I'm driving my life away...

For the past week I have spent nearly every waking minute in the car! Just today, I have driven from Greensburg to Robinson and back and have to drive clear out to Penn Hills this afternoon for an allergist's appointment for Aidyn. I feel like my bum is permanently attached to the car seat and even my clutch leg is getting cramps!

All whining aside, I think that I need a vacation from vacations and visiting. After our whirlwind trip out to Ohio for Nanna's Christmas play this Saturday, we are taking a break. Chas has three finals this week and I have 17 chapter outlines to finish by Saturday at 10 am. Then off to ELO for the play and then I plan on sleeping for a week! I still have this miserable cold and I want nothing more right now than to sleep the sleep of the tired and weary. Plus...I don't want to drive anymore!

On Lancaster...and the need to learn Spanish...

On Lancaster...and the need to learn Spanish...

We are home for a second...so of course I had to get on here to give myself a little downtime. I thought I would share something funny I've learned over the past three days with you all though. We went to Lancaster this weekend for a wedding of friends (congrats Danny and Breann!) and to peruse Amish country, land of smorgasbords and outlet shopping. In total during our three days, we saw ONE actual Amish/Mennonite (I'm not sure which faith they ascribe to...I only know that they were driving a buggy parked at Wal-mart and assume they are something considering the lack of car). However, we saw ten thousand Hispanic individuals...at our hotel, each restaurant we visited, each shop we went into and waiting tables at the wedding and bars. I have come to the conclusion that the Pennsylvania Dutch have been supplanted by a huge community of Spanish-speaking individuals! It was kinda funny...all of these busloads of old people and tourists trying to get the "authentic" Amish country experience with waitresses with accents dressed in Amish attire (complete with a Catholic-style crucifix and Our Lady of Guadeloupe holy medals on their necklace). Hysterical what lengths idiotic tourists will force on people! I laughed out loud for the insanity of it all. I am sure that there are Amish in Lancaster County, but they sure aren't waiting tables at the restaurants or selling you quilts (that have "Made in Taiwan" tags on them) at the outlet mall...they are at home, working a field or taking care of their family and staying as far away from the craziness the rest of the world loves! My heart goes out to the poor wait staff and others that have to deal with busloads of old women from Cleveland asking if that pie they want to buy was made by "a real Amish", etc...are you kidding me?

It's hard to hug a tree with a cold...

Okay...I am feeling extreme guilt. Some of you (read as most of you) already think I'm insane. Well, you're right. And now you have proof in the form of tissues...

So here's the story...I have a lousy cold. I'm congested and sneezing and all the other symptoms that go along with those old medicine commercials. I have been blowing my nose for two days. But...as I pick up tissues...the guilt sets in. How many trees have I killed for tissues today? I know, a little extreme, but its the OTC cold meds talking. I decide that I will use a hankie, as the dainty ladies in Victorian days did...that way I can just run it through the wash and voila! No dead trees.

Good plan...bad execution. The dainty hankie experiment worked all of an hour. I couldn't take it...DISGUSTING. I have to go back to my kleenex, guilt be damned...sigh, sniffle, sneeze.

The tragic downfall of Saint Krista the dieter...

The tragic downfall of Saint Krista the dieter...

Yeah...Thanksgiving. I formed a very deep, personal relationship with a very, very cheap bottle of white zinfandel yesterday. It was one of those relationships that wasn't planned...I just sat in my comfy chair and chatted with the family. Whenever Chas would get up to check on the kids in the game room, I would have him fill my glass. Unfortunately, he apparently checked on the kids WAY more than I realized, because by the end of the evening I was confusing Mike Myers and Michael Moore in conversation (I knew the difference, but just couldn't remember the stupid name, thank you very much Nicky!) and had a good 1500 calories or so over my already generous holiday calorie allotment. So this morning, as I stepped on the scale...I saw the damage. 7 lbs up...yuck. Worst of all...I have a lousy sinus infection coming on and I can't take any meds until I'm sure the alcohol is out of my system.

Stupid wine...even dumber Krista...it'll take me a week at least to get that weight off and we have a wedding next weekend. I really need to pay more attention when I sip/slurp/suck down wine!

