workout: 30 min very easy racewalking, and felt GREAT! Awesome to be back in the swing of things. Was going to skip it since I'm working out tonight, but woke feeling sluggish and NEEDED the walk to wake up.
****
the rest of my day: work (going well so far), track workout w/the Wasatch Walkers
Tuesday, February 26, 2008
Monday
workout: just weights; skipped racewalking because I needed a little rest.
***
rest of the day: a good day at work - good results :) always help. Then a decent evening at home w/the family. I had neglected to make the chicken enchiladas on Sunday night so that Loren could just bake them Monday when he got home so they'd be ready to eat, so we had some decent frozen pizza instead w/a salad. Then I made the chicken enchiladas.
***
rest of the day: a good day at work - good results :) always help. Then a decent evening at home w/the family. I had neglected to make the chicken enchiladas on Sunday night so that Loren could just bake them Monday when he got home so they'd be ready to eat, so we had some decent frozen pizza instead w/a salad. Then I made the chicken enchiladas.
Sunday, February 24, 2008
MRI; pm workout
Had the MRI today. It took a surprisingly long time! After changing into lovely hospital garb and ridding myself of all metal objects (jewelry, hair clip, watch, etc.) they took me in to the room w/the machine and immobilized my head. They gave me an IV because they had to inject a contrast agent partway through the test. They did a whole bunch of scans, and the machine made an amazing array of noises as it went through its routine. It took about 45 min in the machine, during which time I plotted my workout strategy at the track, and got a little sleep, believe it or not! It was pretty confining in there, but as I have no problems w/claustrophobia, I didn't mind too much.
Should find out the results in a few weeks when I go see Dr. G again. Hopefully it was totally normal, as we expect.
***
Workout - went to the indoor track because it was pouring rain (cold rain, turning to snow) and I just wasn't in the mood to deal w/the bad weather. I was going to do 10 miles at an 11:15 per mile pace (1:30 per 211m lap), but I felt pretty crappy after 8 miles, so I quit. Got home and felt really abnormally tired. I wonder if I'm getting sick again? The kids bring home an inordinate number of cold viruses during the winter. Really frustrating, as my half marathon is in 8 weeks, and I have still not gotten in any 10+ mile workouts. Hopefully next week I will be able to do it. At least I was smart and quit when I started to feel crappy.
Should find out the results in a few weeks when I go see Dr. G again. Hopefully it was totally normal, as we expect.
***
Workout - went to the indoor track because it was pouring rain (cold rain, turning to snow) and I just wasn't in the mood to deal w/the bad weather. I was going to do 10 miles at an 11:15 per mile pace (1:30 per 211m lap), but I felt pretty crappy after 8 miles, so I quit. Got home and felt really abnormally tired. I wonder if I'm getting sick again? The kids bring home an inordinate number of cold viruses during the winter. Really frustrating, as my half marathon is in 8 weeks, and I have still not gotten in any 10+ mile workouts. Hopefully next week I will be able to do it. At least I was smart and quit when I started to feel crappy.
Need the reader's help
OK, I have an assignment for Weight Watchers this week. I am supposed to list my strengths. I made a decent list, but it occurred to me that I could get valuable feedback from you, my reader. It can be hard to accurately assess oneself, and the tendency is to leave things out. Whether you know me in person or not, if you feel you have input into this question, I'd appreciate it. You can post a comment or e-mail me.
recent workouts
Saturday: 42:30 for 6k around SugarHouse park. Nice & easy.
Sunday: skipped morning workout to slug in bed after I forgot to set my alarm last night. I will go for a walk after my MRI, during naptime. Hopefully I can get a nice long workout in, despite everything.
Sunday: skipped morning workout to slug in bed after I forgot to set my alarm last night. I will go for a walk after my MRI, during naptime. Hopefully I can get a nice long workout in, despite everything.
Saturday, February 23, 2008
Recipe: Skinny Shepherd's Pie
By request, here it is! I made it for Loren and the kids the other night, and the entire pan disappeared in no time. It's a great recipe for WW because 1/4 of the pie is only 7 points, plus it's delicious!!!
Skinny Shepherd's Pie
from "Joy Bauer's Food Cures"
1T olive oil
1 c finely chopped onion
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 1/4 lb ground turkey
2T low-sodium tomato paste
1T Worcestershire sauce
1/2 t garlic powder
1/2 t dried thyme
1/4 t paprika
1c fat-free low-sodium beef broth
salt
ground black pepper
2-3 lg sweet potatoes (1.5 lbs), cubed and boiled (or softened in microwave)
1/2 c 1% reduced-fat buttermilk or reduced-fat sour cream
2 egg whites
2T shredded reduced-fat cheddar or Swiss cheese
1T grated reduced-fat Parmesan cheese
1. Preheat oven to 350F. Coat a 6-8 cup ceramic or glass gratin dish (I used a deep dish pie plate) with cooking spray.
2. In a large skillet, heat the olive oil over med-high heat. Add the onion and garlic and cook, stirring, until softened and translucent, 405 min. Add the turkey, and increase the heat to high. Cook, stirring, until the turkey is browned, 3-4 min longer.
3. Stir in the tomato paste, Worcestershire sauce, garlic powder, thyme, and paprika. Cook, stiring, 2 minutes. Add the broth and cook 2-3 min, until the turkey is cooked through and a light sauce forms. Season to taste w/salt and pepper. Set aside.
4. In a large bowl, mash the sweet potatoes w/the buttermilk or sour cream until smooth. Season to taste w/salt & pepper. In a large metal bowl, beat the egg whites w/a pinch of salt on high speed until stiff but not lumpy, 4-6 min. They should cling firmly to the side of the bowl when tilted. With a spatula, gently fold egg whites, 1/3 at a time, into the sweet potato mixture, until all the egg whites are just incorporated and not deflated.
5. Spread the meat mixture into the prepared caserole dish, and top with the sweet potato mixture. Sprinkle w/the cheddar or Swiss cheese and the Parmesan cheese. Bake, uncovered, until the potato topping is puffed and browned around the edges, 30-35 min. Serve immediately.
Serves 4.
Per serving: 403 calories, 41g protein, 44g carb, 7g fat, 2g sat fat, 61 mg chol, 368 mg sodium, 6g fiber. 7 WW points.
Skinny Shepherd's Pie
from "Joy Bauer's Food Cures"
1T olive oil
1 c finely chopped onion
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 1/4 lb ground turkey
2T low-sodium tomato paste
1T Worcestershire sauce
1/2 t garlic powder
1/2 t dried thyme
1/4 t paprika
1c fat-free low-sodium beef broth
salt
ground black pepper
2-3 lg sweet potatoes (1.5 lbs), cubed and boiled (or softened in microwave)
1/2 c 1% reduced-fat buttermilk or reduced-fat sour cream
2 egg whites
2T shredded reduced-fat cheddar or Swiss cheese
1T grated reduced-fat Parmesan cheese
1. Preheat oven to 350F. Coat a 6-8 cup ceramic or glass gratin dish (I used a deep dish pie plate) with cooking spray.
2. In a large skillet, heat the olive oil over med-high heat. Add the onion and garlic and cook, stirring, until softened and translucent, 405 min. Add the turkey, and increase the heat to high. Cook, stirring, until the turkey is browned, 3-4 min longer.
3. Stir in the tomato paste, Worcestershire sauce, garlic powder, thyme, and paprika. Cook, stiring, 2 minutes. Add the broth and cook 2-3 min, until the turkey is cooked through and a light sauce forms. Season to taste w/salt and pepper. Set aside.
4. In a large bowl, mash the sweet potatoes w/the buttermilk or sour cream until smooth. Season to taste w/salt & pepper. In a large metal bowl, beat the egg whites w/a pinch of salt on high speed until stiff but not lumpy, 4-6 min. They should cling firmly to the side of the bowl when tilted. With a spatula, gently fold egg whites, 1/3 at a time, into the sweet potato mixture, until all the egg whites are just incorporated and not deflated.
5. Spread the meat mixture into the prepared caserole dish, and top with the sweet potato mixture. Sprinkle w/the cheddar or Swiss cheese and the Parmesan cheese. Bake, uncovered, until the potato topping is puffed and browned around the edges, 30-35 min. Serve immediately.
Serves 4.
Per serving: 403 calories, 41g protein, 44g carb, 7g fat, 2g sat fat, 61 mg chol, 368 mg sodium, 6g fiber. 7 WW points.
Friday, February 22, 2008
I'm still "interesting"
You never want a specialist to think you are interesting. After this visit and this visit over 2 years ago, I hoped I wouldn't be interesting any more. But apparently, I still am.
I had to have medical help to conceive each of my beautiful children. Thankfully, a simple drug regimen sufficed for each of them. But in addition, I have had other irregularities in the past with various aspects of my reproductive endocrinology. Trouble breastfeeding due to lack of milk production, periodic amenorrhea, and a luteal phase defect top the list. I'm grateful that none of those are much to worry about in the big scheme of things. Still, it's unsettling.
Well, the amenorrhea has been a problem again since Michelle's birth 20 months ago. I don't really mind at all, except that it's not the best for your health in the long run - bone density can suffer, primarily, and with osteoporosis in my family, I was concerned.
I went to my family doc (Dr. S) in November, and he got some labs, and they were "normal". He said I was probably racewalking too much (though I only do 25-35 miles per week) and that it was exercise-induced amenorrhea. He said to cut back my training by 25% and see if that helped. Yeah right. I don't think so! My body mass index is totally normal at 22 (or is it 23?), and 25-35 miles per week is definitely not heaping on the miles. I decided that I'd go back to my favorite reproductive endocrinologist (Dr. G) for a 2nd opinion.
So, today was my appointment with Dr. G, and he is just awesome. He took one glance at my labs and said that though the ranges were all normal, they are not really normal. My FSH is greater than my LH, and it should be the reverse. He says this indicates that my GnRH is probably low, which is most likely a function of an incorrect set point for my weight (though there are other possible explanations, including problems with my pituitary). My body thinks I need to weigh more, when in fact I am at a very healthy weight for my height, according to Dr. G. He says I am definitely not exercising too much, and that I should not stop. He was impressed with my weight loss too :) as he remembered that I used to be "chubby". A kind way of saying that I was scarily obese, with a BMI of 38. I digress.
So, what to do about this little problem? Well, he wants to rule out problems w/my pituitary, so he ordered a brain MRI. Cool. I'm going on Sunday to have this done. Should be interesting. He says he fully expects it to come back normal, but since we've had a lot of different issues in my history that suggest the possibility of a pituitary problem, he wants to rule this out.
Next, he is giving me a progesterone challenge, which involves taking progesterone for 12 days and then stopping to cause withdrawal bleeding. If that occurs, that means that there is sufficient estrogen to develop an endometrial lining, which means that I am essentially OK and don't have to worry about bone density, heart problems, etc. If there is no bleeding, then there is not enough estrogen, which would be a problem. He suspects I will be OK since I have no other symptoms (i.e. hot flashes) to indicate low estrogen.
So, if my MRI is normal and I have enough estrogen, basically the amenorrhea is a non-issue, and I can just take progesterone every so often to clear things out. This is what he expects to be the case. If the MRI is not normal, we will cross that bridge when we come to it. If the estrogen is too low, we could consider hormone replacement.
All very interesting. I would prefer not to be interesting, but at least my health is very good in all other aspects, and in the scheme of things, this is a minor problem.
I had to have medical help to conceive each of my beautiful children. Thankfully, a simple drug regimen sufficed for each of them. But in addition, I have had other irregularities in the past with various aspects of my reproductive endocrinology. Trouble breastfeeding due to lack of milk production, periodic amenorrhea, and a luteal phase defect top the list. I'm grateful that none of those are much to worry about in the big scheme of things. Still, it's unsettling.
Well, the amenorrhea has been a problem again since Michelle's birth 20 months ago. I don't really mind at all, except that it's not the best for your health in the long run - bone density can suffer, primarily, and with osteoporosis in my family, I was concerned.
I went to my family doc (Dr. S) in November, and he got some labs, and they were "normal". He said I was probably racewalking too much (though I only do 25-35 miles per week) and that it was exercise-induced amenorrhea. He said to cut back my training by 25% and see if that helped. Yeah right. I don't think so! My body mass index is totally normal at 22 (or is it 23?), and 25-35 miles per week is definitely not heaping on the miles. I decided that I'd go back to my favorite reproductive endocrinologist (Dr. G) for a 2nd opinion.
So, today was my appointment with Dr. G, and he is just awesome. He took one glance at my labs and said that though the ranges were all normal, they are not really normal. My FSH is greater than my LH, and it should be the reverse. He says this indicates that my GnRH is probably low, which is most likely a function of an incorrect set point for my weight (though there are other possible explanations, including problems with my pituitary). My body thinks I need to weigh more, when in fact I am at a very healthy weight for my height, according to Dr. G. He says I am definitely not exercising too much, and that I should not stop. He was impressed with my weight loss too :) as he remembered that I used to be "chubby". A kind way of saying that I was scarily obese, with a BMI of 38. I digress.
So, what to do about this little problem? Well, he wants to rule out problems w/my pituitary, so he ordered a brain MRI. Cool. I'm going on Sunday to have this done. Should be interesting. He says he fully expects it to come back normal, but since we've had a lot of different issues in my history that suggest the possibility of a pituitary problem, he wants to rule this out.
Next, he is giving me a progesterone challenge, which involves taking progesterone for 12 days and then stopping to cause withdrawal bleeding. If that occurs, that means that there is sufficient estrogen to develop an endometrial lining, which means that I am essentially OK and don't have to worry about bone density, heart problems, etc. If there is no bleeding, then there is not enough estrogen, which would be a problem. He suspects I will be OK since I have no other symptoms (i.e. hot flashes) to indicate low estrogen.
So, if my MRI is normal and I have enough estrogen, basically the amenorrhea is a non-issue, and I can just take progesterone every so often to clear things out. This is what he expects to be the case. If the MRI is not normal, we will cross that bridge when we come to it. If the estrogen is too low, we could consider hormone replacement.
All very interesting. I would prefer not to be interesting, but at least my health is very good in all other aspects, and in the scheme of things, this is a minor problem.
Frenetic Friday
I usually keep too busy. Today was no exception.
Workout: 15 min racewalking, then a really great weight training set designed by our instructor, Steve. I wasn't so sure about him at first, but he is turning out to be one of the best instructors we've had. He comes up w/very creative workouts and knows how to push me to do my best.
Morning: Took the kids over to Sarah's to play with her kids (Alex & Sam) for a little while. Then we all went to Kindermusik. A great morning was had by all - busy, with the 4 little ones, but Sarah and I still found a little space to talk.
Midday: After dropping the kids off at school, I went home and quickly ate lunch. Then it was off to a dr appt (more on this later) and then to work.
