We leave for Vegas in just over 2 weeks – the plan was to do the diet again before Vegas, but I am having a really difficult time with the thought of it. Today should have been the first day, but the workout room is a mess and hubby wasn’t motivated. I don’t know why I am having such a difficult time with it – I just don’t want to do it, ugh. But, if hubby does the diet and sticks with I should be able to handle it.

1:41pm Did strength training workout over lunch – felt great. I was debating when to go, but it look like it is going to be raining all day so walking the dog is out of the question. Overall I think noon hour workouts are best for me – it breaks the day up nicely and really refreshes me. After today’s workout I was feeling a bit more positive about the diet, I might actually be able to do it (woohoo).

Today’s mini-workout goal:  100 squats, 12 good pushups. Done so far: 15 squats, 3 pushups. (I usually perform the mini-workouts in the restroom, lol. Hey, its something)

11:55am 30 squats, 6 push-ups

1:56pm Did the Lunchtime Flow #1 from YogaDownload.com. I really enjoyed it – nice combination of intensity and relaxation, and Dawnelle (the instructor) didn’t waste any time. Had chicken stir-fry with sauteed cabbage for lunch, and an orange I picked up at the gym (sometimes they have treats sitting out) – it was full of seeds but really juicy and tasty.

2:12pm 50 squats, 9 push-ups

3:28pm 70 squats, 9 push-ups

4:45pm 80 squats, 9 push-ups

I did get in a good run on Saturday – I was motivated by the fact that I ate too much at breakfast and that I binge/purged the night before – I blame the alcohol – I drank too much too fast.

This morning did yoga/run combo – yoga for runners (I really love that session) followed by about a 25 min run – not really sure because cardio trainer would not work for me, and I didn’t do my full loop (it was getting late). I fell early in the run – slipped on ice when turning a corner, landed hard on my right hip and hand, fortunately I was wearing gloves so I didn’t get scraped. Picked myself up, brushed off and continued on, it wasn’t too bad of a fall – but such a Monday thing.

I am really not feeling like doing much today, ugh, and I don’t have a work project to keep me occupied. Going to lift at lunch today, not sure yet what I will do, I suppose I could look for a program to do. Just made a cup of chai with almond milk, maybe that will help.

1:21pm Well, did a strength training session over the noon hour. Didn’t follow a specific plan, it was about all I could do to just get there. It wasn’t a bad workout, I hit all the major muscles and worked up a fairly good sweat, but it didn’t really help improve my mood much. But it didn’t make things worse, if fact I feel a little better, so I am glad I went (I always am). Lunch was a chicken stir-fry with cabbage that I made last week (still yummy) and a small Clementine. There is chocolate cake in the break room, I had a tiny sample, but not tempted to have more. Time for tea…

4:19pm Stomach is really hurting and I don’t know why. After taking dog for a short walk I at: smoothie I made this morning (yogurt, protein powder, ¼ small banana, frozen spinach, chia seeds, flax seed, and a couple walnuts), half  of an apple with Laughing Cow cheese wedge, a few pieces fake crab meat and 2 pretzels with peanut butter (that is a lot of food – oh my). So I don’t know what the offending food was, or if it was something else. I hope it wasn’t the yogurt in the smoothie – I made that yogurt in the crockpot last week.

Run felt good – last night I indulged in half a bottle of wine, along with 1 vodka soda and 12 wings at Famous Dave’s happy hour, and some cheese and crackers at home. So I needed to make amends .

10:28am Snack update: 1 of the tasty Costco chocolate chunk cookies remains in the break room. Surprised they lasted a full day. I was snacky so I am having some trail mix – almonds, peanuts, cashews, raisins and M&Ms. Really shouldn’t be eating the M&Ms, I might pick them out (not because they are chocolate, but because they are processed crap full of artificial chemicals).

11:03am Cookies gone, woot! I ended up eating about 6 of the M&Ms. Making chai now, with almond milk. Trying to decide when I will be able to work-out today – I need to run to Target, so I think I will do that and walk the dog over noon hour, then try to go to the gym around 3pm, hope that works out.