So ends the tale of the not-so-saintly dieter and her wino binge!

The absolute misery of shopping for shoes...

The absolute misery of shopping for shoes...

You know...shopping for shoes should not be a punishment of the magnitude Aidyn makes it. It took us literally hours and hours to find him a pair of winter boots today. Every pair had a problem that made him spaz out in his characteristic manner. Either the tag rubbed his leg...the top of the boot was too tight...the laces scratched his skin...ARGH! I would have gladly settled for just finding problems with sizes...but no, not for my little psychotic shoe shopper. He literally threw an all-out hissy fit over shoes! He didn't have temper tantrums like this at 2, let alone 6. We finally found a pair that he is willing to give a try...but only after I take the linings out...take all of the tags off and trim any excess "fluffiness" away from his ankles. Goodness gracious greatness!!!

After the boot fiasco and literally six different stores, I was finally committed to throwing in the towel. He needs a new pair of house slippers too, but after trying about 10 pair on, I gave up. He wants the impossible! It should not be this hard to get my kid shod. I know tags bother him and fabrics bother him and hard soles bother him and "fluffy" shoes bother him...but what in the world! Sometimes I just lose patience and want to pull my hair out. I'm going gray from shoe shopping, I swear.

Playing through the pain

ARGH!!! I am so tired of being sore...I am tired of hurting! I am tired out constantly aching in places that aren't even polite to mention in mixed company! So this is a bit of a gripe post, so forgive me ahead of time.

It seems that I am constantly in some form of "rehab" for various exercise ailments. When I first started walking, I had wicked problems with plantar fascitis. My foot hurt so much that walking from the couch to the bathroom was agony. Then, while that still flares up from time to time, came the the shin splints. Once I nursed the shin splints and finally healed enough to really run, more disaster strikes. Now its "piriformis syndrome"...which is just wedMD's way of saying that I have muscles pinching and compressing my sciatic nerve. Will this never end? I had been doing so well...my weight was on the downhill again and I got sidelined again for more pain. It seems I am always pulling, straining or tearing something.

I am not a whiner...well, I am a whiner. Who am I kidding? But I have tried to "play through the pain" and I have learned that I just hurt myself worse or end up taking longer to recover. I'm not exactly a world-class athlete here...I just want to run and lift a little. Is that so hard? So this morning I plan on a great run...I've taken a couple days off to recoup. I am psyched and ready to go. Through the warm-up I am a little tight, but I figure I can push through. I get about a mile or so into the run and absolutely feel great. I keep up the pace and about at mile 2 I start hurting a little. By the time I hit mile 3 I am in agony and have to stop. Stupid hip. How long is this going to take to heal???

A little about Asperger’s Syndrome...

Asperger's Disorder was first described in the 1940s by Viennese pediatrician Hans Asperger who observed autistic-like behaviors and difficulties with social and communication skills in boys who had normal or above average intelligence and language development. Many professionals felt Asperger's Disorder was simply a milder form of autism and used the term "high-functioning autism" to describe these individuals. Professor Uta Frith, with the Institute of Cognitive Neuroscience of University College London and author of Autism and Asperger Syndrome, describes individuals with Asperger's Disorder as "having a dash of Autism." Asperger's Disorder was added to the American Psychiatric Association's Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM-IV) in 1994 as a separate disorder from autism. However, there are still many professionals who consider Asperger's Disorder a less severe form of autism.

What distinguishes Asperger's Disorder from autism is the severity of the symptoms and the absence of language delays. Children with Asperger's Disorder may be only mildly affected and frequently have good language and cognitive skills. To the untrained observer, a child with Asperger's Disorder may just seem like a normal child behaving differently.

Children with autism are frequently seen as aloof and uninterested in others. This is not the case with Asperger's Disorder. Individuals with Asperger's Disorder usually want to fit in and have interaction with others; they simply don't know how to do it. They may be socially awkward, not understanding of conventional social rules. Interests in a particular subject may border on the obsessive. Children with Asperger's Disorder frequently like to collect categories of things, such as rocks or bottle caps. They may be proficient in knowing categories of information, such as baseball statistics or Latin names of flowers. While they may have good rote memory skills, they have difficulty with abstract concepts.