Afternoon: A few hours on the confocal microscope, looking at my in situ hybridization experiment. I think it worked! Yeah! We're trying to get in situs to work on mouse tissue, because a collaborator is sending us some regenerating digit tips so that we can see if they are expressing a gene we are interested in. We got some day 11.5 embryos from L so that we could test our probes, and though we got questionable results the first time, and weren't sure of our results the 2nd time (needed more controls & better tissue), I think the 3rd time was a charm. Whew.
Evening: Picked kids up from school, then took the family to the Utah gymnastics meet. A great time was had by all. Now kids are in bed and I'm catching up on stuff.
Workout: 15 min racewalking, then a really great weight training set designed by our instructor, Steve. I wasn't so sure about him at first, but he is turning out to be one of the best instructors we've had. He comes up w/very creative workouts and knows how to push me to do my best.
Morning: Took the kids over to Sarah's to play with her kids (Alex & Sam) for a little while. Then we all went to Kindermusik. A great morning was had by all - busy, with the 4 little ones, but Sarah and I still found a little space to talk.
Midday: After dropping the kids off at school, I went home and quickly ate lunch. Then it was off to a dr appt (more on this later) and then to work.
Afternoon: A few hours on the confocal microscope, looking at my in situ hybridization experiment. I think it worked! Yeah! We're trying to get in situs to work on mouse tissue, because a collaborator is sending us some regenerating digit tips so that we can see if they are expressing a gene we are interested in. We got some day 11.5 embryos from L so that we could test our probes, and though we got questionable results the first time, and weren't sure of our results the 2nd time (needed more controls & better tissue), I think the 3rd time was a charm. Whew.
Evening: Picked kids up from school, then took the family to the Utah gymnastics meet. A great time was had by all. Now kids are in bed and I'm catching up on stuff.
Thursday, February 21, 2008
recipe of the day
From my Joy Fit Club buddy Tina Morris (inducted earlier this year).
Warm Chunky Apple Pie
8-10 large apples (Granny Smith/Gala)
¾ cup Splenda (not the packets)
½ cup water
1 Tbsp. cinnamon
Peel and core apples, cut into chunks.
Put apples into crockpot. Add Splenda, water, and cinnamon, mix well.
Cook on low 4-5 hours
1 cup = 1 pt.
DELICIOUS on top of 1/2 c of Dreyer's slow churned vanilla bean, no sugar added ice cream, for 1 more point.
Warm Chunky Apple Pie
8-10 large apples (Granny Smith/Gala)
¾ cup Splenda (not the packets)
½ cup water
1 Tbsp. cinnamon
Peel and core apples, cut into chunks.
Put apples into crockpot. Add Splenda, water, and cinnamon, mix well.
Cook on low 4-5 hours
1 cup = 1 pt.
DELICIOUS on top of 1/2 c of Dreyer's slow churned vanilla bean, no sugar added ice cream, for 1 more point.
A lesson from my workout
I woke up feeling horribly tired. I did NOT want to go work out, and pressed the snooze bar far too many times. Finally, I dragged my sorry behind out of bed and drove to the gym, getting there 30 min after I intended to. I did my workout and it felt AWESOME. Silly me! If I hadn't have gone, I would have missed out on the best workout of the week.
I did mile intervals in prep for the 1/2 marathon in April. I did 211m (1 lap) recovery inbetween. 1st mile in 9:55, 2nd in 9:57, and 3rd in 9:47. I was pushing myself a moderate amount; I wouldn't say it was a hard effort, but it wasn't easy either. Still, those were pretty fast times and I was pleased, especially with the last one when I was tired.
I did mile intervals in prep for the 1/2 marathon in April. I did 211m (1 lap) recovery inbetween. 1st mile in 9:55, 2nd in 9:57, and 3rd in 9:47. I was pushing myself a moderate amount; I wouldn't say it was a hard effort, but it wasn't easy either. Still, those were pretty fast times and I was pleased, especially with the last one when I was tired.
Wednesday, February 20, 2008
Weights on Wednesday
Today I only did a very little bit of racewalking to warm up for weight training. We did a great total body workout in weight training.
As for the rest of the day, I grocery shopped, helped a friend with her taxes, played w/the kids, did some laundry, and made a yummy new Shepherd's Pie recipe from Joy Bauer's "Food Cures" book. She gave me a signed copy when I was on the TODAY Show, and mentioned the recipe to me specifically, and so I had to make it. It was great! The kids loved it too.
Then I made a delicious dessert (Gingerbread Roulade with Rum Cream Sauce) from my new cookbook called Small Batch Baking. I only had a teeny bit because the points value was pretty high, but it was SO good!
As for the rest of the day, I grocery shopped, helped a friend with her taxes, played w/the kids, did some laundry, and made a yummy new Shepherd's Pie recipe from Joy Bauer's "Food Cures" book. She gave me a signed copy when I was on the TODAY Show, and mentioned the recipe to me specifically, and so I had to make it. It was great! The kids loved it too.
Then I made a delicious dessert (Gingerbread Roulade with Rum Cream Sauce) from my new cookbook called Small Batch Baking. I only had a teeny bit because the points value was pretty high, but it was SO good!
Tuesday, February 19, 2008
Tuesday tempo time
Today's workout: Easy warm-up to Liberty Park (13 min) then 2 loops at tempo speed of 85% MHR. In actuality, I had trouble pushing hard enough this morning (oh, for a partner or friend to push me, but runners are faster and most walkers are slower...) and so my heart rate was in the upper 150s instead of 162 where I really wanted it. My times were slow too: 14:20 for the 1st loop and about 14:35 for the second. Oh well. At least I got out there and put in the effort. Then I walked home slowly to cool down. My dog Copper kept up with me, no problem. I left Sahara at home, because she just can't keep up on the faster workouts (last time I literally was dragging her around the park!).
Monday, February 18, 2008
Happy to be of help :)
It's nice to see that I have inspired someone in her weight loss journey :). You can do it, Anne!!! Anne blogs about being inspired
In other news, I did 8 miles racewalking today, easy, in 1:26 and change. Slow, because I didn't want to rush, and it was a nice long easy day. Sunday I did 6km easy, which was pretty good considering that I felt fairly crummy. I'm much better today :).
Tomorrow... evil tempo workout on tap. We'll see how I do.
In other news, I did 8 miles racewalking today, easy, in 1:26 and change. Slow, because I didn't want to rush, and it was a nice long easy day. Sunday I did 6km easy, which was pretty good considering that I felt fairly crummy. I'm much better today :).
Tomorrow... evil tempo workout on tap. We'll see how I do.
Saturday, February 16, 2008
Turkey Enchilada Casserole
Yes, all the recipes so far have been either 1) stir-fries or 2) ground turkey recipes, because that's what my friends were asking for.
This one got a Loren rating of very good. If you make it with leftover Thanksgiving turkey (just chop up the white meat finely), it gets a Loren rating of great. Yum!
Turkey Enchilada Casserole
Makes 8 servings
2t olive oil
1 lb ground skinless turkey breast
1 large onion, chopped
2 garlic cloves, minced
½ t salt
1t dried oregano
1/4/ t ground cumin
2 (10-ounce) cans enshilada sauce
1 (4.5-ounce) can chopped mild green chiles
1t red-wine vinegar
½ c chopped fresh cilantro
8 (6-inch) corn tortillas, halved
1 c shredded reduced-fat cheddar cheese
1. Preheat oven to 375F. Spray a 7x11 inch baking dish with nonstick spray; set aside.
2. Heat a large nonstick skillet over med-high heat. Swirl in 1t of the oil, then add the turkey, half of the onions, half of the garlic, and ¼ t of the salt. Cook, breaking up the turkey with a wooded spoon until browned, about 8 minutes.
3. Meanwhile, heat a medium nonstick saucepan over medium heat. Swirl in the remaining 1t oil, then add the remaining onions, garlic, ¼ t salt, the oregano, and cumin. Cook, stirring occasionally, until well softened, about 8 minutes. Stir in the enchilada sauce, chiles, and vinegar; bring to a boil. Reduce the heat and simmer, covered, until the flavors are blended, about 10 minutes. Remove from the heat and stir in the cilantro.
4. Arrange 1/3 of the tortilla halves inan overlapping layer on the bottom of the dish. Spoon 1/3 of the turkey mixture over the top; top with 1/3 of the sauce and sprinkle with 1/3 of the cheddar. Repeat the layering twice. Cover the pan loosely with foil and bake 20 min. Remove the foil and bake 5 min longer or until the cheese is bubbly. Let stand 10 min before serving.
Per serving (1/8 of casserole): 218 cal, 6g fat, 2g sat fat, 49 mg chol, 588 mg sod, 20 g carb, 2g fiber, 21g protein, 168 mg calcium. Points: 4.
This one got a Loren rating of very good. If you make it with leftover Thanksgiving turkey (just chop up the white meat finely), it gets a Loren rating of great. Yum!
Turkey Enchilada Casserole
Makes 8 servings
2t olive oil
1 lb ground skinless turkey breast
1 large onion, chopped
2 garlic cloves, minced
½ t salt
1t dried oregano
1/4/ t ground cumin
2 (10-ounce) cans enshilada sauce
1 (4.5-ounce) can chopped mild green chiles
1t red-wine vinegar
½ c chopped fresh cilantro
8 (6-inch) corn tortillas, halved
1 c shredded reduced-fat cheddar cheese
1. Preheat oven to 375F. Spray a 7x11 inch baking dish with nonstick spray; set aside.
2. Heat a large nonstick skillet over med-high heat. Swirl in 1t of the oil, then add the turkey, half of the onions, half of the garlic, and ¼ t of the salt. Cook, breaking up the turkey with a wooded spoon until browned, about 8 minutes.
3. Meanwhile, heat a medium nonstick saucepan over medium heat. Swirl in the remaining 1t oil, then add the remaining onions, garlic, ¼ t salt, the oregano, and cumin. Cook, stirring occasionally, until well softened, about 8 minutes. Stir in the enchilada sauce, chiles, and vinegar; bring to a boil. Reduce the heat and simmer, covered, until the flavors are blended, about 10 minutes. Remove from the heat and stir in the cilantro.
4. Arrange 1/3 of the tortilla halves inan overlapping layer on the bottom of the dish. Spoon 1/3 of the turkey mixture over the top; top with 1/3 of the sauce and sprinkle with 1/3 of the cheddar. Repeat the layering twice. Cover the pan loosely with foil and bake 20 min. Remove the foil and bake 5 min longer or until the cheese is bubbly. Let stand 10 min before serving.
Per serving (1/8 of casserole): 218 cal, 6g fat, 2g sat fat, 49 mg chol, 588 mg sod, 20 g carb, 2g fiber, 21g protein, 168 mg calcium. Points: 4.
Spaghetti with Classic Italian Meat Sauce
This one is a little time intensive, but only because it simmers a long time, which of course makes it taste better!
Here’s a good recipe for spaghetti sauce w/ground turkey, from “The Best Light Recipe”. AWESOME cookbook – it’s from Cook’s Illustrated, and they test everything to be sure that it tastes great in addition to being lighter and better for you.
Spaghetti with Classic Italian Meat Sauce (serves 6)
Do not use ground turkey breast meat (99% fat free) or the sauce will be dry and grainy. To make the meat sauce ahead, follow the recipe through step 4 and cool. Refrigerate in an airtight container for 3 days, or freeze for up to 1 month. Reheat over medium-low heat, adding water as needed to adjust the consistency. Any shape of pasta can be substituted for the spaghetti here.
2 (14.5 oz) cans diced tomatoes
1 small onion, chopped fine
1 T olive oil
Salt
4 medium garlic cloves, minced or pressed through a garlic press (about 4 t)
1 pound 93% lean ground turkey
2 T tomato paste
2 c low-sodium chicken broth (the cookbook likes Swenson’s organic for best flavor)
1 bay leaf
1/8 t red pepper flakes
1 pound spaghetti
½ c minced fresh basil leaves (I have used the squeeze basil and it works well, too)
Ground black pepper
1. Process 1 can of tomatoes in a food processor until almost smooth, about 5 sec; set aside.
2. Combine the onion, 1t of the oil, and ¼ t salt in a Dutch oven. Cover & cook over med-low heat, stirring often, until softened, 8-10 min. Stir in the garlic and cook until fragrant, about 30 sec.
3. Add ½ the ground turkey and increase heat to med-high. Cook, breaking meat into small pieces w/wooden spoon, until meat loses its raw color, about 5 min. Stir in the tomato past and cook until the tomato paste begins to brown, about 2 min. Stir in the pureed tomatoes, canned tomatoes w/their juices, chicken broth, bay leaf, and pepper flakes. Reduce heat to med and simmer uncovered, stirring occasionally, about 45 min.
4. Stir the remaining turkey into the sauce and continue to simmer, stirring occasionally, until the turkey is no longer pink and the sauce is thickened, about 25-30 min. Discard the bay leaf.
5. Meanwhile, bring 4 quarts water to a boil in a large pot. Stir in 1T salt and the pasta and cook until al dente. Drain, reserving ½ cup of the cooking water, and return the pasta to the pot.
6. Stir the remaining 2t olive oil and the basil into the sauce, and season w/salt and pepper to tatste. Toss 3 c of the sauce w/the cooked pasta, adding the reserved pasta cooking water as needed to loosen the sauce. Divide the pasta among 6 individual bowls, top each bowl with a portion of the remaining sauce, and serve.
Per serving: 440 cal, 8g fat, 2g sat fat, 45 mg chol, 66g carb, 27g protein, 3g fiber, 820 mg sodium.
Here’s a good recipe for spaghetti sauce w/ground turkey, from “The Best Light Recipe”. AWESOME cookbook – it’s from Cook’s Illustrated, and they test everything to be sure that it tastes great in addition to being lighter and better for you.
Spaghetti with Classic Italian Meat Sauce (serves 6)
Do not use ground turkey breast meat (99% fat free) or the sauce will be dry and grainy. To make the meat sauce ahead, follow the recipe through step 4 and cool. Refrigerate in an airtight container for 3 days, or freeze for up to 1 month. Reheat over medium-low heat, adding water as needed to adjust the consistency. Any shape of pasta can be substituted for the spaghetti here.
2 (14.5 oz) cans diced tomatoes
1 small onion, chopped fine
1 T olive oil
Salt
4 medium garlic cloves, minced or pressed through a garlic press (about 4 t)
1 pound 93% lean ground turkey
2 T tomato paste
2 c low-sodium chicken broth (the cookbook likes Swenson’s organic for best flavor)
1 bay leaf
1/8 t red pepper flakes
1 pound spaghetti
½ c minced fresh basil leaves (I have used the squeeze basil and it works well, too)
Ground black pepper
1. Process 1 can of tomatoes in a food processor until almost smooth, about 5 sec; set aside.
2. Combine the onion, 1t of the oil, and ¼ t salt in a Dutch oven. Cover & cook over med-low heat, stirring often, until softened, 8-10 min. Stir in the garlic and cook until fragrant, about 30 sec.
