Menu Planning Monday

Last Week's Menu/Results:

Monday: My Favorite Meatloaf, green beans  Made the meatloaf (used Italian spice mix instead of garlic powder because I didn't have any.  Yes, I know, everyone is shocked that I altered a recipe and it turned out OK but it really did!) but instead of green beans, I made Roasted Broccoli. It was very yummy but I think I used too much broccoli without increasing the other ingredients.  I also forgot to add the parm. cheese.  However, it was still yummy and definitely going to be made again!

Tuesday: Cheesy Crock Pot Chicken, green beans Turned out very yummy!  Hubby thought the cheese sauce would be good with the broccoli from the day before so he threw some leftover broccoli on it as well.  Definitely Yum!  The soups in the sauce made this full of sodium but knowing that I really watched what I ate the rest of the day in order to be able to "afford" it.
Wednesday: CORN/fend for yourself Hubby was off doin' his thang so I had some left over chicken and a yogurt.
Thursday: Broccoli, Ham, and Cheese casserole I forgot to get some of what I needed for the casserole so we zoomed ahead and made the hamburgers with a salad instead.
Friday: Breakfast for dinner - omelets, English muffins, turkey bacon Hubby wanted to grill Pork Chops instead so we had lemon pepper pork chops and mixed veggies. 
Saturday: Zesty BBQ Chicken sandwiches, baked beans I made the Broccoli, Ham, and Cheese Casserole - Yummy!  I was even able to pull some of it out for Baby Girl and she ate with us :)
Sunday: Hamburgers, Cucumber salad  Made the Zesty BBQ Chicken sandwiches in the crock pot.  YUMMY!  We decided that the chicken would also be good over mashed potatoes...maybe we'll try that next time :)

This week's menu plan:
After a disappointing weigh-in on Friday, Hubby talked me into trying to cut some carbs. I'm usually against no/low carb diets (for myself - I've seen other people have success but it isn't typically something I want to do for ME.  I want to change my lifestyle and no/low carbs isn't a way that I could live so I don't want to do it now.  However....) We looked at some of the reports that I can run with my food diary and noticed that I'm still eating like I am in serious training for a marathon - almost always 50% or more of my cals are from carbs.  Great when you are running 50+ miles a week...not so great when you are lucky to get in 8 miles a week!  We decided that for this week we are going to cut back on carbs then slowly increase them back up a bit to a reasonable amount.  I LOVE bread and pasta so this is going to be interesting...

I also decided that since there isn't anything special planned for this week that I'm not going to worry so much about what day we eat what - other than Wednesday in which schedules are all crazy.  That is a dedicated CORN* night!

Meal 1: Breakfast for Dinner (eggs, turkey bacon, fruit salad) I LOVE breakfast for dinner and since we didn't get to have it this past week... I WANT IT!  haha
Meal 2: Parmesan Chicken with Garlic and Herbs, Veggie (whatever we have - peas, green beans, corn...)
Meal 3: Shrimp Kabobs on the grill (shrimp, red peppers, green peppers, zucchini, whatever we find to put on them), and grilled corn on the cob
Meal 4: Lemon Chicken on the grill, and Herb Roasted Veggies
Meal 5: London Broil on the grill with a spinach salad
Meal 6: Probably another CORN night on the weekend

As you can see, Hubby will be doing a lot of grilling - this was his idea!  LOL  Fine by me!  Let the Grillmaster take over :)

I've also picked up some stuff for Lunches:
Yogurt Chicken Salad  I can make wraps or just put it over lettuce
Deli Creations Cracker Combinations (Oscar Meyer)
Fruit Salad
Spinach Salad
May even make a shake once or twice (yogurt, milk, fruit.... whatever I have to throw in the blender)

And some snacks:
Fresh fruit (apples, strawberries, grapes, watermelons)
Dried fruit (Craisins, pineapple, mango)
Crackers, banana peppers, and cheese (Sounds like a strange combo but...YUMMM)
Celery (with low-fat ranch dressing or peanut butter)
Greek Yogurt (Fage)

*CORN= Clean Out the Refrigerator Night
**All of my "usual" recipes (and a few that I haven't tried but want to) can be found HERE.
***Check out orgjunkie.comhttp://orgjunkie.com/2010/07/menu-plan-monday-july-19th.html for even more ideas!!

Fitness Friday #5

This week's weight:

Listen here Mr. Bathroom Scale...

I've been MORE than patient with you.  I've done all you've asked and then some.  I think I have been pretty darn nice about this whole thing so far if I do say so myself.  Now, I expect you to show me a different number this week!  I'm SICK of seeing 196!