One of the major differences between Asperger's Disorder and autism is that, by definition, there is no speech delay in Asperger's. In fact, children with Asperger's Disorder frequently have good language skills; they simply use language in different ways. Speech patterns may be unusual, lack inflection or have a rhythmic nature or it may be formal. These children benefit greatly from speech therapy to learn articulation and inflection. Children with Asperger's Disorder may not understand the subtleties of language, such as irony and humor, or they may not understand the give and take nature of a conversation. They often take everything said literally and to heart.

Another distinction between Asperger's Disorder and autism concerns cognitive ability. While some individuals with Autism experience mental retardation, by definition a person with Asperger's Disorder cannot possess a "clinically significant" cognitive delay and most possess an average to above average intelligence. While motor difficulties are not a specific criteria for Asperger's, children with Asperger's Disorder frequently have motor skill delays and may appear clumsy or awkward and require occupational and/or physical therapy.

The uniqueness of each individual with autism or Asperger's makes the experience of raising a child with these issues different for each family. But there are some consistent themes or issues that most families will want to be aware to be able to provide the best support to the individual and to family members.

Autism Society of America
2008

Remember how a couple months back when Aidyn was constantly going to doctor's appointments, therapy sessions and a host of other specialists? Remember when I swore that eventually we find something that explained all of our issues with speech, OT, PT and social situations? Apparently there is a name to cover them all according to Children's Hospital's evaluation on Aidyn...its called Asperger Syndrome.

Don't go looking for trouble...or you'll find it.

The day has come...

It has finally happened. I've turned into that stereotypical mom that you see in movies and on sitcoms. You know the scene...mom stumbles out of bed, puts on her ancient, ratty, 10 year old robe and trips to the coffee maker. She then stands over the machine until her blessed coffee is ready and drinks like its the nectar of the gods. Her hair is sticking out in eighteen different directions and she then yells insane one liners like "No Sportscenter before 8 AM" or "You can't check your fantasy football lineup before you leave for the bus stop" (this is at AIDYN, not Chas!) and "No, today is not a mohawk day...how about rockstar hair instead?"

Yep...that's me. And funny thing is...I don't like coffee that much. I mean...I love coffee in the Starbucks or Panera coffee-shop sense...mocha lattes and caps...I love the richness of the whole cream and the flavor of sweet syrups...so good! Plain, black coffee never held a great appeal for me. Maxwell House was for my grandmother. But lately, it has become the panacea to all that ails me. I've even begun to justify the 26 calories I have to add to each cup...1 tsp of sugar and 1/8 cup skim milk. This morning, for fun I used unsweetened chocolate Almond Breeze for a little change-up. No more french vanilla roast or hazelnut blends...plain, black coffee. What's become of me?

On a side note...funny story yesterday. I went to Wal-mart site-to-store to pick up my mom's Zen for Christmas. This is not a public announcement...Aidyn already told her that she was getting it, so she actually picked out exactly what she wanted. Anyway...I show the girl my ID and she calls over a supervisor...she thinks the ID doesn't match me. I love the incompetence of Wal-mart at large. I had to explain to the supervisor that I had lost 80 lbs since that ID picture was taken. I showed them my college ID as proof that I was indeed me. A very intricate process to get the Zen...but it kinda made my day. I hadn't had anyone look at my ID and not actually think it was me. Even the incompetent Wal-mart girl and her unreasonable fear that I somehow hacked into someone's email, stole their bar code receipt and credit card, as well as two IDs simply to get a mp3 player made me smile.

Now I'm off to put in my treadmill time...

The weather outside is frightful...

The weather outside is frightful...

Well, okay. Frightful is a bit strong of a word. But its blustery and cold and wet and altogether unfit for woman nor beastie dog to run outside anymore. When I took Aid to the bus stop this morning, it took all I had in me not to start up that car and sit down there, letting off exhaust fumes and polluting the air like the rest of the moms (who were toastie warm in their SUVs). No...I stood my ground and stomped my feet to keep up circulation. And I threw in the towel and decided that a run today would be out of the question unless I wanted a massive asthma flare to follow me through the day.