This morning’s workout: Power Vinyasa #4 (love that one – it really gets you moving) followed by a 20 minute run. Could have run longer but time was slipping away, and I knew I had a lot to do. Last night I made a beef roast and yogurt – this morning had to strain the yogurt. It turned out good! Used to make a smoothie with some of the yogurt – blended it with steamed spinach, frozen berries, protein powder, chia seeds, flax, wheat germ, and almond milk – yum! But was still hungry, so I had a piece of Ezekiel toast with almond and apple butters, mmm.

Someone at work made a Costco run, now the break room at work is filled with snacks, some tempting than others. There is a big bin of tootsie rolls – I used to love tootsie rolls, but I think I can resist. There are also pretzels – those are lower on the temptation list. And there is trail mix; I think that is my biggest weakness of what is in there. Oh, and there is a package of Costco cookies – those things are amazing, fortunately they will disappear fast, maybe I can avoid them all together.

11:08am Well, I was hungry, so I went into the break room and looked at the cookies. Decided eating one would make me feel like crap, so instead I had my almonds and cranberries. Felt so virtuos I then at half of a chocolate Larabar. Oh well, I think I still came out ahead.

2:17pm 3 of the chocolate chunk Costco cookies remain – I almost took one on 2 different occasions, but I have resisted so far. After lunch (pulled pork on pita with spinach and cauliflower) I was tempted to have a cookie instead of my orange, but the orange triumphed! I decided both would satisfy the need for something sweet, but the orange has more nutrition, fiber and less calories. Yay for oranges! Still, I am hoping they disappear soon.

3:16pm Just returned from walking the dog (37° outside – nice!) and saw there are 2 chocolate chunk cookies left. Not too tempting, I am going to have my yogurt snack soon, and lunch was rather filling.

I am planning on strength training at lunch today – don’t have my exact plan worked out, but I am looking forward to it. Work is a little boring right now, having a hard time focusing. Actually, I think I might mix things up today – run errands and walk the dog over the noon hour and go to work-out mid afternoon.

3:41pm Just returned from gym. Did a really quick workout, but it was fun:

Warm-up
Lunge Matrix
Knee to chest
Glute Activation (bridges)

Workout
(do complete circuit without resting, then rest for 1 minute. Or do some light cardio, i.e, jumping jacks. Complete two to four total circuits.)
Goblet Squat
Pushup
Reverse Lunge (with weights)
Plank
Three-Point Row

I managed to do 2 circuits in about 20 minutes, and I did some extra jumping jacks and side-planks with shoulder raises.

OK, so this is one of those “extreme posts” but I really do feel strong about this: Ezekiel Bread (or more generally sprouted bread) is the only bread you should be eating. Here is why:

Ezekiel bread is made from wheat, barley, beans, lentils, millet and spelt, based on the scripture at Ezekiel 4:9. When these six grains and legumes are sprouted and combined, an amazing thing happens: a complete protein is created that closely parallels the protein found in milk and eggs. The grains are sprouted, which is important because sprouting neutralizes the negative affects of phytic acid. Sprouted grains also produce enzymes that help promote the digestibility of the entire grain, making the nutrients more bio-available for the body to process and absorb.

Nutritional details (per slice): 80 calories, 3 grams of fiber, 4 grams of protein and no trans-fats or HFCS. So go out and buy some Ezekiel bread – you will find it in your grocer’s freezer, possibly in the “natural and organic” section, or with the other bread products.

10:59am Just had an Emergen C packet, and I am sipping tea and water. Feeling dehydrated and bloated, ugh. Such a bummer, because yesterday I was feeling so great and doing so well (until my neck really started hurting and I used that as an excuse to drink wine…). Well, at least I did get some good cooking done – made a yummy chicken stir-fry, turkey chili (with pumpkin and spinach – my favorite right now) and turkey meatballs in sauce with spaghetti squash. Did not get to bottling the kombucha.