So,  SHOW ME THE MONEY...er, uh, I mean...NUMBER! (unless you've got some money hidden.  Then I'll take that too...)

Apparently my scale is as obstinate as I am because he answered by going in the OPPOSITE direction this week. 

197.2

Last week's goals/results:

Run 3X's this week. Week 6 of C25K :) Woke up Monday with a headache so so running that day so I ran Week 6 Day 1 on Tuesday. Thursday I had an inservice so I had to get up very early and didn't have time to run in the morning before I left, however, Hubby and I did a quick run/walk Thursday afternoon when I got home - it was WAY hot (89*F with 68% humidity, making it feel like 100*F).  I plan to finish my 3X's weekly by running again tomorrow morning.
Take my multivitamins DAILY! Took the vitamins Monday through Friday.  I wasn't home Sat (still at the wedding and had forgotten to pack them), and I forgot Sunday.
Log my food. Logged Monday, Tuesday (Over on sodium), Wednesday (over on cals), and so far I'm logging today so that's 4/7 days this week.

Evaluation:
:,( I am very sad/disappointed/depressed/upset/confused/ _________ (fill in the blank).  I can't figure out why I'm not losing and why this week I actually GAINED!?!  I know I didn't make great choices yesterday (Chili's with the girls - but I ordered a chicken Caesar pita...better than some of the other choices I could have had there!) but I had great food choices the rest of the week.  On the days that I logged, I was in the "Lose 1/7 lbs a week" range or under on all but one day.  Wednesday wasn't like I blew it...I was still under the amount of cals I need to maintain my weight so I shouldn't have gained.  Can ONE day blowing it (which I think I might have done yesterday) screw the whole thing up like that?  I didn't think so before.  Eating like that on a regular basis, absolutely can cause a gain...but one day?  UGH

:-/ I did a great run on Tuesday then on Thursday I did a so/so run with Hubby.  I couldn't run Thursday morning before I left for my inservice (no time) and by the time I got home it was HOT HOT HOT so we ended up walking more than I usually do. I plan to run in the morning again with Baby Girl.  This was week 6 of the Couch to 5 K, but I only did Day 1 (hubby and I didn't try to stick to any set intervals when we ran, just paid attention to our bodies knowing that it was so dang hot).  I think I may re-do week 6 next week.

? I start back to work soon so I will have to figure out how/when I'm going to run until it cools down some.  Once it cools down I can run right after school with no problem,  But running at 3pm in August/October in Florida = crazy!  We don't have the money to join a gym just yet but it is an option we are trying to do.  However, I don't like the idea of always running on a treadmill either.  I like to be out on the road more often.  I have to leave the house around 6-6:15am so getting up early enough to run and come home and get ready (not to mention get Baby Girl ready) isn't a real option.  There is a good streetlight right by my house, but they are very sparce throughout the rest of the neighborhood.  Besides, I'm NOT a morning person!

:) I did manage to take my vitamins (Woman's One-A-Day) Mon-Fri so that is 5/6 (I don't count Saturday since I wasn't in a position to take them even if I had wanted to!)

:-/ Also, I was concerned about my sodium last week.  Of the days I logged I was only over on sodium one day - but I know I was also over yesterday as well based on what I ate.  5/7 days I was good on sodium.  I think I'm still going to watch it but maybe it was just an off week the week that it was so high.

 Next Week's Goals:

1.  Re-run week 6 of the C25K.  I plan for M/W/F.  I would have to bring Baby Girl with me on Wednesday and probably Friday too but that's OK.
2. Keep up the good work with the Vitamins. Takes 21 days to make a habit (and one day to break it) so I need to keep up with this habit!
3. Log my food at least 4/7 days.  Logging everything every day is really tedious but I think if I log most days then I will at least be getting a good idea of what I'm eating.
4. Read a book/take some pictures/do something fun for me once a day.  I am really upset right now over this bathroom scale refusing to move for the past several weeks and then moving UP this week, so I'm going to try to de-stress a bit by trying to take some "me" time every day this week.  Even if it is just a few minutes while Baby Girl is taking a nap.

Thoughts?   Comments?   Advice?   Help?

Smile!

My post-run breakfast made me smile today :)

Whole wheat English muffin, blackberry jam, and a bananna :)

Monday Meal Plan

Well, my menu plan for last week pretty much went by the wayside.

Here was the plan....