So I come home to my trusty treadmill...and oh how I hate my trusty treadmill. Some people swear that running on a treadmill is so much easier than actually running on turf. These people have apparently never run on the fossil/relic of a treadmill that I have acquired. This is torture akin to Bush tactics and the shin splints are nasty to deal with. However, I can't use the gym at school for another month, so I am going to have to deal with the inconvenience of my dinosaur treadmill and run.

That said, I think that I'm going to jump into the middle of the C25K program to get back into treadmill running. I know it sounds insane, but I am definitely going to have to build up my treadmill endurance to make running this winter feasible. I think if I start at week 4 or 5 I should be alright...say a prayer for my shins now.

Other than my whining and pining for the gym, nothing else to report. I did finally make a facebook profile, so if you guys are over there, feel free to add me. The entire reason I got a myspace profile was to keep in touch with my friends, but they all seem to be hanging out over there...so now I trot over like the sheeple I am. Oh well...I'm sure once the next craze comes along, I'll still be a year or so behind it as well.

This is for all the ladies (and gentlemen, I guess...)

who are looking into healthier alternatives to old favorites. I have noticed several of my friends are kicking a healthier lifestyle into high gear and I applaud you!! The difference you will feel is tremendous. There is nothing in the world liking fitting into the next size smaller pants or buying a new, trendy item of clothing that your old body never would have looked good in before!

This is not an easy road to follow...you will stumble. But pick yourself up off the couch after that ohh-so-bad splurge on pizza (or my arch-nemesis, chicken wings!) and eat clean the next day. Your body will thank you for it. Just remember...those three lbs that it took you a month to lose will be on the scale tomorrow after that splurge. And don't panic...they will come back off after another week. Don't get discouraged. Just live with it.

So here are my tips of the week...

1. Get thee to the library today! I went there myself yesterday to pick up my copy of Hungry Girl by Lisa Lillien. Awesome cookbook on how to turn favorites that are super bad for you into something you can fit into your calories for the day. Look through and find some ones you like and put them into your recipe file.

2. Seriously think about watching your intake on a place like Calorie Count (google it...). Its free and takes only about 10 minutes out of your day to log calories. You will be shocked how much you are eating without even realizing it. Spend a week logging calories before you even try cutting back.

3. Find out what your BMR (basal metabolic rate) is. You can do this on lots of sites on the net. This allows you to cut your calories to the appropriate amount to lose. For instance, my BMR is 1970 calories approximately. This means that just by existing I burn that many calories. If you exercise, its even more. So I know that I can cut calories to the appropriate amount to lose. If you weigh more, you can eat more and lose more with more calories. Otherwise your body will hold on to that fat for dear life! Never cut more than 1000 calories off of your BMR and never go below 1200 if you are a woman or 1500 if you are a guy.

This means that at 1970 burned daily-1250 calorie intake=720 calories a day deficit for me...
That calculates to 5040 calories in deficit a week and about 1.5 lbs a week loss. (5040/3500(3500=calories in a lb of fat)). Figure yours out and set your calorie target around it!

Just keep trying!! Special shout outs to Lisa and Reina for trying to get into the swing of things!! Keep going ladies! It can be done...

The continued attacks being waged by Halloween candy...

If that is true, I have recently turned into either a Reese's cup, a Snickers bar or a KitKat. The scourge of Halloween has hit hard in this household. But I have retaliated...I think that I will be able to resist the lure of the remaining candy. How you ask? Simple, really. I have eaten everything that I like...the rest of the chocolate went home with my mom and the stuff left here is chewy/gummy stuff that is lacking in chocolate or peanut butter (both essential nutrients!)

I've gained about six lbs in a week...or at least I think I've gained three lbs of chocolate and about 3 lbs of water weight from being dehydrated. So now I'm back at being good...AGAIN. Its not so terrible. We have a wedding in three weeks that I was hoping to be at 185 for, but I think I am going to have to settle for 190 and be glad for that. The chocolate has a hefty fee...lol.

