingredients in the tortilla, rolled it up and put it in my frying pan, sprayed with Pam. Additionally, the tomatoes I have are from a friend's garden and they are just starting to turn. So, I put some on the side for a side-dish. Added a little motzarella. Yummy!

Calorie count: 1795 (over my total req'd. by 35), carbs: 235, fat: 55, protein: 97

Lynda