3. Add ½ the ground turkey and increase heat to med-high. Cook, breaking meat into small pieces w/wooden spoon, until meat loses its raw color, about 5 min. Stir in the tomato past and cook until the tomato paste begins to brown, about 2 min. Stir in the pureed tomatoes, canned tomatoes w/their juices, chicken broth, bay leaf, and pepper flakes. Reduce heat to med and simmer uncovered, stirring occasionally, about 45 min.
4. Stir the remaining turkey into the sauce and continue to simmer, stirring occasionally, until the turkey is no longer pink and the sauce is thickened, about 25-30 min. Discard the bay leaf.
5. Meanwhile, bring 4 quarts water to a boil in a large pot. Stir in 1T salt and the pasta and cook until al dente. Drain, reserving ½ cup of the cooking water, and return the pasta to the pot.
6. Stir the remaining 2t olive oil and the basil into the sauce, and season w/salt and pepper to tatste. Toss 3 c of the sauce w/the cooked pasta, adding the reserved pasta cooking water as needed to loosen the sauce. Divide the pasta among 6 individual bowls, top each bowl with a portion of the remaining sauce, and serve.
Per serving: 440 cal, 8g fat, 2g sat fat, 45 mg chol, 66g carb, 27g protein, 3g fiber, 820 mg sodium.
General Tsao's Chicken
Loren rating scale: Great!
General Tsao’s Chicken
Serves 4 (I always double this one because it’s so good!)
¾ c canned chicken broth, reduced-sodium
2T cornstarch
2T sugar
2T low-sodium soy sauce
1T white wine vinegar
½ t ground ginger (the stronger, the better – I like Penzey’s www.penzeys.com)
2t peanut oil
2 medium scallions, chopped
2 med garlic cloves, minced
½ t red pepper flakes, or 1 dried chili pepper, minced
1 lb uncooked boneless, skinless chicken breasts, cut into 2-inch pieces
2 c cooked white rice, kept hot.
1. In a medium bowl, whisk together broth, cornstarch, sugar, soy sauce, vinegar, and ginger; set aside.
2. Heat oil in a wok or large skillet over med-high heat. Add scallions, garlic, and pepper flakes and cook 2 min. Add chicken and cook until browned all over, about 5 min.
3. Add reserved sauce and simmer until sauce thickens and chicken is cooked through, about 3 minutes.
4. Serve chicken and sauce over rice. Yields about 1 c chicken and sauce and ½ c rice per serving.
Points: 6
General Tsao’s Chicken
Serves 4 (I always double this one because it’s so good!)
¾ c canned chicken broth, reduced-sodium
2T cornstarch
2T sugar
2T low-sodium soy sauce
1T white wine vinegar
½ t ground ginger (the stronger, the better – I like Penzey’s www.penzeys.com)
2t peanut oil
2 medium scallions, chopped
2 med garlic cloves, minced
½ t red pepper flakes, or 1 dried chili pepper, minced
1 lb uncooked boneless, skinless chicken breasts, cut into 2-inch pieces
2 c cooked white rice, kept hot.
1. In a medium bowl, whisk together broth, cornstarch, sugar, soy sauce, vinegar, and ginger; set aside.
2. Heat oil in a wok or large skillet over med-high heat. Add scallions, garlic, and pepper flakes and cook 2 min. Add chicken and cook until browned all over, about 5 min.
3. Add reserved sauce and simmer until sauce thickens and chicken is cooked through, about 3 minutes.
4. Serve chicken and sauce over rice. Yields about 1 c chicken and sauce and ½ c rice per serving.
Points: 6
Hunan shrimp
Loren rating scale: Very good.
Hunan Shrimp
Makes 4 servings
1 lb medium shrimp, peeled & deveined
1T + 2t cornstarch
½ cup low-sodium chicken broth
2T reduced-sodium soy sauce
1T black bean sauce
1T chili-garlic sauce
1T canola oil
2T minced peeled fresh ginger
1 onion, cut into ¼ inch slices
1 red bell pepper, seeded and cut into thin strips
1 green bell pepper, seeded and cut into thin strips
½ pound asparagus (can substitute broccoli), trimmed & cut into 1 inch pieces
2c cooked brown rice
1. Combine the shrimp w/1T of the cornstarch in a medium bowl; toss well to coat and set aside. Combine the broth, soy sauce, black bean sauce, chili-garlic sauce, and the remaining 2t cornstarch in a small bowl; set aside.
2. Heat a nonstick wok or a large, deep skillet over med-high heat until a drop of water sizzles. Swirl in 2t of the oil, then add the shrimp. Stir-fry until just opaque in the center, about 3 min; transfer to a plate. Swirl in the remaining 1t oil, then add the ginger and onion. Stir-fry until fragrant, about 1 min. Add the bell peppers and asparagus; stir-fry until crisp-tender, about 2 min. Add the shrimp and broth mixture. Cook, stirring constantly, until the mixture boils and thickens, about 1 minute. Serve over the rice.
Per serving (1 ¼ c shrimp mixture with ½ cup rice): 270 cal, 6g fat, 1g sat fat, 135 mg chol, 667mg sod, 35g carb, 4g fiber, 20g potein, 57 mg calcium. Points: 5.
This recipe from Weight Watchers’ Take Out Tonight book (as was the last one).
Hunan Shrimp
Makes 4 servings
1 lb medium shrimp, peeled & deveined
1T + 2t cornstarch
½ cup low-sodium chicken broth
2T reduced-sodium soy sauce
1T black bean sauce
1T chili-garlic sauce
1T canola oil
2T minced peeled fresh ginger
1 onion, cut into ¼ inch slices
1 red bell pepper, seeded and cut into thin strips
1 green bell pepper, seeded and cut into thin strips
½ pound asparagus (can substitute broccoli), trimmed & cut into 1 inch pieces
2c cooked brown rice
1. Combine the shrimp w/1T of the cornstarch in a medium bowl; toss well to coat and set aside. Combine the broth, soy sauce, black bean sauce, chili-garlic sauce, and the remaining 2t cornstarch in a small bowl; set aside.
2. Heat a nonstick wok or a large, deep skillet over med-high heat until a drop of water sizzles. Swirl in 2t of the oil, then add the shrimp. Stir-fry until just opaque in the center, about 3 min; transfer to a plate. Swirl in the remaining 1t oil, then add the ginger and onion. Stir-fry until fragrant, about 1 min. Add the bell peppers and asparagus; stir-fry until crisp-tender, about 2 min. Add the shrimp and broth mixture. Cook, stirring constantly, until the mixture boils and thickens, about 1 minute. Serve over the rice.
Per serving (1 ¼ c shrimp mixture with ½ cup rice): 270 cal, 6g fat, 1g sat fat, 135 mg chol, 667mg sod, 35g carb, 4g fiber, 20g potein, 57 mg calcium. Points: 5.
This recipe from Weight Watchers’ Take Out Tonight book (as was the last one).
Beef with Broccoli
Just tried this tonight. It was "good" on the Loren rating scale. The scale is as follows: thumbs down, OK, good, very good, great.
Beef with Broccoli
Makes 4 servings
¾ lb beef top round, trimmed of all visible fat, cut into thin strips
2T cornstarch
½ c low sodium beef broth
2T oyster sauce
2T honey
2T reduced-sodium soy sauce
1T dry sherry
1 lb broccoli crowns, cut into florets (4c)
2t canola oil
1T minced peeled fresh ginger
3 garlic cloves, minced
1. Combine beef with 1T cornstarch; toss well to coat and set aside. Combine the remaining 1T cornstarch, the broth, oyster sauce, honey, soy sauce, and sherry in a small bowl; set aside.
2. Bring a lage pot of water to a boil; add the broccoli and cook until crisp-tender, 3-4 min; drain.
3. Heat a nonstick wok or a large, deep skillet over med-high heat until a drop of water sizzles. Swirl in the oil, then add the beef. Stir-fry until just cooked through, 3-4 min; transfer to a plate.
4. Add the ginger and garlic to the wok and stir-fry until fragrant, about 20 seconds. Add the broth mixture and cook, stirring constantly, until the mixture boils and thickens, about 1 minute. Add the beef and broccoli and cook until heated through, about 1 minute.
Per serving (1 cup): 216 Cal, 6g fat, 1g sat fat, 53mg chol, 425mg sod, 18g carb, 2g fiber, 23g protein, 45 mg calcium. Points: 4.
Beef with Broccoli
Makes 4 servings
¾ lb beef top round, trimmed of all visible fat, cut into thin strips
2T cornstarch
½ c low sodium beef broth
2T oyster sauce
2T honey
2T reduced-sodium soy sauce
1T dry sherry
1 lb broccoli crowns, cut into florets (4c)
2t canola oil
1T minced peeled fresh ginger
3 garlic cloves, minced
1. Combine beef with 1T cornstarch; toss well to coat and set aside. Combine the remaining 1T cornstarch, the broth, oyster sauce, honey, soy sauce, and sherry in a small bowl; set aside.
2. Bring a lage pot of water to a boil; add the broccoli and cook until crisp-tender, 3-4 min; drain.
3. Heat a nonstick wok or a large, deep skillet over med-high heat until a drop of water sizzles. Swirl in the oil, then add the beef. Stir-fry until just cooked through, 3-4 min; transfer to a plate.
4. Add the ginger and garlic to the wok and stir-fry until fragrant, about 20 seconds. Add the broth mixture and cook, stirring constantly, until the mixture boils and thickens, about 1 minute. Add the beef and broccoli and cook until heated through, about 1 minute.
Per serving (1 cup): 216 Cal, 6g fat, 1g sat fat, 53mg chol, 425mg sod, 18g carb, 2g fiber, 23g protein, 45 mg calcium. Points: 4.
Szechuan Chicken with Peanuts
Here’s my #1 favorite, from Weight Watchers’ Take Out Tonight cookbook. I love that cookbook!!! I often double this so I will have leftovers.
This one is "great" on the Loren rating scale.
Szechuan Chicken with Peanuts
Makes 4 servings
1 lb skinless boneless chicken breasts, cut into thin strips
3T hoisin sauce (available in the Asian foods aisle)
2T cornstarch
½ c low-sodium chicken broth
2T rice vinegar
2T sugar
2t chili-garlic sauce (available in the Asian foods aisle)
1T canola oil
1T minced peeled fresh ginger
2 garlic cloves, minced
1 green bell pepper, seeded & chopped
2 med carrots, thinly sliced on a diagonal
¼ c unsalted, dry-roasted peanuts (I never get the salted ones because it’s too much temptation to EAT them!!!)
1. Combine the chicken, 1T of hoisin sauce, and 1T of cornstarch in a Ziploc bag; toss well to coat & set aside. Combine the remaining 2T hoisin sauce, 1 T cornstarch, the broth, vinegar, sugar, and chili-garlic sauce in a small bowl; set aside.
2. Heat a nonstick wok or large, deep skillet over med-high heat until a drop of water sizzles. Swirl in the oil, then add the chicken. Stir-fry until almost cooked through, 2-3 min. Add the ginger & garlic; stir-fry until fragrant, about 15 seconds. Add the bell pepper, carrots, and peanuts; stir-fry until crisp-tender, about 2 minutes. Add the hoisin sauce mixture and cook, stirring constantly, until the mixture boils & thickens, and the chicken is cooked through, about 1 minute.
Per serving (1 cup): 302 cal, 11g fat, 2g sat fat, 64mg chol, 392mg sod, 24g carb, 3g fiber, 27g protein, 38mg calcium. 6 Points.
This one is "great" on the Loren rating scale.
Szechuan Chicken with Peanuts
Makes 4 servings
1 lb skinless boneless chicken breasts, cut into thin strips
3T hoisin sauce (available in the Asian foods aisle)
2T cornstarch
½ c low-sodium chicken broth
2T rice vinegar
2T sugar
2t chili-garlic sauce (available in the Asian foods aisle)
1T canola oil
1T minced peeled fresh ginger
2 garlic cloves, minced
1 green bell pepper, seeded & chopped
2 med carrots, thinly sliced on a diagonal
¼ c unsalted, dry-roasted peanuts (I never get the salted ones because it’s too much temptation to EAT them!!!)
1. Combine the chicken, 1T of hoisin sauce, and 1T of cornstarch in a Ziploc bag; toss well to coat & set aside. Combine the remaining 2T hoisin sauce, 1 T cornstarch, the broth, vinegar, sugar, and chili-garlic sauce in a small bowl; set aside.
2. Heat a nonstick wok or large, deep skillet over med-high heat until a drop of water sizzles. Swirl in the oil, then add the chicken. Stir-fry until almost cooked through, 2-3 min. Add the ginger & garlic; stir-fry until fragrant, about 15 seconds. Add the bell pepper, carrots, and peanuts; stir-fry until crisp-tender, about 2 minutes. Add the hoisin sauce mixture and cook, stirring constantly, until the mixture boils & thickens, and the chicken is cooked through, about 1 minute.
Per serving (1 cup): 302 cal, 11g fat, 2g sat fat, 64mg chol, 392mg sod, 24g carb, 3g fiber, 27g protein, 38mg calcium. 6 Points.
Recipes
I've been e-mailing some recipes to friends who have requested them after my TODAY Show appearance, and I thought I would post them here so that anyone can try them :)! So get ready... here come a bunch of posts!!!
Workouts
Friday: 15 min racewalking followed by a total body weight training workout, including 3 min cardio (racewalking) in between sets. Great vigorous workout!!!
Saturday: 42 min easy racewalking (did 6.2k). I wasn't feeling so great this morning - was going to do 60 min, but took it easy. I have felt icky and fatigued all day + sore throat, so not sure what, if anything, I will do tomorrow. We'll see.
****
Progress on the Christmas poundage: in spite of the trip to New York, I am doing VERY well. I lost another 0.8 lb in the last 2 weeks, so I am back at 145.2, which is 0.2 over what I was before Christmas. Yeah! Now I just need to lose 5 more to be more competitive this summer at racewalking.
Saturday: 42 min easy racewalking (did 6.2k). I wasn't feeling so great this morning - was going to do 60 min, but took it easy. I have felt icky and fatigued all day + sore throat, so not sure what, if anything, I will do tomorrow. We'll see.
****
Progress on the Christmas poundage: in spite of the trip to New York, I am doing VERY well. I lost another 0.8 lb in the last 2 weeks, so I am back at 145.2, which is 0.2 over what I was before Christmas. Yeah! Now I just need to lose 5 more to be more competitive this summer at racewalking.
Thursday, February 14, 2008
Thursday workout
Today I decided to do some longer intervals, since I am training for the 1/2 marathon in April. I did 5x5 laps (1.055 km) in 6:40 (which is 6:20/km or so), with 1 lap recovery (about 1:45 each), and then a cool-down. Total workout was 7.39 km and my iPod said 7.55, so that was pretty close. It was a bit harder than it should have been for the speed I was going, but I am still getting over the cold, so I am pleased with the workout. I felt great afterwards.