All of this aside, I'm feeling pretty good about myself right now. You know that feeling you get when you've actually accomplished something you figured you would put off indefinitely? That's me today...its a nice feeling. When I posted those weight loss pics I really took a look...and I am proud of myself. Even if I don't lose another pound, I have done something great for myself. That is an accomplishment!! I know that I will lose more weight, but I find that I am coming to grips with the slower loss and I'm okay with that. It will all eventually disappear!

40 lbs until I sleep...

Alright, I'm not exactly Robert Frost, or even much of a poet in general. However, today as I climbed on the scales, I realized that I have gotten under 40 lbs to go to hit my goal weight. That is an accomplishment! I started out hoping to lose enough to get down to 250 last year, and with luck I will be at 150 in midsummer 2009. Yeah for me! 40 lbs seems a very doable goal for me at the moment. I usually work in minigoals...but this is almost minigoal enough to be perfect!

Berating myself and the chickens of the world...

Weakness...shear laziness and weakness and a host of other emotions cause me to binge. I know as I'm putting the food in my mouth that I'm going to regret it, but still I continue to forge ahead with bad habits, using the justification that I deserve it. I think that the American public overuses that sentiment, as do I when it comes to foods I want and can't have. I speak of chicken wings. Again.

For the third week in a row we went to Dino's for wings on a Monday night...and for the third week in a row I will gain weight and slip backwards in weight from salt gain. Argh. Why do I do this to myself? I am sabotaging myself with chicken fat! But...the alternatives aren't nearly so appealing...grilled tuna and couscous just doesn't have the same kick as Yuengling and wings.

So should I beat myself up or accept a weekly splurge into 2000 calorie territory? I have yet to decide. It really depends on whether or not I really want justification for my actions. I was 194.6 today...I broke 195. But I know that I will be back up to 200 tomorrow morning. Were those wings worth 5 lbs of water weight? I'm not totally sure. They definitely were at the time. I don't know what to think. I just want to see a lower number on the scale and the way I'm working isn't helping me out any.

Cheer up, Kris. Get your act in gear and get some work done tomorrow. Eat clean and drink a ton of water to flush the system! You can recover for your 2000 calorie debacle. Chalk it up to a maintaining day and be done with it. Think positive thoughts!

New Low for me!

196.0! Woohoo! Eating 1200 calories a day is essential, dearie...keep it up!

Yesterday was good...we went to the Haunted Trail at Twin Lakes with A and J and had a ball with the vampire and the phantom. The trip finished up with a trip to McD's and I still was down in weight today. Now all I have to do is get my workout in and stay productive.

Ouch...

I feel (or appropriated slipped) down the back stairs this afternoon. The whole left side of my body from my arm to my back to my hip ACHES! Plus, Chas is off the next two days and I wanted to do hard workouts. Suck timing to get hurt...argh!

Welcome to One-derland!

Well, its finally happened...I'm under 200 lbs 10-3. Its taken 13 months of imperfect dieting and lifestyle changes to get me to this place. I still "have miles to go before I sleep" (aka maintain), but I feel some acknowledgment of this accomplishment is noteworthy. I have hovered the past week around the weight though...its as though I can achieve 199, but going any lower isn't going to happen any time soon. The lowest I have seen so far is 197.6, but that was a split second four days ago. Argh...what to do? I am falling into that uncertain land of dipping calories much too low...its a seductive mistress...lower numbers from less food. Why does it seem 1200 calories is the evil number that is keeping me stuck in the high 190s. I know if I stick to this I will make it work, but my patience is wearing thin...if only I could as well!

Somewhere...someone...something!

I have a bad case of cabin fever. Its been setting in slowly over the past days, but the vengeful groundhog has spewed it venomous predictions into the mind of Old Man Winter...and here I sit in a house surrounded by snow and ice and blah. I want out so badly its insane. There is nothing to do that isn't old and dull and just...blech. I want warm weather in the worst kind of way.

Clomid baby! The wonder drug that I hope works wonders!

I'm not posting this on the other blog...we have decided that we aren't going to say anything to most because of the reactions we are inclined to get. I wouldn't mind telling, but Chas is hesitant to say much. Now if I get pregnant...things change. I want to keep it quiet for awhile until we know that everything "sticks", but Chas wants to announce it to the world. Funny how different we are. I think he's worried what his friends and family would say. Mine are thrilled...we aren't sure about the reaction of his. So...we stay quiet. Or as quiet as you can while still posting it on the internet for all the world to read...

