"Mom you're deflating!"

I've been on this diet more or less for the past month. I initially lost 15 pounds then added more high fiber fruit and some dense bread which naturally slowed weight loss down a bit. I've been completely off since getting the stomach bug last week but still am in the 160s, a range I haven't been in since a child or two ago.

I bought these shorts last April on spring break.

My daughter swears the legs were tight but I really don't think my thighs were that big. I do have to wear all my pants with a belt, which I hate but it's better than the alternative.

Now that I'm down quite a bit, I think my knee will be a more forgiving when I run and lets face it, since I'm unemployed I really don't have an excuse not to incorporate exercise. Tonight I'm going out with my daughter to run the local fit trail that I believe is about three miles. I hope to do a half later this fall but we'll see.

"Almond Crepes for the egg haters"

After yesterdays blog, I feel I need to clear the air. Don't get me wrong, I love eggs. Without them, we wouldn't have such delicacies such cheesecake and other delicious baked goods. I felt this morning I needed to somehow vindicate them by having a nice ham and cheese omelet but ultimately, I couldn't do it.

Once again I turned to three fat chicks and found a recipe for almond crepes which actually has almond flour in it so I imagined the texture would be more pancake-y. Because I've been so good on my diet so far I splurged and bought a pack of almond flour. It's about $10 a pound. Yeah. Good thing I only needed about four tablespoons.

The batter smelled heavenly and my mouth began to water as I slowly watched little bubbles form around the edge.  I added a few dabs of cream cheese as recommended and as I went to flip it, the darn thing broke:(

On a side note: I've made crepes monthly for the past fifteen years so I feel fairly competent when it comes to crepe flipping so I was caught off guard. Fortunately the batter seemed to meld back together so I decided to give it another try after a minute. Once again, it broke. With my crepe confidence shattered, I scrambled the damn thing which ultimately, looked like scrambled eggs:/

I slathered it with butter and my beloved Mrs Butterworths sugar free syrup and chowed down. Not bad. The bits of cream cheese were like little surprises and the almond flour did add a small amount of texture.

Take two. I decided to pour the rest of the batter in to make a thicker crepe. I added the cream cheese and just flipped over one side ala omelet. Tasty! I know it looks a little burned but it tasted better this time. Definitely will make it again.

Fasting and South Beach

I'm almost halfway through my week long facebook fast so it's a good time to blog and avoid my withdrawals. That being said, I haven't been working out BUT, I rediscovered The South Beach Diet book I bought many moons ago and decided to give it a shot. It'll be a week Saturday and I've already lost ten pounds. Seriously. It's a bit scary and yet exhilarating to once again put on my medium scrub pants without having to tuck in my tummy fat. Essentially I've replaced bread, pasta, and sugar with meat, veggies, and well, lots of eggs. So many eggs in fact I'm surprised I'm not already laying eggs myself.

This whole non cereal eating phase of my life has posed quite the challenge. I used to love eggs, now since my diet is very limited for the next couple of weeks before I move on to phase two led me to ask the advice of a good friend. The internet.

I was desperate. I needed an actual breakfast without traditional eggs and what I found is that desperate SB dieting women around the world face the same dilemma. And desperate women get creative. Yesterday I tried mock pancakes made from egg whites, egg, ricotta cheese, Splenda and vanilla. I know more eggs right? Well I was also desperate and had to try. I trusted reviews like, "Yum! Just like real pancakes!" and "It tasted so good!" (To the woman who thought the recipe was too much for one person. Girl, please. I used an 8inch frying pan and it made two.)  Anyway the result was something that looked like a crepe but in fact had the unmistakable texture of eggs. At any rate, it did fill the anything but egg void, which honestly anything would covered in butter and sugar free maple syrup.

I'll save you my review of the chocolate cheesecake smoothie (made from sugar free choc syrup and cottage cheese.)

Which leads me to this morning. I made South Beach Muffins. Yeah I know the picture looks like it hasn't been cooked but it has. The texture was slightly better, not so eggy thanks to the flax seeds but it leaves me wanting more. My recommendation, add more Splenda and cinnamon. 