Wednesday, February 13, 2008
Workout notes
Tuesday - rest day. I needed it, plus I was not feeling too great. We have a nasty cold.
Wednesday - easy 16 min racewalking to warm up (1.5 miles) and then weight training. Today we alternated weight sets w/cardio, so I ended up doing about 15 more min of racewalking. My HR monitor said I burned 600 calories. I know that's only a very rough estimate, but it was fun to see nonetheless.
Wednesday - easy 16 min racewalking to warm up (1.5 miles) and then weight training. Today we alternated weight sets w/cardio, so I ended up doing about 15 more min of racewalking. My HR monitor said I burned 600 calories. I know that's only a very rough estimate, but it was fun to see nonetheless.
NYC, part 4
This is the last part, I promise! :)
After the TODAY Show appearance, we went back to our hotel, checked out, and had them store our bags for us since the car was coming to pick us up at 5 pm, and it was only noon.
Then we walked over to Rockefeller Center again. Loren took me back to Swarovski (the jewelry store) and bought me a beautiful crystal necklace & earrings, for an early Valentine's Day present as well as a memento of our trip to NYC. I am humbled sometimes by what a sweet husband I have!
Then we decided to wander around 5th Avenue for a while, checking out the sights. It was SO bitterly cold outside - it was only in the 20s, but extremely windy. I'm sure the wind chill was zero or below. The good news was that there were lots of stores to duck into when we got cold. We went in Nike, Tiffany's ($30,000 earrings anyone?), Lindt Chocolates, the Gap, and others. We spent a good deal of time in FAO Schwartz, drooling over all the toys that it would be fun to get for the kids. We didn't really buy anything except for a few chocolates, though. We also walked a bit in Central Park so that Loren could see it, and we had a tasty lunch at a small cafe. We finally walked back to our hotel, and had coffee and tea at the coffee shop nextdoor before the car arrived to take us to the airport.
The flight home was pretty uneventful. We left about an hour late, but they managed to make up the time (they totally pad the schedules!). We flew over Toronto, which was fun --- I waved at Sarah as we went over and took a few pictures for her and for Allan. Can you recognize anything, Sarah & Allan?
After the TODAY Show appearance, we went back to our hotel, checked out, and had them store our bags for us since the car was coming to pick us up at 5 pm, and it was only noon.
Then we walked over to Rockefeller Center again. Loren took me back to Swarovski (the jewelry store) and bought me a beautiful crystal necklace & earrings, for an early Valentine's Day present as well as a memento of our trip to NYC. I am humbled sometimes by what a sweet husband I have!
Then we decided to wander around 5th Avenue for a while, checking out the sights. It was SO bitterly cold outside - it was only in the 20s, but extremely windy. I'm sure the wind chill was zero or below. The good news was that there were lots of stores to duck into when we got cold. We went in Nike, Tiffany's ($30,000 earrings anyone?), Lindt Chocolates, the Gap, and others. We spent a good deal of time in FAO Schwartz, drooling over all the toys that it would be fun to get for the kids. We didn't really buy anything except for a few chocolates, though. We also walked a bit in Central Park so that Loren could see it, and we had a tasty lunch at a small cafe. We finally walked back to our hotel, and had coffee and tea at the coffee shop nextdoor before the car arrived to take us to the airport.
The flight home was pretty uneventful. We left about an hour late, but they managed to make up the time (they totally pad the schedules!). We flew over Toronto, which was fun --- I waved at Sarah as we went over and took a few pictures for her and for Allan. Can you recognize anything, Sarah & Allan?
Tuesday, February 12, 2008
New York City, part 3
I'm really tired and my cold is horrible, so am I in bed? NO, I'm here blogging the rest of my story :).
While I was getting hair & makeup done, the producer came and talked to me and gave me some last minute instructions and told me what we would probably talk about (there was no script, but a general outline of things we'd cover, including how it feels to be thin, the turning point, describing people's reactions to the "new" me, etc.). However, there were a few surprises, including the apricot Jell-O. I had NO idea they would do that and I thought it was great (if you don't know what I'm referring to, watch the video and you'll know).
Then I got to meet Joy Bauer, and we just discussed a few things before the show. She was very reassuring and wonderful to me. She is quite knowledgeable about nutrition - it's not just some PR thing she does. We had a good conversation about the latest research on artificial sweeteners, and we agreed that they are a great tool when used wisely. She is also just as tiny as she appears on TV. I felt like amazon woman next to her!
Pretty soon it was time to go up to the set, and they walked me around it to tell me where to stand when I walked in, etc. It wasn't too complicated, and I had fun looking around the set and checking out the large TV cameras in the room.
Before I knew it, they were running my "before" pictures and then they told me to walk in to the set. The next few minutes passed so quickly, and though I was nervous, the only way I knew it was that my right leg was shaking during the whole interview (though not enough to be visible, I don't think). I totally LOVED how they got a shot of how much Loren was grinning at me. He has been such a tremendous support!
I felt good about how it went, but wasn't really sure until I saw the video when I got home last night and realized that it did in fact go very well. What a relief! It was so fun seeing Hoda Kotb (the host) get so excited about how great I look now, and it was a privilege to have the chance to address so many people and give them some encouragment and inspiration. I just hope some of them take some advice from the show and are able to become healthier as a result.
OK... that's it for now because I have to get some sleep. I have more to post, but it will have to wait until tomorrow.
While I was getting hair & makeup done, the producer came and talked to me and gave me some last minute instructions and told me what we would probably talk about (there was no script, but a general outline of things we'd cover, including how it feels to be thin, the turning point, describing people's reactions to the "new" me, etc.). However, there were a few surprises, including the apricot Jell-O. I had NO idea they would do that and I thought it was great (if you don't know what I'm referring to, watch the video and you'll know).
Then I got to meet Joy Bauer, and we just discussed a few things before the show. She was very reassuring and wonderful to me. She is quite knowledgeable about nutrition - it's not just some PR thing she does. We had a good conversation about the latest research on artificial sweeteners, and we agreed that they are a great tool when used wisely. She is also just as tiny as she appears on TV. I felt like amazon woman next to her!
Pretty soon it was time to go up to the set, and they walked me around it to tell me where to stand when I walked in, etc. It wasn't too complicated, and I had fun looking around the set and checking out the large TV cameras in the room.
Before I knew it, they were running my "before" pictures and then they told me to walk in to the set. The next few minutes passed so quickly, and though I was nervous, the only way I knew it was that my right leg was shaking during the whole interview (though not enough to be visible, I don't think). I totally LOVED how they got a shot of how much Loren was grinning at me. He has been such a tremendous support!
I felt good about how it went, but wasn't really sure until I saw the video when I got home last night and realized that it did in fact go very well. What a relief! It was so fun seeing Hoda Kotb (the host) get so excited about how great I look now, and it was a privilege to have the chance to address so many people and give them some encouragment and inspiration. I just hope some of them take some advice from the show and are able to become healthier as a result.
OK... that's it for now because I have to get some sleep. I have more to post, but it will have to wait until tomorrow.
New York City, part 2
Got up early on Monday to work out, because the TODAY Show producer was coming to our hotel at 8 am. So because it was still dark and it was VERY cold, I did 30 min on the treadmill (racewalking, easy) and 30 min on the elliptical. Then I showered, had some breakfast, and Loren and I walked over to the NBC studios, a short 5 min walk (the producer called and asked us to walk over and she'd meet us there, because it was so cold).
We walked inside and down the stairs to the "groom room". There were 5 or 6 stations for hair & makeup, and 3 dressing rooms. They had some couches to relax on, and lots of food, but I wasn't hungry - too nervous & excited. The COOLEST thing happened when we walked in - one of the makeup artists said, "Oh, are you one of the fitness models?". That was a GREAT moment. I never thought in my life that I would ever be mistaken for a fitness model.
So first they did my hair. The hairdresser was very complimentary, saying I had nice hair w/good texture. He said I had a lot of hair, too - I wanted it up to show my shoulders better, and he tried to put it in a French Twist but there was no way it was going to stay. So he opted for a classy ponytail look with hair wrapped around 2 ponytails in the back. He said I had more hair in the TOP ponytail than many people have on their whole head! It was fun to be complimented so much :).
The makeup artist got started then, and she did a great job. I hope I can remember some of the things I saw her do, because I'd love to have my makeup look like that all the time. She did have to shake her head at my horribly bushy eyebrows that have no shape. She plucked and shaved but said she didn't have enough time to make them perfect. They do look better, though.
Pretty soon I was all dressed & ready for the show!
I'm going to have to blog more later because I really DO have to get ready for work now :)! Don't worry, I'll finish the story as I get time.
We walked inside and down the stairs to the "groom room". There were 5 or 6 stations for hair & makeup, and 3 dressing rooms. They had some couches to relax on, and lots of food, but I wasn't hungry - too nervous & excited. The COOLEST thing happened when we walked in - one of the makeup artists said, "Oh, are you one of the fitness models?". That was a GREAT moment. I never thought in my life that I would ever be mistaken for a fitness model.
So first they did my hair. The hairdresser was very complimentary, saying I had nice hair w/good texture. He said I had a lot of hair, too - I wanted it up to show my shoulders better, and he tried to put it in a French Twist but there was no way it was going to stay. So he opted for a classy ponytail look with hair wrapped around 2 ponytails in the back. He said I had more hair in the TOP ponytail than many people have on their whole head! It was fun to be complimented so much :).
The makeup artist got started then, and she did a great job. I hope I can remember some of the things I saw her do, because I'd love to have my makeup look like that all the time. She did have to shake her head at my horribly bushy eyebrows that have no shape. She plucked and shaved but said she didn't have enough time to make them perfect. They do look better, though.
Pretty soon I was all dressed & ready for the show!
I'm going to have to blog more later because I really DO have to get ready for work now :)! Don't worry, I'll finish the story as I get time.
Sunday, February 10, 2008
Amazing weekend
This has been such an amazing weekend!!!
Yesterday we boarded the plane in SLC at 6 am, and flew to Minneapolis, where it was cold (21F) and snowing and windy. We changed planes and were 30 min late leaving because the plane had to be de-iced, which was quite interesting. I have traveled by plane a fair amount but had never seen that before.
We arrived in New York La Guardia at 2:30 pm, and there was a driver waiting with a sign that said "Welcome, Tammy Stevenson". He escorted us out to the car, a black Lincoln Town Car, and drove us in to Manhattan. Notable on the way - a very large cemetary in Queens - you'd think the real estate would be too $$$ to have a cemetary like that, but there it was, next to the freeway. We got to our hotel and checked in to the small but well-appointed room, and I immediately changed clothes and went out for a 1 hr racewalk in Central Park. It was SO much fun - went by the ice rink in the SE corner, saw lots of horse-drawn carriages for hire, and of course lots of joggers, dogs, and people. Central Park is SO big - it is absolutely enormous, and it's beautiful too. Loved it!
For dinner we went to a little Italian joint called "Pietro's" that had kind of a "mafia-feel", as the person who recommended it to us described it. The food was pretty good homestyle Italian, something you'd imagine that someone's Italian grandmother might cook for you. All the waiters spoke Italian amongst themselves, and many of the customers were clearly regulars.
After dinner we walked to the Metropolitan Opera. We should have taken the subway. It was a long walk (1 hr, fine by me) and Loren's feet hurt a lot when we got there. We did make it just in time, as we got there about 20 min before the curtain, and had to get our tickets from will call. The opera itself (Manon Lescaut by Puccini) was incredible. The sets were truly magnificent - in the first act, they actually brought a horse-drawn carriage on the stage, pulled by 2 large white draft horses. No kidding. The second act is in a palatial residence in Paris, and the set was so ornate and lavish. The singing surpassed the sets, however, and it was a feast for our ears.
We returned to our hotel via the subway, as it was raining steadily, and crashed hard after our long day.
This morning I awoke at 7:15 am and went for a racewalk in Central Park, first thing. I decided to go for a long walk and walked all the way around the whole park. I'm not sure how far it is (I think maybe 6.2 miles - 10k, plus the distance to and from the park from our hotel, so probably 7-7.5 miles total) but it took me 1 hr 20 min. I stopped at a small grocery on the way back and picked up some fresh fruit and muffins for breakfast.
After breakfast, we packed our suitcases (had to change rooms, because we were in the NBC lease room last night and had to move to a different room for tonight, though we still get the NBC room rate) and set out to tour Rockefeller Center. We browsed the Museum of Modern Art gift shop, and then the concourse by the famous ice rink. We spent a long time in a store that had beautiful crystals & jewelry - Loren loves gems, so we had a great time looking in there. Then we decided to take the elevator to the top of Rockefeller Center to check out the views of the city. The sun had come out after the rains of last night, and the view was totally spectacular. It was VERY cold and windy, but we could see the views from inside or outside, so we did some of both.
About 1:45 pm we walked over to Times Square and grabbed a quick lunch at Roxy's deli. That was great - the sandwich (we split one) had a whole pound of turkey on it! I took some off of my half for Loren, and still had plenty. I had a few fries, too, which were great, and the meal came with deli pickles & coleslaw, too.
Our Broadway play ("The Farnsworth Invention") began at 3 pm, and we arrived about 2:40 and picked up our tickets. The play was incredibly well-written (Aaron Sorkin, "The West Wing") and well-acted, and both of us were enthralled, but especially Loren. I think he'd love to see plays like that all the time.
Then dinner at "Bar Americain", where Bobby Flay of the Food Network is the executive chef. Too amazing for words - Loren had Lamb Porterhouse and I had Skate with Chipotle chili sauce & capers. It was fabulous. Wish we could eat like that all the time.
Now we're back and I need some sleep for the big day tomorrow!
Yesterday we boarded the plane in SLC at 6 am, and flew to Minneapolis, where it was cold (21F) and snowing and windy. We changed planes and were 30 min late leaving because the plane had to be de-iced, which was quite interesting. I have traveled by plane a fair amount but had never seen that before.
We arrived in New York La Guardia at 2:30 pm, and there was a driver waiting with a sign that said "Welcome, Tammy Stevenson". He escorted us out to the car, a black Lincoln Town Car, and drove us in to Manhattan. Notable on the way - a very large cemetary in Queens - you'd think the real estate would be too $$$ to have a cemetary like that, but there it was, next to the freeway. We got to our hotel and checked in to the small but well-appointed room, and I immediately changed clothes and went out for a 1 hr racewalk in Central Park. It was SO much fun - went by the ice rink in the SE corner, saw lots of horse-drawn carriages for hire, and of course lots of joggers, dogs, and people. Central Park is SO big - it is absolutely enormous, and it's beautiful too. Loved it!
For dinner we went to a little Italian joint called "Pietro's" that had kind of a "mafia-feel", as the person who recommended it to us described it. The food was pretty good homestyle Italian, something you'd imagine that someone's Italian grandmother might cook for you. All the waiters spoke Italian amongst themselves, and many of the customers were clearly regulars.