Monday - I'm going to put my hubby to work and make him grill something yummy- his choice! Maybe I'll make some Roasted Broccoli or Herb Roasted Vegetables to go with whatever he makes. Rain made this idea fall to the side.  Instead we just ate some Tuna Salad sandwiches.
Tuesday - Spaghetti, garlic bread, salad We did manage to have this on the correct night. 
Wednesday -My favorite meatloaf, shells and cheese, leftover roasted broccoli (if there is any!) Hubby had to go to work early so it was just going to be me, and I ate some leftovers that were in the fridge.  A bit of a CORN night.
Thursday - Rehearsal Dinner for a wedding that my husband is in. The groom's parents had lasagna, salad, breadsticks...and quatro leche cake...FOUR milks...YUMMO
Friday - Wedding Day! Reception will be our dinner! Mmmmm  Herb Roasted Chicken, Veggies, Mashed Potatos, and White Chocolate Mousse Wedding Cake.
Saturday - Cheesy Crock pot Chicken, green beans Got home later than we planned...Driving all day to get home, too sleepy to cook!
Sunday - Hubby treated me to my favorite -- OLIVE GARDEN!!  :)

Perhaps we'll do better this week! I shouldn't have to do much grocery shopping as I have most of what I planned for last week!

Monday: My Favorite Meatloaf, green beans
Tuesday:  Cheesy Crock Pot Chicken, green beans
Wednesday: CORN/fend for yourself
Thursday: Broccoli, Ham, and Cheese casserole
Friday: Breakfast for dinner - omlets, english muffins, turkey bacon
Saturday: Zesty BBQ Chicken sandwiches, baked beans
Sunday: Hamburgers, Cucumber salad

I WON I WON I WON

I feel like one of the Miss USA winners....shaky hands covering my face, mouth open wide in disbelief, tears streaming down my face smearing my mascara...

OK, so maybe I'm not quite THAT excited.  But I am pretty darn excited.

I won a free pair of Yurbuds Earbud Enhancers for Hubby from Lacy!

It's the first ever giveaway that I've won from a blog :)  ::doin' the happy dance::

Thanks Lacy!!

What are Yurbuds?  Well since you asked... They are custom fitted earbud covers.  Guaranteed not to fall out of your ears while you run, jump, sweat, or are otherwise active.  Many people have trouble with standard earbuds, because, well, ears don't always come in standard sizes.  For example, Lacy's ears are small and my husband has larger than average ears.

How did I win?  I'm so glad you asked!  I won because I apparently made Lacy laugh.  I know, shocking, right?

To quote her quoting me,

"She entered on her husband's behalf and had the most comical quote describing his frustration.

'(He refers to his head as a taxicab with the doors open, calls his ears his satellites and explains that this is why he works at NASA...if he doesn't laugh at himself everyone else would).'

I laughed all week at the imagery and felt bad for my fellow struggler on the opposite end of the ear size battle."

So, in a nutshell (Help me, help me, I'm in a nutshell and I can't get out!), I won by making fun of my husband's ears.  Hey, it's nothing he hasn't said about himself.  I only quoted him :)

All we have to do is take a picture of one of his satellites..er...ears, with a quarter next to them in order to get this great gift.  So this afternoon I took said picture of my husband's ear.

Getting him to lay down was easy.  convincing him to let me take a picture of a quarter next to his ear without telling him why...that was a little more challenging.  "You're trying to prove how big my ears are aren't you?  Who were you making fun of my ears with, huh?"  LOL  (He said it while laughing, not in anger or annoyance...he knows I'm up to something but I won't tell him what!)

He never (OK, rarely) reads my blog so he probably won't know that they are coming until they are here.  Guess he should read my posts a little more often huh?  he he he (I love you, Baby!)

10 on 10 - July

I have some great photos to share of the wedding I attended...but I can't   :(  For some reason, when my computer got recovered from whatever alien life form took it over a few weeks back, certain things stopped working on it.  One of those seems to be my card reader so I can't load my pictures from my camera onto the computer.  So in order to keep up with the 10 on 10, I will post some of the pics from my phone.  I'm not sure if I have 10 or not...  lets see....

1.

"Mommy and Daddy get chicken and wedding cake, and all I get is a bottle??"

2.

Table runner pattern - it matches my blog!!

3.

Daddy and his little girl - dark and fuzzy due to the lighting

 so I turned it B&W hoping to make it look better.

4.

OK, I didn't take this, but it was taken with my phone --

Does that count?  lol

5.

The precious flower girl

6.

Hubby's boutonniere

7.

The table cloth and the bottom of my glass - not sure how

 I took this.  I think it was an accident ha ha!

8.

The best of friends already! 

9.

The Groom and his groomsmen (Hubby is far right)

10.

Wish this sign worked at home too...

OK, I did manage to get 10 on 10 today :)  Sorry they are crappy quality... the glory of the camera phone :) Hopefully by next month I'll have this problem figured out and will have better pictures.