1:30pm Did some yoga over lunch, but was not happy with the session I chose – Hot-Power Fusion #1 – it had some good streching, but not any flow series, which I like. I guess thats why its a “Hot” class – intended to do in a heated space, which is definately not where I did it.

Burrito lunch again, yum. However I forgot to bring an orange like I have been the past week or so, but someone brought in brownies, so I am having a small brownie square in place of the orange. Probably very close in calories – not nutrition – I do not go for the “a calorie is a calorie” philosophy, but for today it is a nice treat.

Had a good lunch workout – lifting. I was actually looking forward to it for a change! The weight room was rather crowded and too warm due to the sun streaming in through the windows so my motivation was flagging, but then I went into the Pilates room and banged out some lunges, mountain climbers, jacks, and side planks, along with ab work. Got back to work and had burrito I brought from home. It was very tasty, but then the hunger started.

This is how my afternoon went:

1:45 pm (about half hour after finishing lunch) I am so hungry, when is snack time?
2:00 pm Still hungry (make tea)
2:30 pm Is it 3 yet? (make more tea)
2:46 pm Attempt to take dog for walk, forgot leash, so just stretch a bit
3:00 pm woohoo snack time!
3:10 pm still hungry after eating snack, have half teaspoon almond butter
3:45 pm still hungry (make more tea)
4:00 pm screw it, still hungry, chomp down Lara bar
4:02 pm feel guilty for eating entire Lara bar
4:33 pm still kinda hungry, lol

I guess I will have to eat light tonight, but my neck is aching so I am already thinking about a glass of wine while I cook. On tonight’s “cooking agenda”: stir-fry chicken, turkey meatballs with spaghetti squash, and bottle kombucha (possible make more).

Wednesday didn’t get better – had a wine dinner booked for the evening. While that was great, it lead to way too many calories because I drank more wine when we got home and ate pizza. Thursday not quite as terrible – had 2 vodka sodas after work at happy hour (not too strong). Friday I was especially naughty – Stella’s happy hour after work: 1 taco, 3 oysters, shrimp and 4 vodka sodas. Then I received a text message from my friend Star, she was in town and wanted to meet up for dinner. So I met her at 9 at Redstone, our favorite restaurant/bar (they have a DJ and dancing on Friday and Saturday nights). At cheese fondue and sliders, way, way too many drinks.

And this is where it gets really bad – while at Redstone Star recommending we try to puke to get some of the alcohol out of our systems, so I did. Then when I got home I was incredibly snacky (as drinking often makes me) and I downed 2 bags of kettle corn with cheese melted on them. I then reasoned that I had already puked that night, so why not do it again, so I ate some ice cream (cuz if you are going to purge might as well make it worth it) and purged as much as I could, then went to bed. Needless to say Saturday was not a great day (not terrible, but not good). Ordered pizza that night, ate too much (as well as some cheese and crackers), and drank wine, so again somehow in my head I reasoned that since I purged the day before I could do it again, and proceeded to down a pint of ice cream then puke it up. Ugh, how disgusting.

Sunday morning woke up determined to eat better – had 1 egg and toast with some peanut butter. We had a busy day – bought a pool table. We were hungry as we were driving past downtown, so I made the suggestion of going to Ike’s for brunch, knowing full well that was not a healthy idea. Oh well, it was tasty – I had a bit of caramel roll (the server took it away before I could have more – I was waiting for some coffee to drink with it, ended up being a good thing, I didn’t really need more). Had egg quesadilla (so good) some bacon, hash browns and 2 pancakes, a couple sips of hubby’s blood mary. Really not terrible I guess, but after the week I had I really intended to do better. Dinner was enchilada salad and an orange; I resisted drinking anything more and eating at 9pm when I was snacky.

So, all in all not a week I am proud of, but hopefully I can learn from it (and writing honestly about it here is good for me) and get my eating and exercise back on track!