After dinner we walked to the Metropolitan Opera. We should have taken the subway. It was a long walk (1 hr, fine by me) and Loren's feet hurt a lot when we got there. We did make it just in time, as we got there about 20 min before the curtain, and had to get our tickets from will call. The opera itself (Manon Lescaut by Puccini) was incredible. The sets were truly magnificent - in the first act, they actually brought a horse-drawn carriage on the stage, pulled by 2 large white draft horses. No kidding. The second act is in a palatial residence in Paris, and the set was so ornate and lavish. The singing surpassed the sets, however, and it was a feast for our ears.
We returned to our hotel via the subway, as it was raining steadily, and crashed hard after our long day.
This morning I awoke at 7:15 am and went for a racewalk in Central Park, first thing. I decided to go for a long walk and walked all the way around the whole park. I'm not sure how far it is (I think maybe 6.2 miles - 10k, plus the distance to and from the park from our hotel, so probably 7-7.5 miles total) but it took me 1 hr 20 min. I stopped at a small grocery on the way back and picked up some fresh fruit and muffins for breakfast.
After breakfast, we packed our suitcases (had to change rooms, because we were in the NBC lease room last night and had to move to a different room for tonight, though we still get the NBC room rate) and set out to tour Rockefeller Center. We browsed the Museum of Modern Art gift shop, and then the concourse by the famous ice rink. We spent a long time in a store that had beautiful crystals & jewelry - Loren loves gems, so we had a great time looking in there. Then we decided to take the elevator to the top of Rockefeller Center to check out the views of the city. The sun had come out after the rains of last night, and the view was totally spectacular. It was VERY cold and windy, but we could see the views from inside or outside, so we did some of both.
About 1:45 pm we walked over to Times Square and grabbed a quick lunch at Roxy's deli. That was great - the sandwich (we split one) had a whole pound of turkey on it! I took some off of my half for Loren, and still had plenty. I had a few fries, too, which were great, and the meal came with deli pickles & coleslaw, too.
Our Broadway play ("The Farnsworth Invention") began at 3 pm, and we arrived about 2:40 and picked up our tickets. The play was incredibly well-written (Aaron Sorkin, "The West Wing") and well-acted, and both of us were enthralled, but especially Loren. I think he'd love to see plays like that all the time.
Then dinner at "Bar Americain", where Bobby Flay of the Food Network is the executive chef. Too amazing for words - Loren had Lamb Porterhouse and I had Skate with Chipotle chili sauce & capers. It was fabulous. Wish we could eat like that all the time.
Now we're back and I need some sleep for the big day tomorrow!
Thursday, February 07, 2008
Knee is lots better
Today's workout felt amazing. It was just one of those workouts where you feel so good and so strong. I was just going to do an easy 40 minutes on the indoor track. I got up at 3:30 am to be at work from 4-6 am to take photos on the confocal microscope (this is the only time I could do it, since I don't have day care today, and really needed to get some work done), and I felt lousy. My experiment tanked, too, which didn't help matters. But I figured I could still do 40 min racewalking, even though I didn't much feel like it at that point.
I started off the first few laps easy, but then I felt good, and wanted to see how fast I could go, so I pushed a bit harder (paying close attention to my knee, which felt fine). I was doing well; the first mile was in about 10:30. I was able to keep the pace and did a total of 5.9km at 6:32/km. It wasn't an easy effort, but it wasn't all-out hard either. My heart rate was usually in the upper 150s (162 is my 85% max HR goal for tempo workouts) but I felt great - so strong, so smooth, and wonderfully relaxed. After the workout, I stretched, listening to Enya's Watermark on my iPod, and when I closed my eyes, I felt the fan blowing on me and imagined an ocean breeze somewhere. I swear I felt magically transported... ahhhh, endorphins. Needless to say, I am feeling de-stressed and back in perspective. I never knew before, when I was a couch potato, how much I'd love exercise!
I started off the first few laps easy, but then I felt good, and wanted to see how fast I could go, so I pushed a bit harder (paying close attention to my knee, which felt fine). I was doing well; the first mile was in about 10:30. I was able to keep the pace and did a total of 5.9km at 6:32/km. It wasn't an easy effort, but it wasn't all-out hard either. My heart rate was usually in the upper 150s (162 is my 85% max HR goal for tempo workouts) but I felt great - so strong, so smooth, and wonderfully relaxed. After the workout, I stretched, listening to Enya's Watermark on my iPod, and when I closed my eyes, I felt the fan blowing on me and imagined an ocean breeze somewhere. I swear I felt magically transported... ahhhh, endorphins. Needless to say, I am feeling de-stressed and back in perspective. I never knew before, when I was a couch potato, how much I'd love exercise!
Wednesday, February 06, 2008
Tuesday & Wednesday workouts
Tuesday
Morning: 30 min on the elliptical.
Evening: 10 min easy racewalking w/the club, then I did a few sprints on the 211m indoor track. Sprinted on the straights, and went easy on the corners. We probably did 7-8 laps this way, then an easy cool-down. My knee felt fine! Yeah! I will continue adding in a little more here and there as tolerated.
Wednesday
1 mile easy racewalking to warm up, then weight training.
Morning: 30 min on the elliptical.
Evening: 10 min easy racewalking w/the club, then I did a few sprints on the 211m indoor track. Sprinted on the straights, and went easy on the corners. We probably did 7-8 laps this way, then an easy cool-down. My knee felt fine! Yeah! I will continue adding in a little more here and there as tolerated.
Wednesday
1 mile easy racewalking to warm up, then weight training.
Monday, February 04, 2008
Monday workout
Racewalked an easy 1.5 miles to warm up (15:44) and then lifted weights. My knee is still sore, so I avoided stuff that might aggravate it. It's feeling OK when I racewalk, though, which is what matters the most :) but I'm not going to do any fast workouts for at least another week. My walking club is going to meet tomorrow night, and I'm going to the workout, but I may not do everything the others do.
New career?
This morning I went over to our local NBC affiliate, KSL, to record the essay that will be the sound backdrop for my before pictures on the Today Show spot. Tom, the sound technician, showed me into the little room crammed with old equipment (looked like it was from the 70s or 80s, really!), film reels, and all sorts of odds and ends. I read my story into the big mic covered with gray foam. I read it three times, changing my inflections a little each time to give the producer some options to work with when she's editing. After I was done, Tom, who apparently had no idea what this was for (other than that the Today Show producer in NYC asked him to do this) asked me who I worked for, and if I was "in the business". I laughed, and told him no, that I was a molecular biologist. He said, "Oh, you have a REAL job!". Then he told me that my reading was really great, and that I was a dream to work with! He thought my inflections were wonderful and I had him fooled into thinking I was a correspondent or something. Ha! What a fun experience!
Sunday, February 03, 2008
back to racewalking!
I did a very easy 3.75 miles (6k) this morning of racewalking. I went around SugarHouse Park, one of my favorite routes. It wasn't that cold at 33F (1C), but it was WINDY and starting to snow a little (another big storm headed our way... sigh). I bundled up with 2 shirts, my Wasatch Walkers jacket, and tights and nylon pants, and off I went. I stayed plenty warm and my time was about 41 minutes. My leg feels pretty good right now - it was great for most of the walk, though I did occasionally notice some soreness. Hopefully it won't feel worse in a few hours; I stretched a lot and will take some naprosyn just in case.
Friday, February 01, 2008
Shoe deal!
OK, so I had to get a new pair of shoes for the Today Show appearance :). Well, I didn't have to, but I wanted some closed-toed ones in case I decide to wear hose (I have a scar on my knee and it might make me self-conscious (thanks urban princess for the fashion tips). So, I went to Nordstrom Rack and they were having an amazing shoe sale - I got this pair of fancy Italian shoes for only $23! Could hardly do better at Payless, and these are real designer shoes.
Today Show update
So, we did find a babysitter (thank you, Sherry!!!) to watch our kids. Even better, she is taking piano lessons for her son in exchange for babysitting. Trading is always a nice thing, especially when it comes to taxes.
Also, they are going to fly us to NYC on Saturday instead of Sunday, and all we'll have to do is pay for the hotel for Saturday night! Yippeee! So we'll get to do a little sightseeing while we're there. We'll be gone early Saturday to late Monday. How fun is that?
It's been a busy couple of days. I spent about an hour on the phone with the producer the other day, getting interviewed about how it felt to be fat, in excruciating detail (y'know, it made me really glad to be thin now, remembering all that stuff), and talking about fitness & other stuff. I then spent about an hour writing an essay for the show, which I'll read as a voice-over above a slide show of "before" pictures/videos. This morning I was on the phone w/her several times again about the essay, travel plans, etc. Next I'm to speak with Joy Bauer, who is the Today Show's nutritionist. From watching some of the segments online, I expect that she will be talking to me in great detail about my before and after eating habits. They usually lay out typical food that you used to consume in a day, and compare it to what you do now. On Monday, I have to go downtown to KSL (our NBC affiliate station) and read the essay I wrote on tape for them to feed to NYC to the producer. Wow. It's really fun, but it is taking a lot of time. I'm so excited!
Here's a link to the website, so you can see what other participants' stories are like.
Also, they are going to fly us to NYC on Saturday instead of Sunday, and all we'll have to do is pay for the hotel for Saturday night! Yippeee! So we'll get to do a little sightseeing while we're there. We'll be gone early Saturday to late Monday. How fun is that?
It's been a busy couple of days. I spent about an hour on the phone with the producer the other day, getting interviewed about how it felt to be fat, in excruciating detail (y'know, it made me really glad to be thin now, remembering all that stuff), and talking about fitness & other stuff. I then spent about an hour writing an essay for the show, which I'll read as a voice-over above a slide show of "before" pictures/videos. This morning I was on the phone w/her several times again about the essay, travel plans, etc. Next I'm to speak with Joy Bauer, who is the Today Show's nutritionist. From watching some of the segments online, I expect that she will be talking to me in great detail about my before and after eating habits. They usually lay out typical food that you used to consume in a day, and compare it to what you do now. On Monday, I have to go downtown to KSL (our NBC affiliate station) and read the essay I wrote on tape for them to feed to NYC to the producer. Wow. It's really fun, but it is taking a lot of time. I'm so excited!
Here's a link to the website, so you can see what other participants' stories are like.
Easy & tasty recipe
Here's an EASY slow cooker recipe that involves no chopping. It's from my Weight Watchers Slow Good cookbook, and everyone in the family liked it. I wasn't sure we would, since it involves lots of canned stuff, but I added a couple ingredients and I like it a lot!
Fiesta Bean Burritos
Makes 8 servings (8 burritos)
1 x 14.5 oz can diced tomatoes w/jalapenos
1 x 15.5 oz can pinto beans, rinsed & drained (or black beans)
1 x 15.5 oz can red kidney beans, rinsed and drained
1 x 8.75 oz can corn kernels, drained
1 x 4 oz can diced green chiles
3 Tb burrito seasoning (I used Penzey's taco seasoning - yum!)
1 Tb Southwest seasoning (I used Penzey's)
8 whole wheat tortillas (add one point) or fat-free flour tortillas
1 c light sour cream
1. Remove 1/2 c liquid from the tomatoes; discard. Place tomatoes & remaining liquid, the pinto beans, kidney beans, corn, chiles, and seasonings in a 5 or 6 quart slow cooker. Mix well. Cover and cook until flavors are blended, 3-4 hr on high or 6-8 hr on low.
2. Coarsely mash bean mixture w/potato masher or wooden spoon.
3. Heat tortillas according to pkg directions. Spoon 1/2 c bean mixture onto each warm tortilla. Top each w/2 Tb sour cream. Fold tortilla sides over and roll up to enclose the filling.
Per serving (1 burrito, w/fat-free tortillas): 207 Cal, 4 g fat, 2 g sat fat, 0 g trans fat, 12 mg chol, 804 mg sold, 35 g carb, 6 g fiber, 7 g protein, 66 mg calcium. 4 POINTS value. (5 POINTS if using wheat tortillas).
We added some fire-roasted salsa in ours, which was delicious and adds no points. You can also add some reduced fat cheddar cheese if you like. 1/4c is 2 points.
Fiesta Bean Burritos
Makes 8 servings (8 burritos)
1 x 14.5 oz can diced tomatoes w/jalapenos
1 x 15.5 oz can pinto beans, rinsed & drained (or black beans)
1 x 15.5 oz can red kidney beans, rinsed and drained
1 x 8.75 oz can corn kernels, drained
1 x 4 oz can diced green chiles
3 Tb burrito seasoning (I used Penzey's taco seasoning - yum!)
1 Tb Southwest seasoning (I used Penzey's)
8 whole wheat tortillas (add one point) or fat-free flour tortillas
1 c light sour cream
1. Remove 1/2 c liquid from the tomatoes; discard. Place tomatoes & remaining liquid, the pinto beans, kidney beans, corn, chiles, and seasonings in a 5 or 6 quart slow cooker. Mix well. Cover and cook until flavors are blended, 3-4 hr on high or 6-8 hr on low.
2. Coarsely mash bean mixture w/potato masher or wooden spoon.
3. Heat tortillas according to pkg directions. Spoon 1/2 c bean mixture onto each warm tortilla. Top each w/2 Tb sour cream. Fold tortilla sides over and roll up to enclose the filling.
Per serving (1 burrito, w/fat-free tortillas): 207 Cal, 4 g fat, 2 g sat fat, 0 g trans fat, 12 mg chol, 804 mg sold, 35 g carb, 6 g fiber, 7 g protein, 66 mg calcium. 4 POINTS value. (5 POINTS if using wheat tortillas).
We added some fire-roasted salsa in ours, which was delicious and adds no points. You can also add some reduced fat cheddar cheese if you like. 1/4c is 2 points.
Yay! Elliptical!
I never thought I would be SO happy to be able to exercise, even if it's not racewalking. I did 40 min on the elliptical today and it went fine. Whew. My knee is still a bit sore, but it's definitely on the mend. I may not be able to do a hard workout for a week or two, but who cares? I just want to be able to get some exercise.
I confess that I did do 2 laps of the 211m indoor track racewalking, at a very slow pace (12:30-13:00/mile? maybe 7:30 or 8/km?) and it was fine. No pain. Yay! I am going to take it very easy though, so that I don't end up w/more problems.
I confess that I did do 2 laps of the 211m indoor track racewalking, at a very slow pace (12:30-13:00/mile? maybe 7:30 or 8/km?) and it was fine. No pain. Yay! I am going to take it very easy though, so that I don't end up w/more problems.
Thursday, January 31, 2008
Elliptical was OK
This morning I did 45 min on the elliptical, and it was all right! My knee was a little sore, but not any more or any less sore than before I did it. It felt SO good to get some cardio activity in. I really need it now that I do it all the time. Keeps my energy level up and helps me feel good. Funny how different that is from how I used to be! :)
***
In other news, if you are local we need your help. The Today Show said it will fly Loren to NYC with me! That is wonderful, but it means we need some people to watch the kids, house, and dogs while we are gone. We need help on February 9th-11th, so if you would be willing to do 24, 48, or 72 hours (with pay!!!) please e-mail me or call me.