In conclusion, I think this diet, er lifestyle change will stick for a while. I'm actually eating vegetables for once in my life. Not just salad covered in ranch, but actual veggies like broccoli,carrots, and asparagus. Yay me. 

Poor, poor Frita...

This is Frita. Her name used to be Chrissy but due to the fact she tends to produce the unmistakable odor of dog, we've changed her name to Frita (feminine version of Frito). When I worked my 8-5, I did really well on running regularly to the point where all I needed to do was but my shoes on in the evening and she came running.  She would loyally trot next to me as I jogged the track that's across the street from my house. It wasn't unusual to even have two of my cats running with us a couple times. Of course, as cats are too good for anything humans and dogs do, they would inevitably sit down at the beginning and watch us sweat it out.

Now that I work nights, I feel so bad for poor Frita. I get up from my second nap and she gets so excited when she sees me put on my shoes.  My dilemma is exactly how do I fit in my running now? Granted there is a good 30 minute window from when I get home and the kids need to get up but at this point, my feet are throbbing and the last thing I want to do is run. It's still to cold to bike, maybe yoga?

Night shift:)

Many things have changed in the months since I've posted. Moved out of my parents house, enrolled in school, and ran a 5K (in full zombie garb-great shock value in S. Idaho). Things were going great. I finally broke the 170 barrier and made time to run/bike. I felt that this would finally be the time I would be able to fit in those jeans again. You know what I'm talking about, those jeans. Everyone has them shoved away in some deep, dark place in their closet or dresser; a symbol of your inability to let go of your skinny days and hope that one day, you may be able to wear them again.
December came. I'd like to blame my decent off the wagon on one of my bffs who flew in just to see me for the weekend. All previous food restrictions were off. This led into Christmas and all the baking that you're required to do. I suppose I didn't have to but I like to blame my great-grandma who was constantly baking Danish delicacies during Christmas. Besides, it was COLD.
I'm not talking about the oh so cosy winter of the Pacific Northwest where it rarely drops below 30. I'm talking about dry cold that gets in the teens with wind chill (which can be pretty severe where I'm at). I'm a wuss. I hate the cold.
Now it'll be March tomorrow, I've been holding steady in the 170s and I really have no more excuses. Unless you want to count the fact I quit my previous day job for better pay working nights. Luckily though from the time I get off in the morning around 0620 and when it's time for the kids to get up at 0700 I have some me time. Granted, I'm exhausted at this point but this beauty of a time window allows me to go for a quick walk (or run if I'm prepared enough to lay out my running garb the night before.)
Now that the weathers warming up and I do have 30 minutes to spare, I'm getting back on track and hopefully will be back to my 2 pound a week weight loss and finally fit back into those damn jeans.

YAY!!!!

Last year I had to upgrade from a size medium scrub pant to a large. It was a massive blow for me. For a few weeks I had to take a few minutes to tuck in my belly roll, eventually giving up and buying a large.  Even while pregnant with my last kid, I was still able to sport a medium so this was a pretty big blow.

However, today I went  to put on a medium, just to see, and guess what? I didn't have to physically tuck my tummy fat in !!! Woo-ooo!

New goal

I used to love running. I used to relish the feel of my muscles after pushing myself to my limit. That was until I got my bike. I love that thing. Not because it was an unknowing $500 find on Craigslist for $40, but simply because it burns more calories, you go farther, and you can go faster. Since my bike, running well, stinks. I find no pleasure whatsoever in it, with or without my ipod. As much as I like my bike I don't like the simple fact my arms do nothing. I'm stuck with really toned legs with a very flabby upper body. Sure if I focus on keeping my stomach contracted, elbows in,  I feel a very slight ache afterwords but honestly, it's nothing.


Fortunately, the people here around my age seem to be complete fitness nuts- at least in the office where I work. Every day they do the half hour powerwalk to the canyon and back, lately have been kayaking once a week and at the end of this month, they're all doing this.

Yes please! So this gives me a whopping 4 weeks to go from no running to a 10K complete with mud, obstacles and alot of crazy fun.

I have been commuting via bike every day which sounds impressive but it's only a mile if that. I haven't had fast food for almost two weeks and have been drinking loads of water.  So I'm pretty sure I can do it, if I start now. I have to do it. It looks insanely fun. How's that for motivation?