That said, I am starting my first round of Clomid with the beginning of the next cycle. I have to take it on cycle days 5-9 to stimulate ovulation. It has affectionately been dubbed "Bitch in a Bottle" by those who have taken it, and I am hoping this isn't the case for me. All I need is hormonal imbalances on top of infertility. But...we are truly hoping that in the next three months...something wonderful will happen!

Something happening...finally!

Well, two weeks have gone by without any significant weight loss. I have simply not been eating enough calories to allow me to lose weight. As soon as I allow myself to "cheat" a little and go up to 1500 or 1800 calories, I lose weight. I know that I should bump up the calories, but its so damned hard to do it. The old eating disorder in me says that more food=more fat. I know better than this! I am going to diligently try to up my calories to the 1400-1500 and just deal with it.

This said, I have lost two lbs since the end of January. This is okay, but by no means acceptable. I am still meatless (excluding Sundays, of course) because of Lent and its not been terribly difficult this time around. Last year I seemed to struggle with it so much. I think that the boys doing it with me is helping immensely. There is less desire for meat if there isn't a nice piece of grilled chicken sitting in front of me. We are taking this pescetarian lifestyle switch seriously, and I really want to try to make it semi-permanent. Its not that I am becoming an animal rights activist...its more a conscious decision to better myself. Now I just have to convince Chas to stick to it. That's the harder sell.

Making this for myself...

I keep picking up and leaving this blog. I'm so much better about my MS...its just easier to deal with. But I want something that I can look back on during this weight loss journey and look on as more of a diary for myself and my moods. So now I will try again.

Today I feel crumby. I am dizzy and nauseous and just plain yucky. I am at 936 cal for the day so far and I know that I need to eat more. I just can't think of a thing worth eating that isn't going to catapult me over 1200 and into the range of...I don't know, whatever it is that happens over 1200. I know that I should probably be eating more than that anyways, but I just keep thinking that denying myself will quicken the loss. I tell other people this isn't the case, and to be more responsible, but I don't follow that dictate myself very well.

I tested my blood sugar tonight out of curiosity since I feel so crumby...90. That's two hours after I ate. Seems a little low to a girl that is supposed to have insulin resistance issues. I know that this happened last month though. Is there something about the very beginning of my cycle that is chemically kicking my arse? Guess I'll just have to wait and see.

I am thinking about a PB sandwich right now...maybe I will put one on the grill when Chas gets home. He didn't get the job :( so he'll be miserable, poor guy. He tries so hard.

Proof I’ve gone absolutely mad...

I picked Aidyn up from school today and was a little hungry when I got home. No problem I thought, I'll just make myself a little snack. So I run into the kitchen, glance at the fridge and pull out a few things and start measuring. (Yes, I know I'm obsessed..that's the whole point of this.) I prep my snack and come into the livingroom to catch the tale end of Scooby Doo with Aidyn. Aidyn then proceeds to ask what I'm eating...hoping of course to get some if it suits his palate. My reply is...

Raw cabbage with salsa and milled flax seed

Then I heard what I said to myself. I am insane! I was thinking just before Aidyn asked that I had created a yummy little snack. Then when I actually spoke aloud the words, I realized I'm insane. That's not a snack...its a colon cleanse. What has happened to me? And now as I stare longingly at the empty bowl, I wish I could have more. I'm so sad an individual. I need to get out more.

Rant against the government for the day...

The laws of physics and gravity are conspiring against us....and, some days, I think our government, men, food manufacturers and bottled water corporations are in league with them as well. Cheer up though! I have it on the best authority that being a conspiracy theorist burns calories. In my mind, all bad things in this world can be blamed on one of FOUR things ...

1. Humidity

2. Republicans

3. Carbohydrates

4. Satan

Soooo..... take your pick and blame one of those four things!!! In our situation today, the problem is clearly Republicans. Grrr...... those pesky suits!

http://www.breitbart.com/article.php?id=D8UCD VSO1&show_article=1

Congressional leaders announced a deal with the White House Thursday on an economic stimulus package that would give most tax filers refunds of $600 to $1,200, and more if they have children.