***
In other news, if you are local we need your help. The Today Show said it will fly Loren to NYC with me! That is wonderful, but it means we need some people to watch the kids, house, and dogs while we are gone. We need help on February 9th-11th, so if you would be willing to do 24, 48, or 72 hours (with pay!!!) please e-mail me or call me.
Wednesday, January 30, 2008
Big news!
I'm going to be on the TODAY show! That's right, on February 11th I'm going to be featured on the Joy Fit Club, whose members have lost at least 100 lbs. The segment runs during the 4th hour of the show.
I don't watch much TV, but back in September I was canning pears from our tree and watching the noon news. At 1 pm, the TODAY show came on, and I left the TV on for some background entertainment while I was canning, since the kids were napping. They featured a woman who had lost 100+ lbs, and announced that others who had lost weight should go to the web site and apply to be on the show. So I wrote a 100-word essay about losing the weight, submitted a few pictures, and promptly forgot all about it.
In November, they called me and had me FedEx some old clothes and before and after pictures to them. I sent them, and thought they were going to use my story then. But they didn't, and I figured maybe they weren't going to. Until today... when I got another phone call, and they said they had chosen me for the show to air on February 11th. I'm going to do an interview next week here in SLC, and then on February 10th they will fly me to New York for the show on the 11th! It's so exciting!
I'm hoping I'll get to say at least a little bit about racewalking :)!
I don't watch much TV, but back in September I was canning pears from our tree and watching the noon news. At 1 pm, the TODAY show came on, and I left the TV on for some background entertainment while I was canning, since the kids were napping. They featured a woman who had lost 100+ lbs, and announced that others who had lost weight should go to the web site and apply to be on the show. So I wrote a 100-word essay about losing the weight, submitted a few pictures, and promptly forgot all about it.
In November, they called me and had me FedEx some old clothes and before and after pictures to them. I sent them, and thought they were going to use my story then. But they didn't, and I figured maybe they weren't going to. Until today... when I got another phone call, and they said they had chosen me for the show to air on February 11th. I'm going to do an interview next week here in SLC, and then on February 10th they will fly me to New York for the show on the 11th! It's so exciting!
I'm hoping I'll get to say at least a little bit about racewalking :)!
Tuesday, January 29, 2008
Resting
No workout today; resting the knee. Tried to sleep in this morning (well, until 6:45) but woke at 6:12 and couldn't get back to sleep. Oh well. I am resting the knee today... as much as work will allow. The drive in was simply horrible. What was with the snowplows yesterday? I mean, we didn't get THAT much snow, and the roads are still terrible this morning. Then the sidewalks were horrible here at the U, and my 0.5 mile walk from car to lab was NOT fun. I was slipping and sliding all over, and by the time I got in here, yup, you guessed it, my knee was hurting again. Not as bad as yesterday, but darn it, it was doing better until then.
Sorry if I'm sounding like a griping broken record. I guess I'm just fed up with life this week. I am going to try to have a better attitude today, because even though I don't feel like it, I know it will help.
On the bright side, I started reading Sara's YA novel "Sweethearts", and it's excellent. I'm only about halfway through, but it's really hard to put down. I was up a bit too late reading it, I must confess. I really identify with the main character in the story, as she has lost weight yet is struggling with old eating habits when new stresses come into her life. That's me, especially this week with the knee thing going on. I rely on my activity points to be able to eat enough to not feel deprived, and I'm really scared about what might happen when I don't have them. So far this week it's been a struggle. I'm staying within my points, but it's not easy. Anyway, like Jenna/Jennifer in "Sweethearts", I am wondering who I really am - the old me or the new me? I know I've changed a lot, but I still struggle with the food issues and probably always will. One thing I know for sure: I do not want to go back to who I was before. I was miserable, and the new me knows that it's worth it to put forth the effort to stay thin. Besides, my knee will get better soon hopefully in a week or two) and then I can get back to exercising. See, that's the new me talking - I want to exercise! Definite evidence of change, for which I'm really grateful.
Thanks, Sara, for your book.
Sorry if I'm sounding like a griping broken record. I guess I'm just fed up with life this week. I am going to try to have a better attitude today, because even though I don't feel like it, I know it will help.
On the bright side, I started reading Sara's YA novel "Sweethearts", and it's excellent. I'm only about halfway through, but it's really hard to put down. I was up a bit too late reading it, I must confess. I really identify with the main character in the story, as she has lost weight yet is struggling with old eating habits when new stresses come into her life. That's me, especially this week with the knee thing going on. I rely on my activity points to be able to eat enough to not feel deprived, and I'm really scared about what might happen when I don't have them. So far this week it's been a struggle. I'm staying within my points, but it's not easy. Anyway, like Jenna/Jennifer in "Sweethearts", I am wondering who I really am - the old me or the new me? I know I've changed a lot, but I still struggle with the food issues and probably always will. One thing I know for sure: I do not want to go back to who I was before. I was miserable, and the new me knows that it's worth it to put forth the effort to stay thin. Besides, my knee will get better soon hopefully in a week or two) and then I can get back to exercising. See, that's the new me talking - I want to exercise! Definite evidence of change, for which I'm really grateful.
Thanks, Sara, for your book.
Monday, January 28, 2008
Discouraged
Tried 15 min on the recumbent bike this morning, and by the end, my knee hurt. It was OK to start, and even though I tried to push harder w/my other leg, it was not enough.
Then I went to weight training class. I did arms, chest, back, and calf raises (straight knee is fine - no pain). So far so good. Then we did abs, and did crunches on the ball. Big mistake. You use your legs to stabilize - did not realize how much until I tweaked my knee again.
It's not any better after walking 0.5 mile from the parking lot to where I work. I've been trying to sit, though with my job, that can be hard. I do need to be up and down a lot. However, sitting seems to make it worse in some ways. Regardless, it's feeling pretty awful right now and I sure as heck wish I had my heating pad (that helped a lot yesterday).
To top it off, we're getting a huge snowstorm right now that's going to make the evening commute a total nightmare.
Oh, and I think I lost my DNA pellet again. I'm making fragment for in vitro transcription and for some reason the DNA is not precipitating well. I probably need to do more PCR reactions so I have more to start with. It's not a good day.
Then I went to weight training class. I did arms, chest, back, and calf raises (straight knee is fine - no pain). So far so good. Then we did abs, and did crunches on the ball. Big mistake. You use your legs to stabilize - did not realize how much until I tweaked my knee again.
It's not any better after walking 0.5 mile from the parking lot to where I work. I've been trying to sit, though with my job, that can be hard. I do need to be up and down a lot. However, sitting seems to make it worse in some ways. Regardless, it's feeling pretty awful right now and I sure as heck wish I had my heating pad (that helped a lot yesterday).
To top it off, we're getting a huge snowstorm right now that's going to make the evening commute a total nightmare.
Oh, and I think I lost my DNA pellet again. I'm making fragment for in vitro transcription and for some reason the DNA is not precipitating well. I probably need to do more PCR reactions so I have more to start with. It's not a good day.
Sunday, January 27, 2008
hurt
Darn it. I felt totally FINE on my walk yesterday, and fine afterwards. Last night, however, walking around the outdoor mall w/Loren, I had pretty severe pain in my right knee. I have NO idea how I did it, other than that I felt a slight twinge in it Friday morning doing one particular exercise in weight training. Didn't have any other problems Friday or Saturday until Saturday night.
This morning I woke up feeling decent, knee-wise, so decided to try a short walk. I got about 9 minutes out from my house and it really started to hurt. So I turned around and slowly walked back. After a bit, I tried a little running, wondering if that would help. It was a little better than the walking, so I ran most of the way home, but it still hurt.
It's so weird because I have no idea how I did it, really. The good news is that it does seem muscular in nature. I think some rest and anti-inflammatories might do the trick. Meanwhile, for exercise, I will have to see what I can do. I might try the stationary bike (my friend Dorothy who has knee problems swears by biking) or swimming.
How frustrating!!!
***
In other news, I did pick up a copy of Sara's new book last night. I can't make it to her party at The King's English, so I'll have to have her sign it for me another time.
While we were at the Gateway last night, we also wandered into Sur La Table, to spend the gift card that MIL got me for Christmas. That was really fun! I picked out a new garlic press with a removable plate for cleaning, a new colander (mine is a cheap plastic one from Taiwan (literally from Taiwan from 20 years ago when my parents lived there) and it's on its last legs), and a funnel for canning. It was great to get some useful items for cooking.
This morning I woke up feeling decent, knee-wise, so decided to try a short walk. I got about 9 minutes out from my house and it really started to hurt. So I turned around and slowly walked back. After a bit, I tried a little running, wondering if that would help. It was a little better than the walking, so I ran most of the way home, but it still hurt.
It's so weird because I have no idea how I did it, really. The good news is that it does seem muscular in nature. I think some rest and anti-inflammatories might do the trick. Meanwhile, for exercise, I will have to see what I can do. I might try the stationary bike (my friend Dorothy who has knee problems swears by biking) or swimming.
How frustrating!!!
***
In other news, I did pick up a copy of Sara's new book last night. I can't make it to her party at The King's English, so I'll have to have her sign it for me another time.
While we were at the Gateway last night, we also wandered into Sur La Table, to spend the gift card that MIL got me for Christmas. That was really fun! I picked out a new garlic press with a removable plate for cleaning, a new colander (mine is a cheap plastic one from Taiwan (literally from Taiwan from 20 years ago when my parents lived there) and it's on its last legs), and a funnel for canning. It was great to get some useful items for cooking.
Saturday, January 26, 2008
Mystery yellow
The other day I got Calvin up from his nap and he showed me a yellow crusty hand, saying "Mommy it's yellow". I was mystified until I saw the M'n'M, mostly denuded of its candy coating, sitting next to him in his bed. He actually fell asleep with the candy IN HIS HAND. Amazing. How you could NOT eat it right away is just beyond me!!! I guess that's why I had the weight problem and he's a skinny little guy :).
Stitches
Here they are, in all their blue beauty. Poor little guy! Doesn't seem to be bothering him at all today, though.
Saturday easy 60
I racewalked an easy 60 minutes this morning. I went to Liberty Park, did 2 loops, and came home. Nothing too remarkable. I took it really easy, because I was tired and grumpy, but hey, I did the workout. Felt better afterwards, too. It was warmer this morning (upper 20s) and is actually really warm now (49?!?! but the thermometer is in the sun a bit so it's probably not that warm) because a big ol' storm is moving in tomorrow. Ugh.
WW: up 0.2 lb this week. Didn't end up doing weight loss points, mostly because I was moody and undisciplined (I did stick to my maintenance points, however!). SO, next week, I am going to go back to my no-eating-after-the-kids-are-in-bed rule (unless I'm out, of course - this is only a problem at home). That made a HUGE difference in sticking to the plan the previous week. I would love to lose the rest of the holiday weight (only 1.2 more lb) and then take off 5 more for summer walking season. That could take a while, so I'd better get cracking.
Things seem to be a bit more stable on the financial front, so maybe if I'm lucky we will be able to take a trip for me to compete. Keep your fingers crossed!
WW: up 0.2 lb this week. Didn't end up doing weight loss points, mostly because I was moody and undisciplined (I did stick to my maintenance points, however!). SO, next week, I am going to go back to my no-eating-after-the-kids-are-in-bed rule (unless I'm out, of course - this is only a problem at home). That made a HUGE difference in sticking to the plan the previous week. I would love to lose the rest of the holiday weight (only 1.2 more lb) and then take off 5 more for summer walking season. That could take a while, so I'd better get cracking.
Things seem to be a bit more stable on the financial front, so maybe if I'm lucky we will be able to take a trip for me to compete. Keep your fingers crossed!
First stitches
Well, it had to happen sometime. Calvin got his first set of stitches yesterday. He tripped at school and fell onto a dollhouse, cutting open his forehead quite nicely. I received a message at work that he had fallen but that all was under control and he was playing happily, so I finished my work normally and went to pick the kids up. Turns out the message got watered down in transmission through my co-worker, and while he was playing happily, the message on my cell phone (no reception in the microscopy core!) said he might need stitches. Took him home promptly, had Loren look at it, and he immediately pronounced that Calvin definitely needed stitches. Loren took him to the InstaCare near our house, and Calvin was apparently a model patient (I stayed home w/Michelle and made dinner). He now has 7 stitches in his forehead, and seems no worse for the wear.
Thursday, January 24, 2008
Thursday tempo workout
Today I did a 10-30-10 (minutes) tempo workout: 10 warm-up, 30 tempo, 10 cool-down. Did 2 laps of Liberty Park for the tempo part, at 14:15 per lap (1.4 miles; 2.25 km). Not too bad, considering I could (and probably should) have pushed a little harder and done a 14:00 pace. However, I did NOT want to get out of bed this morning, so the fact that I got out there and did it at all was pretty darn good, I thought. Oh, and it was 16 degrees F this morning (-9C)! I could have gone to the gym, but it's so much more interesting to be outside, even if it's cold.
Yesterday: 15 min easy walk & weight training, and tomorrow will be the same.
***
Other stuff today: Loren took the car to get the safety inspection. $700 later, all is well. Sigh. I took the kids to the library, walking the 1 mile in the cold since the car was in the shop. It was a good walk except for the #$*&^ snowy sidewalks. I do realize it's hard for some people to shovel, but you know that some people are just too lazy to do it. Annoying, especially when pushing a stroller. Then this afternoon I dropped my cell phone and now the screen is blank :(. UGH! I am not able to upgrade for a year, so I am going to have to get another one. Just one of those days I guess.
Yesterday: 15 min easy walk & weight training, and tomorrow will be the same.
***
Other stuff today: Loren took the car to get the safety inspection. $700 later, all is well. Sigh. I took the kids to the library, walking the 1 mile in the cold since the car was in the shop. It was a good walk except for the #$*&^ snowy sidewalks. I do realize it's hard for some people to shovel, but you know that some people are just too lazy to do it. Annoying, especially when pushing a stroller. Then this afternoon I dropped my cell phone and now the screen is blank :(. UGH! I am not able to upgrade for a year, so I am going to have to get another one. Just one of those days I guess.
Wednesday, January 23, 2008
Little red wrap
I ordered some sports bras (sorely needed... mine were all too large, and I hadn't gotten around to replacing them yet) at Target.com, and while I was there, could not resist this little red number, at only $17. I have to say that the rewards of losing weight are many, and this is definitely one of the better ones.
By the way, to the left of my head are some of my racewalking medals :)!
Tuesday, January 22, 2008
Turning a corner?