Fitness Friday #4

This week's weight
(Done on Wednesday morning.  I knew Thursday morning would be crazy hectic trying to get everyone and everything ready to leave, and I wasn't sure if the hotel gym would have an accurate scale for me to weigh this morning --Does Running around crazy getting everyone ready to go count as a "run" for Thursday?)

196.4

::sigh::  I think this number is stalking me.  I may need to get a restraining order!

Dear 196,
GET AWAY FROM ME AND STAY AWAY FROM ME! My friends in the 180's are waiting for me!


Last week's goals:

• Run at least twice.  **Doing the happy dance and patting self on the back!**  I ran my scheduled C25K runs M/W/F (Friday on the treadmill at the hotel) PLUS an extra run with Hubby on Tuesday. That makes 4 runs this week!  DOUBLE what my goal was. We also walked with Baby Girl several times this week as well.
• Log my food for the days that I am home, and be mindful of what foods I choose and how much I eat while we are gone. I logged Sunday, Monday, and Tuesday at home.  I also (on my phone) logged a good portion of Thursday and today. 

2 for 2!  Go me! :)

Evaluation:
:( I did an extra day of cardio but it seems as though I still didn't lose.  I had a particularly high sodium count on Tuesday before weighing Wednesday morning so perhaps that had something to do with the weight - maybe I'm retaining some water?

:)  I feel great about being able to get in the extra run, and it was extra fantastic that I could do the run with my hubby (who it seems I rarely get to do much with other than errands or daily chores).

:) I'm glad I was able to log fairly consistently because, as I was hoping it would, it made me aware that there may be an issue that I need to look at as far as what I'm eating rather than just how much.


This week's goals:

1. Run 3X's this week. Week 6 of C25K :)
2. Take my multivitamins DAILY! I keep forgetting to take my vitamins...argggghhhhh.  Gotta get back into the habit of taking them.
3. Log my food. I've noticed the few days that I have logged that I've had quite a bit of sodium.  I want to reevaluate the sodium after this week to see if it really is a problem that I need to tackle.

If you are making an attempt to be healthier, how are you doing on your goals?

10 on 10 - July

I recently came across a blog that asks it's readers to take photos on the 10th of every month and post 10 of them.  Sounded like so much fun that I couldn't pass it up! I decided that I would actually take the photos on the 9th and post them by the 10th because I know that I'm more likely to get to them posted the day or so after than the actual day I take them.

This is the perfect month for me to start because Hubby and I have a wedding to go to tonight so I should get some GREAT photos to post tomorrow!

Story Pyramid of ME

I was looking through various blogs the other day and saw one whose description mentioned that every life is a story waiting to be told.  Hmm...a story huh?

So the teacher in me came out in full force... I often used a Story Pyramid to help my older students remember a story we've read.

Here is the Story Pyramid of my life:

Nicole

caring, Christian

always near water

What's this life about?

Raised in very small town.

Married a friend from high school.

Masters Degree in Special Ed and Reading

Beautiful healthy baby girl, what more is needed?

That was kind of fun!  I think (if I ever teach older kids again that is) that I may have them do a story pyramid of their own life at some point in the year! :)

 **Putting this safely into my "teacher bag" to be pulled out if/when needed**

It was kind of hard to determine what to put in and what to leave out when you are limited on words and lines.  For instance...where do I put my running?  I decided that my running wasn't as important to me as the others so that's why I left it out...although it is important to me.  Decisions decisions!

What's your story about?  What would your pyramid look like?

Menu Planning Monday

Lets see how close I can get to following my plan this week....

Monday - I'm going to put my hubby to work and make him grill something yummy- his choice!  Maybe I'll make some Roasted Broccoli or Herb Roasted Vegetables to go with whatever he makes.

Tuesday - Spaghetti, garlic bread, salad

Wednesday -My favorite meatloaf, shells and cheese, leftover roasted broccoli (if there is any!)

Thursday - Rehearsal Dinner for a wedding that my husband is in.

Friday - Wedding Day!  Reception will be our dinner!

Saturday - Cheesy Crock pot Chicken, green beans

Sunday - CORN*

Lunches are usually me on my own so, for the exception of Thursday and Friday which will probably be lunch out at a restaurant since we will be at a hotel, I will probably grab leftovers, a sandwich, or something light like a salad. 

Also...Did you notice the Dailymile.com widget on the left hand side yet?  You can see my latest workout and stats :)  COOL!!

OrgJunkie has more recipes/menus to look at, and all of my recipes are always found HERE


*Clean Out the Refrigerator Night