(SNIP)

Individuals who pay income taxes would get up to $600, working couples $1,200 and those couples with children an additional $300 per child under the agreement. Workers who make at least $3,000 but don't pay taxes would get $300 rebates

(SNIP)

They're trying to stimulate the economy, right? Free money! Woohoo!

Wait...didn't they do this a couple of years ago? And didn't people use the money to pay off credit card debt? And then wasn't everyone upset because they got lower refunds or actually had to pay the next year?

Actually, it's just an "advance" on your tax refund for NEXT year... which will be correspondingly lower. And don't forget...they'll make you pay taxes on it for 2008 also...gotta love it!

Sounds like a serious attempt by the Bush administration to make it look that the economy that is snowballing its way into a recession is healthy. Then...if the Dems actually get their act together and get into office...they will look like idiots this time next year after the inauguration as people complain about having lower tax returns and a recession in full swing.

Gotta love politics.

Anthropomorphizing my scale...

Do you ever wonder if gravity is conspiring against you? With your scale? To drive you nuts? Do you step on your scale over and over again in the hopes that you can get the weight down just a teensy bit??? Hee hee hee! I do this! In fact, I think I do so MUCH "scale stepping" that I actually burn calories.

I am not too proud to admit that (in addition to getting weighed butt nekkid), I've tried (1) holding my breathe; (2) exhaling; (3) standing on one foot; and (4) going to the bathroom ..... JUST TO SEE IF I CAN GET THE SCALE TO SHOW WHAT I WANT IT TO SHOW! If anyone ever had a candid camera on me (and what a scary prospect that would be), they would see me holding my breathe, balancing on one foot, and trying to look down at the scale .... all without falling off and killing one of the dogs!

Today, I like Mr. Scale ... because I lost weight. But I've put him on notice that this may well be an on-again, off-again romance ... depending on his next weigh-in.

6:01 PM - 0 Comments - 0 Kudos - Add Comment - Edit - Remo

Diet foods that I cannot live without...

So as I travel and travail on my diet journey, I find new and interesting foods that make me truly wonder how I ever lived without them. This week in my foray into diet land I was back at the Co-op (East End Food Co-op, Wilkensburg, PA). I stumbled across the most yummy black bean tortilla chips by Guiltless Gourmet. They are 130 cal, 3 g fat, 2 g fiber and basically awesome. To top it off, 18 yummy chips is a serving and they are certified organic. Only $2.17 to make a happy tummy!

Chas is also trying to rededicate himself to the diet craze that has swept our home. He hates yogurt, but this whole Dannon Activia line with the tummy friendly enzymes is a great thing for him. He tries the strawberry Activia with craisins for a snack...about 240 calories, 2 g fat, 3 g fiber, 8 g protein. Yum!

Aidyn's selection is vegan Boca Burgers...he thinks they are great vegetables! At first we tried to trick him into thinking it was chicken to make sure he would try it, but then he asked what part of the chicken it was. We finally 'fessed up that it was veggies and he said they were great veggies. So what better recommendations can I give?

$2.53 Spicy Thai Couscous with Asian veggie slaw...

This is an awesome meal...cheap and easy. All you need is:

3/4 cup nonfat plain yogurt
1/4 cup peanut butter
4 tbsp light soy sauce
1/8 cup (or more if you like it really spicy) Red Hot
1 tbsp lemon juice

Blend together and pour over 1 cup prepared couscous (1 cup dried couscous and 1.5 cups water/veggie broth...place in microwave for five minutes and voila)...yum! You can make the sauce while the couscous is cooking.

Pictsweet makes a great frozen Asian veggie mix (on sale at Wal-mart this week for $1.28 a bag)...1 g fat, 200 mg sodium. Place veggies in microwave for 5 minutes while your setting the table...

Costs:

Couscous: $0.75
Sauce: Ingredients in fridge, so maybe $0.50
Veggies: $1.28

Grand total: $2.53 for four servings, or $0.64 a serving for an incredible meal in under ten minutes and about 260 calories! Add a grilled chicken breast or spinach salad if you're looking to up the calorie value.