Today I did a really hard interval workout. What was interesting was that my LEGS were burning and aching before my lungs were. Usually, my wind gives out before my leg muscles do. I wonder if I finally am in good enough cardiovascular shape to really begin to truly go up against my lactate threshold and make my muscles truly exhausted? Either that or my legs were just really tired today.
Regardless, I was going to do 4 sets of the following but just couldn't fit it in my time slot allotted, so I did 3. That was just as well, since my legs couldn't handle another anyhow! Our track is 211m, and I did sets of 1) 5 laps (1055m) in 6:00, 2) 2 laps (422m) in 2:19, and 3) 1 lap in 1:08. My heart rate was probably in the 170s after each set, and I let it drop to 130-135 before starting again (which didn't take very long! I'm in good shape!). I came pretty close to my goal times for most laps; the 3rd set I only did 6:08 for the 5 laps and 2:24 for the 2 laps, but pulled it together for a 1:07 for the last lap.
I was very tired afterwards but felt glad I'd finished all of that. I felt good the rest of the day and don't feel sore (yet!).
Regardless, I was going to do 4 sets of the following but just couldn't fit it in my time slot allotted, so I did 3. That was just as well, since my legs couldn't handle another anyhow! Our track is 211m, and I did sets of 1) 5 laps (1055m) in 6:00, 2) 2 laps (422m) in 2:19, and 3) 1 lap in 1:08. My heart rate was probably in the 170s after each set, and I let it drop to 130-135 before starting again (which didn't take very long! I'm in good shape!). I came pretty close to my goal times for most laps; the 3rd set I only did 6:08 for the 5 laps and 2:24 for the 2 laps, but pulled it together for a 1:07 for the last lap.
I was very tired afterwards but felt glad I'd finished all of that. I felt good the rest of the day and don't feel sore (yet!).
Monday, January 21, 2008
new-to-us TV
Our friends Sarah and Bryan are getting a brand new HDTV, and thus needed to get rid of their old but still nice projection TV. It's got a 57" screen, and is in good condition. They offered to GIVE it to us if we wanted it, and Loren being the movie buff that he is, it was too good a deal to pass up. The only snag was moving it to our house. We had to rent a U-Haul truck because it sure wasn't going to fit in either of our cars. At a little over 4 feet wide, 5 feet high, and almost 2.5 feet deep, it was going to be tough to move. Not only that, but it is heavy. Very heavy. AND we had to move it out of their basement (yes, up a flight of stairs) and down into our basement. Yikes. We got an appliance dolly with the U-Haul, which turned out to be essential. After much pushing, pulling, lifting, angling, and taking at least 4 doors off their hinges, we were able to accomplish the move. Oh, and the U-Haul got stuck where our driveway joins the street because of the 10 inches of snow we got today; fortunately, it wasn't too hard to get it unstuck. It took a little over 4 hours total to rent the truck, move the TV, and take back the truck, but we're done now and it looks great. Now I'm going to BED!
Sunday & Monday workouts
Sunday morning I did an easy 8 miler, but it sure as heck didn't feel easy for some reason. I don't know what it was, but my legs just felt really heavy, and I got tired probably 4 miles into the workout. I did the whole thing anyway, and felt fine the rest of the day, so who knows? We had a really relaxing day the rest of the day - basically did absolutely nothing except watch football and play with the kids. I needed that.
Today it snowed a lot in the morning (probably 10 inches by the time the storm was over), and the field house was not open until 9 am, so I decided I'd go for my walk during the kids' naps, since Loren and I were both off work for Martin Luther King Jr Day. By 2 pm, the roads were clear enough that I could walk on them, so I did an easy 1 hr walk around the neighborhood. I felt great today - legs were fine. Don't know why yesterday was so tiring.
Today it snowed a lot in the morning (probably 10 inches by the time the storm was over), and the field house was not open until 9 am, so I decided I'd go for my walk during the kids' naps, since Loren and I were both off work for Martin Luther King Jr Day. By 2 pm, the roads were clear enough that I could walk on them, so I did an easy 1 hr walk around the neighborhood. I felt great today - legs were fine. Don't know why yesterday was so tiring.
Saturday, January 19, 2008
Weekly progress; Saturday workout
Lost 0.6 lb this week; total of 2.4 lb gone since the Christmas splurge. 1.2 lb to go to get to where I was before.
*****
Workouts
Friday: 15 min easy racewalking to warm up; 50 min vigorous weight training.
Saturday: 60 min easy racewalking. Did the same route as last Saturday - from my house to Liberty Park, around the park twice, and back home. Took 1:00 and change, about 2 min faster than last Saturday when it was so icy. I felt great and made it to my WW meeting just on time. It was 24F and calm; nice weather for a walk, actually.
*****
Workouts
Friday: 15 min easy racewalking to warm up; 50 min vigorous weight training.
Saturday: 60 min easy racewalking. Did the same route as last Saturday - from my house to Liberty Park, around the park twice, and back home. Took 1:00 and change, about 2 min faster than last Saturday when it was so icy. I felt great and made it to my WW meeting just on time. It was 24F and calm; nice weather for a walk, actually.
Thursday, January 17, 2008
Organization project
I bought some new Tupperware (they're having a 40-50% off sale on storage containers this month) to organize my pantry & shelves. It made a big improvement! This was my naptime project on Wednesday.
Before, then After:
Before, then After:
Back to normal, I think
Yesterday I did 5 laps of the HPER basement (1.5 miles) to warm up for my weight training class. All seemed pretty good, and I didn't have much stomach trouble the rest of the day either.
Today I had planned a Norwegian fartlek workout (thanks, Sarah), and cut it back a little because I haven't been training as hard this week. I did 2,4,6,5,3,1 minutes fast with 2 min recovery in between. It was a good hard workout, and seemed the right length. My ave pace was a 10:14 mile, according to my iPod, which is usually pretty accurate on the track. I was glad I didn't do the full thing (2,4,6,8,7,5,3,1) since 1) the time involved (got up a little late) and 2) I'm still recovering from the bug I got, whatever it was. I'm pleased that I was able to get out and do a hard workout, regardless.
I signed up for the Salt Lake City Half Marathon today, officially. Should have done it before Christmas and saved $10, but I guess I wasn't 100% sure I was going to do it. That will be my next race (April 19th), except for possibly a 5K before then.
Today I had planned a Norwegian fartlek workout (thanks, Sarah), and cut it back a little because I haven't been training as hard this week. I did 2,4,6,5,3,1 minutes fast with 2 min recovery in between. It was a good hard workout, and seemed the right length. My ave pace was a 10:14 mile, according to my iPod, which is usually pretty accurate on the track. I was glad I didn't do the full thing (2,4,6,8,7,5,3,1) since 1) the time involved (got up a little late) and 2) I'm still recovering from the bug I got, whatever it was. I'm pleased that I was able to get out and do a hard workout, regardless.
I signed up for the Salt Lake City Half Marathon today, officially. Should have done it before Christmas and saved $10, but I guess I wasn't 100% sure I was going to do it. That will be my next race (April 19th), except for possibly a 5K before then.
a new Calvin-ism
Last Friday we attended the Utah-Georgia gymnastics meet, which seemed to be a big hit w/the kids. Then the other day Calvin was talking about going to the Little Gym for Katie's birthday on Saturday. He told Katie's mom that he likes gymnastics "because it's my favorite restaurant". Hee hee hee :)
Tuesday, January 15, 2008
Not giving up
Today I woke for the 3rd day in a row with that nasty rock in my stomach. Actually, I woke up like 3 times with it. Once at 2:25 because Calvin was crying (a very rare occasion); he had somehow fallen out of his bed despite the fact that we have a bed rail, and had wedged his little self between the head of the bed and the wall. I helped the poor little guy back in bed and comforted him until he settled. Then I took some antacid (is this heartburn? too low for that but, hey, the antacid won't hurt and might help) and went back to bed. At 4 am my 2 cups of tea had gone through me so I got up again, took more antacid, and went back to bed. At 6 am, I finally hauled my behind out of bed and went for my walk. The stomach pain was definitely still there, though better than yesterday. At least I made it through my walk, though I had pain pretty much the whole time. If I wasn't walking, it was going to hurt, so I figured I might as well get the exercise. I have no other symptoms, so I have no idea what this is. The only clue is Michelle being sick on Friday. I surmise that it's some kind of virus and that it will pass.
So, today's walk was just an easy 40 minutes. I'll get back to the hard workouts when I'm feeling decent again, whenever that is.
So, today's walk was just an easy 40 minutes. I'll get back to the hard workouts when I'm feeling decent again, whenever that is.
Monday, January 14, 2008
Monday weights
Did weight training this morning. I still felt a bit sick when I woke up, and I tried a little racewalking, but it did NOT work with my stomach at all. After 3 minutes I gave up. I then did the weight training, and that went fine. My stomach still hurt a bit, but not too bad. I was able to complete my normal workout.
My stomach is mostly better now, late in the day, but still not quite normal. All the same, I'll take it.
I would like to do a hard workout tomorrow - I had planned some speed work. However, if I don't feel 100% I'm going to do an easy day of walking instead.
My stomach is mostly better now, late in the day, but still not quite normal. All the same, I'll take it.
I would like to do a hard workout tomorrow - I had planned some speed work. However, if I don't feel 100% I'm going to do an easy day of walking instead.
Sunday, January 13, 2008
Sick
I was going to get up and do a long slow distance workout today, about 8 miles. But I felt crummy. I went to the symphony last night with my friend Dorothy, and we had a great time, but near the end my stomach felt horrible - it hurt like there was a rock just sitting there in it. I thought it would feel better this morning, but no, it still hurt a lot. So I stayed in bed as long as possible. I skipped church and stayed in my pajamas all day. Didn't eat too much, either. No nausea, but I just felt lousy. Had to take care of the kids, though Loren helped out a fair amount.
So basically, I watched football, took a long nap, and tried not to do too much. Did make dinner for everyone, but that was pretty much it.
I hope I feel better tomorrow. I have to work all day, and I'd like to work out again.
So basically, I watched football, took a long nap, and tried not to do too much. Did make dinner for everyone, but that was pretty much it.
I hope I feel better tomorrow. I have to work all day, and I'd like to work out again.
Saturday, January 12, 2008
Friday & Saturday workouts
Yesterday I woke up a little late, so I just did 1K racewalking to warm up for my weight training class, and then attended class.
Today I walked outside because the gym doesn't open until 7 am on Saturdays this semester (darn it!), and I had to be done by 7:15. I walked for 1:02 and change, and did about 9K. I had to take it VERY very easy because it was super icy outside. It snowed lightly all day yesterday and we didn't get much accumulation at all. However, the roads were wet and then froze overnight. I walked to Liberty Park hoping the sidewalks would be clear, and they were clear but were covered with a thin layer of ice, like everything else outside. Still, I was able to walk fast enough (barely) to keep my heart rate in the low 130s. Good enough.
Today I walked outside because the gym doesn't open until 7 am on Saturdays this semester (darn it!), and I had to be done by 7:15. I walked for 1:02 and change, and did about 9K. I had to take it VERY very easy because it was super icy outside. It snowed lightly all day yesterday and we didn't get much accumulation at all. However, the roads were wet and then froze overnight. I walked to Liberty Park hoping the sidewalks would be clear, and they were clear but were covered with a thin layer of ice, like everything else outside. Still, I was able to walk fast enough (barely) to keep my heart rate in the low 130s. Good enough.
Thursday, January 10, 2008
Thursday tempo time
It's was a Thursday tempo workout. Not a long one, since I'm just ramping up the training again, but I got it in. 8 laps (211m) warm up (11:30ish), 16 laps tempo (20:09) at 85% MHR, then 8 laps cool down (didn't check the time; probably about 12:30?). I usually hate these, but it wasn't too bad this morning. I felt really fast. 15 laps was 18:50 or so, which is a 9:25 mile for 2 miles. Pretty good, considering it wasn't all-out.
Bad news. Might have to curtail my summer traveling/racewalking due to financial issues. We are responsible with our money and very careful, but we need to save and plan ahead for some possible work issues that I can't go into in detail in this public forum. Sigh. Suffice it to say that I will be very disappointed if I can't go to the CRIM, but that might be what happens.
Bad news. Might have to curtail my summer traveling/racewalking due to financial issues. We are responsible with our money and very careful, but we need to save and plan ahead for some possible work issues that I can't go into in detail in this public forum. Sigh. Suffice it to say that I will be very disappointed if I can't go to the CRIM, but that might be what happens.
Wednesday, January 09, 2008
Weights today
Today I did an easy 20 min of racewalking for a warm-up, then went to my weight training class. The new instructor seems friendly enough, and reasonably knowledgeable. However, he didn't think to have us stretch at the end of class! I did anyway, but it was kinda weird that he didn't remember that. The other odd thing is that the class was all men except for me. My friend Lisa didn't make it this morning, and so it was me plus about 6 guys. That was different, since usually the class is more women than men, believe it or not. I had a great workout, so all of that stuff really didn't matter too much.
Weighty matters
This column is NOT helpful, in my opinion. In summary, Robin Blumner opines that it's basically a waste of time to try to lose more than 10-20 lbs, because weight is genetically determined. This makes me incredibly angry, because she is going to discourage a ton of people from even bothering to try to do something about their weight. That is a travesty, in our country of overweight and obese people.
I do admit there is truth in the article. It is true that there are genetic influences on one's weight, and they can be strong and hard to resist. Fat does run in my family, and I know that it is easy for me to overeat because I don't recognize the "full" feeling as soon as my thin friends (this is quite possibly genetic). And a VERY small minority of the population does have conditions that make weight loss much harder than it is for most people.
I certainly agree that dieting is an American obsession, and a pretty useless one. But the article fails to mention the obvious solution: lifestyle change. Yes, it's an uphill battle. Yes, it's hard. But it CAN be done.
Blumner puts a lot of weight (pun intended) on the metabolism argument. That is, if you are fat and diet, your metabolism will slow down. It is true that if you cut back calories too far, your metabolic rate slows. But even though she discounts it, the bottom line really still is calories in minus calories out. If you cut back your calories too much, you will still lose weight. I don't recommend it, because you won't lose a lot faster than if you cut back sensibly. You will feel deprived, and that might lead to bingeing. However, your fastest rate of weight loss is achieved by a sensible lifestyle change that cuts back calories enough to lose maybe 1 lb per week (certainly not more than 2 lb per week). Trimming calories this much will not cause a metabolic dive! Finally, if you want to lose weight and keep your metabolism going strong, exercise (specifically strength training) will help a lot. Metabolic rate is highly dependent on your % lean body mass, because muscle tissue burns more calories than fat.
My conclusion? You CAN lose weight, even if you have a lot to lose, and even if you are fighting genetic predisposition to fat. Change your eating habits SENSIBLY, do not deprive yourself, and find an activity you like. Burn more calories than you take in, and you will be healthier and happier. I know.
I do admit there is truth in the article. It is true that there are genetic influences on one's weight, and they can be strong and hard to resist. Fat does run in my family, and I know that it is easy for me to overeat because I don't recognize the "full" feeling as soon as my thin friends (this is quite possibly genetic). And a VERY small minority of the population does have conditions that make weight loss much harder than it is for most people.
I certainly agree that dieting is an American obsession, and a pretty useless one. But the article fails to mention the obvious solution: lifestyle change. Yes, it's an uphill battle. Yes, it's hard. But it CAN be done.
Blumner puts a lot of weight (pun intended) on the metabolism argument. That is, if you are fat and diet, your metabolism will slow down. It is true that if you cut back calories too far, your metabolic rate slows. But even though she discounts it, the bottom line really still is calories in minus calories out. If you cut back your calories too much, you will still lose weight. I don't recommend it, because you won't lose a lot faster than if you cut back sensibly. You will feel deprived, and that might lead to bingeing. However, your fastest rate of weight loss is achieved by a sensible lifestyle change that cuts back calories enough to lose maybe 1 lb per week (certainly not more than 2 lb per week). Trimming calories this much will not cause a metabolic dive! Finally, if you want to lose weight and keep your metabolism going strong, exercise (specifically strength training) will help a lot. Metabolic rate is highly dependent on your % lean body mass, because muscle tissue burns more calories than fat.
My conclusion? You CAN lose weight, even if you have a lot to lose, and even if you are fighting genetic predisposition to fat. Change your eating habits SENSIBLY, do not deprive yourself, and find an activity you like. Burn more calories than you take in, and you will be healthier and happier. I know.
Tuesday, January 08, 2008
Workouts
Monday: 5K on the track in 32:38, then weight training & abs & stretching.
Tuesday: 8 lap warm-up (211m track), then flexibility drills, then 12 x 1 lap fast (1:05; equivalent of 200m in 1:01.6) and 1 lap recovery. 10 min cool down & stretch. First speed workout I've done in a while, and it was hard, but felt good. I did most of the laps in 1:05, though lap 8 (1:09) and 9 (1:07) were slower. I was getting tired! I managed to pull it together to do laps 10-12 in 1:05 each.
Tuesday: 8 lap warm-up (211m track), then flexibility drills, then 12 x 1 lap fast (1:05; equivalent of 200m in 1:01.6) and 1 lap recovery. 10 min cool down & stretch. First speed workout I've done in a while, and it was hard, but felt good. I did most of the laps in 1:05, though lap 8 (1:09) and 9 (1:07) were slower. I was getting tired! I managed to pull it together to do laps 10-12 in 1:05 each.
Sunday, January 06, 2008
Photos from walks
Here are a few photos from walks I took in the past few weeks.
First, SugarHouse park after a big snow in mid-December; then, some great views in Boulder City, Nevada, on December 23rd.
First, SugarHouse park after a big snow in mid-December; then, some great views in Boulder City, Nevada, on December 23rd.
New jacket and easy 6 miles
Here are some photos of my new jacket:
I was going to do an easy 6 miles today, but I upped it to 6.5 miles (10.45k) and finished in 1:14 and change. The roads were clear, but there were icy spots at each intersection that I had to pick my way across. I took the dogs, and it was a good workout. I enjoyed listening to an audiobook while I walk, something I frequently do on easy walks. Stayed plenty warm in my new jacket and my Gore-tex gloves (actually, my hands got too hot!).
This is my first week of training for the half marathon in April. I'm going to do some speedwork on Tuesday - first hard training since November. I've had a good rest, so hopefully I'll be up for it.
Saturday, January 05, 2008
Wet workout
Last night the Wasatch Walkers had a meeting, and we got our new jackets! Yay! I should post a pic, but that might involve getting my lazy behind off of the couch. Maybe I'll do that later. I'm watching the Seahawks and Redskins game with Loren right now, and don't want to move.
Anyway, the new jackets are great. I put it to the test this morning, as it was pouring rain when I started walking. About 10 min into the workout, it changed into snow, and accumulated at least an inch during my short 40 minute walk. My feet got pretty wet, but not too cold. My upper body stayed nice & dry, thanks to the superb microfiber jacket. It repelled the rain and the snow, and when I got inside and hung it up, the water just dripped off, and 10 minutes later I was able to put it on to go to my Weight Watchers meeting! It was dry! My hat and gloves were not. I think I will need to get a decent pair of gloves for wet weather. Any recommendations? I have some ski gloves for when it's really cold, gore-tex, and those are great, but I could use a lighter pair for when it's raining.
The Weight Watchers meeting was good. I needed to be there and see my friends and get some encouragement. I gained a whopping 3.6 lb (that's by my official weigh-in) in 2 weeks. Yikes. I knew it was bad, but again, it's just scary that I could gain that much when I was actually exercising a moderate amount of self-control, along with exercising a lot. I have set new goals, though, and I'm ready to roll. I have a 10 week goal to stay within my points (20 for weight loss now), follow my 1/2 marathon training plan (which starts tomorrow), and a few other things. If I achieve my goal, I get some $ towards Dave's racewalking clinic in July, which I really want to attend. If I don't get the extra $, I won't be able to go, so I'm definitely going to work hard on these goals. It's a good challenge to have something to strive for. It will help to achieve these goals, because that will mean that I'm more ready for big races this summer.
I was a bit down before the meeting, but being there and getting a pep talk from Sarah P (I know a lot of Sarahs!) was very helpful. She talked some sense into me and helped me remember that just because I had a bit of a slide does NOT mean that I have regressed totally. I am NOT the same person I was almost 3 years ago when I joined Weight Watchers!
Anyway, the new jackets are great. I put it to the test this morning, as it was pouring rain when I started walking. About 10 min into the workout, it changed into snow, and accumulated at least an inch during my short 40 minute walk. My feet got pretty wet, but not too cold. My upper body stayed nice & dry, thanks to the superb microfiber jacket. It repelled the rain and the snow, and when I got inside and hung it up, the water just dripped off, and 10 minutes later I was able to put it on to go to my Weight Watchers meeting! It was dry! My hat and gloves were not. I think I will need to get a decent pair of gloves for wet weather. Any recommendations? I have some ski gloves for when it's really cold, gore-tex, and those are great, but I could use a lighter pair for when it's raining.
The Weight Watchers meeting was good. I needed to be there and see my friends and get some encouragement. I gained a whopping 3.6 lb (that's by my official weigh-in) in 2 weeks. Yikes. I knew it was bad, but again, it's just scary that I could gain that much when I was actually exercising a moderate amount of self-control, along with exercising a lot. I have set new goals, though, and I'm ready to roll. I have a 10 week goal to stay within my points (20 for weight loss now), follow my 1/2 marathon training plan (which starts tomorrow), and a few other things. If I achieve my goal, I get some $ towards Dave's racewalking clinic in July, which I really want to attend. If I don't get the extra $, I won't be able to go, so I'm definitely going to work hard on these goals. It's a good challenge to have something to strive for. It will help to achieve these goals, because that will mean that I'm more ready for big races this summer.
I was a bit down before the meeting, but being there and getting a pep talk from Sarah P (I know a lot of Sarahs!) was very helpful. She talked some sense into me and helped me remember that just because I had a bit of a slide does NOT mean that I have regressed totally. I am NOT the same person I was almost 3 years ago when I joined Weight Watchers!
Thursday, January 03, 2008
A new twist on racewalking
Very funny video
He probably got in such good shape from racewalking (last 2 sec of video) :)
Warning: definitely PG-13.
He probably got in such good shape from racewalking (last 2 sec of video) :)
Warning: definitely PG-13.
Amateur plumber
Yup, I qualify. I just installed this here faucet to replace our old one. No leaks! I rock!!!
Wednesday, January 02, 2008
Racewalking goals and races for the year
Inspired by Sarah
Here they are ---
Goals:
1. Lose 5 lb by April 19 (the SLC 1/2 marathon), and another 5 lb by August (the CRIM) so I can be in top racing form. I have got to get rid of the 2.5 lb from Christmas, so that only puts me at 7.5 lb below pre-Christmas weight, which I think is a reasonable goal. I'll be thin, but I think it might be a good racing weight.
2. Take Dave McGovern's clinic here in SLC July 10-12 to improve my technique.
3. Continue to make and stick to training schedules for each race. Perhaps run them by Jennifer to get her suggestions.
4. Keep my training log on the Nike website current.
5. HAVE FUN!!!
Races (tentatively):
1. Salt Lake City 1/2 marathon, April 19th.
2. Race for the Cure 5K, May 10th.
3. Art Attack 5K, June 21st (unless I end up doing the Wasatch Back Ragnar Relay, which is June 20-21).
4. Deseret News 10K, July 24th.
5. CRIM festival of races 5K racewalk and 10 miler, August 23rd.
6. Boise Women's Fitness Celebration, September 20th.
7. Cold Turkey 6K, November 27th.
I may or may not do a race before April 19th. I am enjoying taking it a bit easy right now, and not really training hard. I think I needed a rest after last season - it was my first season racing, and it wore me out a bit. I am going to write up a training schedule for that race, but probably not for a week or two. I need a little more R&R, and I need to recover from my Christmas vacation first!
Here they are ---
Goals:
1. Lose 5 lb by April 19 (the SLC 1/2 marathon), and another 5 lb by August (the CRIM) so I can be in top racing form. I have got to get rid of the 2.5 lb from Christmas, so that only puts me at 7.5 lb below pre-Christmas weight, which I think is a reasonable goal. I'll be thin, but I think it might be a good racing weight.
2. Take Dave McGovern's clinic here in SLC July 10-12 to improve my technique.
3. Continue to make and stick to training schedules for each race. Perhaps run them by Jennifer to get her suggestions.
4. Keep my training log on the Nike website current.
5. HAVE FUN!!!
Races (tentatively):
1. Salt Lake City 1/2 marathon, April 19th.
2. Race for the Cure 5K, May 10th.
3. Art Attack 5K, June 21st (unless I end up doing the Wasatch Back Ragnar Relay, which is June 20-21).
4. Deseret News 10K, July 24th.
5. CRIM festival of races 5K racewalk and 10 miler, August 23rd.
6. Boise Women's Fitness Celebration, September 20th.
7. Cold Turkey 6K, November 27th.
I may or may not do a race before April 19th. I am enjoying taking it a bit easy right now, and not really training hard. I think I needed a rest after last season - it was my first season racing, and it wore me out a bit. I am going to write up a training schedule for that race, but probably not for a week or two. I need a little more R&R, and I need to recover from my Christmas vacation first!
Wednesday workout
This morning I got up too late to go to the gym (in January the metered parking spaces that are free until 8 am are FULL by 6:15 am, so I'd have to get there right at 6:00) because I'm still on Pacific time, so I took an easy walk instead for 40 min or so. Not sure how far I went exactly. Just took it easy and enjoyed being out. It was cold (12F, -11C) but I actually got a bit overheated in 2 shirts plus my fleece.
Hate to say it, but I look forward to late February, when the New Year's Resolution crowd thins out at the gym. I know it would be better for their health to keep coming, but it's just too darn crowded.
Hate to say it, but I look forward to late February, when the New Year's Resolution crowd thins out at the gym. I know it would be better for their health to keep coming, but it's just too darn crowded.
Holiday gain
Not my official WW weigh-in (that will be on Saturday), but just weighing on my home scale.
Could be worse. I'm up about 2.5 lb. At least I know how to get it back off. Besides, I wanted to take off a few for racing this summer... so while I'm at it, I'll lose a few more, I hope.
Amazingly, I did try to be somewhat careful in what I ate. I didn't succeed all of the time, but I know I ate a lot less than if I had thrown all caution to the wind. That's pretty scary. I wonder how much I could gain in 2 weeks if I wasn't trying to be careful???
I have to say that it still makes me nervous to put on weight. I get worried that I'm going back to my old ways and that I won't be able to take it off. However, a little nervousness will probably work in my favor.
I'm VERY VERY happy to be home where I can control what food is around much better. Whew. I love my parents, but their cooking consists of LARGE slabs of meat (very very large) that is not necessarily reasonable in terms of fat content. It also doesn't fill you up as much as mixing it in w/some carbs and/or veggies, and I'm a volume gal these days. Plus the typical holiday snacks were in abundance, and in contrast to previous years on WW, I didn't find the self control to resist. That is what makes me worry.
But now that I'm home, I think it will go better.
Could be worse. I'm up about 2.5 lb. At least I know how to get it back off. Besides, I wanted to take off a few for racing this summer... so while I'm at it, I'll lose a few more, I hope.
Amazingly, I did try to be somewhat careful in what I ate. I didn't succeed all of the time, but I know I ate a lot less than if I had thrown all caution to the wind. That's pretty scary. I wonder how much I could gain in 2 weeks if I wasn't trying to be careful???
I have to say that it still makes me nervous to put on weight. I get worried that I'm going back to my old ways and that I won't be able to take it off. However, a little nervousness will probably work in my favor.
I'm VERY VERY happy to be home where I can control what food is around much better. Whew. I love my parents, but their cooking consists of LARGE slabs of meat (very very large) that is not necessarily reasonable in terms of fat content. It also doesn't fill you up as much as mixing it in w/some carbs and/or veggies, and I'm a volume gal these days. Plus the typical holiday snacks were in abundance, and in contrast to previous years on WW, I didn't find the self control to resist. That is what makes me worry.
But now that I'm home, I think it will go better.
Tuesday, January 01, 2008
in Boulder City again
Workout: easy ~10K (my iPod said 10.2K; I'd guess it might have been a bit less) in 1:06 and change. Usually an easy 10K takes me 1:08 or 1:09, so that's why I think it wasn't quite 10K.
Scenery: gorgeous views of the mountains and Lake Mead were in abundance as I walked around Boulder City. Got a great view of the lake from Denver St, which had a ton of beautiful homes on it. I walked all around the historic district, which is full of homes built in the 1930s. Boulder City was founded to house the workers that built Hoover Dam. The homes in the historic district were originally tract housing, but have been modified since and are very charming as well as very expensive nowadays. It was quite interesting to see how they had been modified.
Today's plan: After enjoying a couple of mimosas and a nice big breakfast, we are kicking back watching football and the Rose Parade. Sometime around noon we'll undertake the ~6 hr drive back to Salt Lake. It will be nice to be home!
Scenery: gorgeous views of the mountains and Lake Mead were in abundance as I walked around Boulder City. Got a great view of the lake from Denver St, which had a ton of beautiful homes on it. I walked all around the historic district, which is full of homes built in the 1930s. Boulder City was founded to house the workers that built Hoover Dam. The homes in the historic district were originally tract housing, but have been modified since and are very charming as well as very expensive nowadays. It was quite interesting to see how they had been modified.
Today's plan: After enjoying a couple of mimosas and a nice big breakfast, we are kicking back watching football and the Rose Parade. Sometime around noon we'll undertake the ~6 hr drive back to Salt Lake. It will be nice to be home!
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