Healthier Me Again

Starting weight 142 lbs.

Treadmill....30 minutes, walk/run

Starting a running program since I am not a avid runner that will increase my ability to run longer distances and periods of time.

May Time

Jasmine and Me Month

Softball...Mondays & Wednesdays (6:00-7:30)

I love playing softball with Jasmine's team and she is still in the age where she isn't embarrassed by her parents. The rides to and from the practices are fun too she actually talks to me, it doesn't hit me that talking to your kids is important until we get home to the chaos and she tells me that she likes it when we get to talk. Hmmmm...that is an eye opening moment.

I just hope to get Chris involved with this too, because she doesn't really talk to him much.

Final Menu Recap

This Menu was a little hard to adhere too because of everyone's crazy schedules. With the weather nicer out dinners are harder to plan, but I was able to stick to most of it. The spaghetti pie went out the window but we had Chris's hotdish instead and we never did end up grilling either. I am not sure what we did to replace my free day, but I am sure we did something. That just shows you if I don't plan stuff out I am totally oblivious about the meal until a kid comes up to me and says, "whats for dinner".

Next weeks is harder too because of the holidays.....

Caden's Cause Thursday
BBQ grill Friday (try again)
Fajitas Saturday
Easter Sunday
Chicken Enchiladas Monday
Lasagna Tuesday (store bought)
Chicken Kiev Wednesday

Trying to make up for the other days and store bought meals by not eating out or doing pizza night this week.

New Week

Spent $141.32 on groceries this week, hopefully that lasts for awhile....

Menu

Lasagna (homemade) Wednesday
BBQ Pork Sandwiches Thursday
Chicken Pot Pie Friday
BBQ on Grill Saturday
Spaghetti Pie Sunday
Fried Chicken Monday
?????? Tuesday (can't remember)

Menu Follow Up???

We did fairly good on the menu thing last week minus a few exceptions. For five of the days we followed it to the T, but on Monday we had leftovers instead. That was nice to clean out the refrigerator and it still saved on money because I wasn't able to find all the ingredients for pizza casserole anyway. On Tuesday, I splurged on White Castle (besides cravings) I had a few bucks left over and we aren't doing pizza night on Wednesday either. So I don't think the week went too bad, especially since over the weekend we had two extra eaters in the house too.

Grocery Day

$200.00
- 100.00 (rounding up)
$100.00
- 10.00 (Papa Murphy's pizza night)
$90.00
-?????? (Target stuff...diapers, laundry detergent)


Weekly Menu

Wednesday: Pizza Night
Thursday: 1st official grill night
Friday: Sweet & Sour Chix and fixings
Saturday: Chix Alfredo
Sunday: Baked Taco
Monday: Pizza Casserole
Tuesday: Salisbury Steaks

I am shooting to keeping the weekly menus different for at least two weeks in a row.

2nd Attempt Follow Up

Okay so the week was long and here are a few things I had to add to the list.

$25.01 Gas
$16.03 Milk run
$15.37 Dairy Queen
$38.00 Patrick's French Bakery
$20.00 Beer (4 Chris)

2nd Attempt Details

$200.00 weekly budget
-$ 96.00 groceries (menu below)
$104.00
-$ 9.99 pizza night
$ 94.99
-$20.00 target stuff (soap, napkins, paper towels, all purpose cleaner)
-----------
$ 74.99 left

Weekly Menu
Wednesday: Pizza Night (Papa Murphy's)
Thursday: Roast Beef Sandwiches & Roasted Veggies (green beans, peppers & onions)
Friday: Ravioli Casserole
Saturday: Picnic Loaf w/ chips
Sunday: Tacos w/ chips
Monday: Beef Stroganoff w/ potatoes (style ????)
Tuesday: Pepper Steak w/ glazed carrots

Estimation 8-(

I thought I was doing really good with the grocery thing today but I forgot all about the unexpected things that come up too. I put myself up with the automatic transfer thing through the bank so some of my money goes into savings right away and then I take the rest out in cash so I have it in hand to know what I have to spend. Well.....I am trying to stick to $200.00 a week because I know that is closer to what we are going to be on when I actually run out of unenjoyment (as Chris says). So I figure I need to learn now how to live off that, so here it goes.

$220.00 (extra $20 from previous week)
- 140.00 (Groceries)
$80.00
- $20.00 (Jasmine skating night, still haven't gotten the change back)
$60.00
- $20.00 (Chris ran out of beer, supposedly on loan and I get it back MAYBE)
$40.00 (left for the rest of the weekend until next Wednesday)

Plus I still have to put gas in my van, but after Friday I don't really have to leave the house until next Tuesday for Jayna's school again so if I don't put gas in the van I think I will make it still. Budgeting sucks I hope we don't have any other things come up otherwise I am hosed.

March 1st, Day One, Week One

Savings = 436.00-300.00=136.00

Transfered 300.00 to checking

Spent 235.00 just today



Bought: Target

TP, jelly beans, 1 plastic bin, screw hooks, oreos, TP holder, Towel ring,



Bought: IKEA

shelving, closet rods, cutting board, lint roller, spice holder, side table, undercabinet organizer,

Febuary- Declutter Month

UPDATE: 142 lbs

For the first room to declutter: My bedroom, here is a what I did....

CLEAN, CLEAN, CLEAN and here is what I got....

1 bag of clothes to donate
1 bag of shoes to donate...size 7
1 bag of trash
2 bags of clothes to be washed...about 7 loads

AND this was only what was in my closet and on the floor (2 x 6 sq ft) I didn't even look under the bed. When I say bags I mean the big black flex bags that you can shoved ALOT into it. So I am scared what the rest of the house will look like.

NEXT ROOM...KITCHEN.

Saturday, wk 3

Meal Plan: 1200-1300 cal.

Breakfast: (Hockey)
1/2c. gardettos.............................................................150 cal
20 oz Holiday coffee.....................................................250 cal

Lunch:
two breadsticks (pizza hut)........................................280 cal

Snack:
a few M&Ms (green)..................................................?????
diet coke.....................................................................0 cal

Dinner:
1c. salad.....................................................................?????
little cesear pizza...................................................??????
birthday cake.......................................................??????
1/2 c. ice cream...................................................??????

Snack:
a few more M&Ms....................................................?????
diet green tea............................................................0 cal

Total Intake Calories............................................?????

Final Thoughts:
Okay not the best of days again. I am getting the hang of things but the weekends are awful because you never know what you are doing and how to plan ahead for those times. Aahhhh!!! I do know that having junk food around the house is bad news for me and stocking the healthy stuff is really expensive too.

Friday, wk 3

Meal Plan: 1200-1300 Calories


Breakfast:
Cereal....................................160 cal


Lunch:
BK, whopper jr..................................370 cal
small fry............................................221 cal
diet coke............................................0 cal


snack:
diet snapple....................................0 cal


Dinner:
salad............................................105 cal
1/2 chicken w/shake n bake.........160 cal
pineapple.........................................41 cal
watermelon....................................23 cal
broccoli cheddar soup (1c.).........233 cal

Total Intake Calories....................1313 cal

Final Thoughts:
I thought this day was completely blown by what I was eating, but I was also making the conscience decision not to take the seconds when I really wanted it. Plus when we went to BK I didn't finish all my fries even though I really wanted too. I guess when they do talk about portion control they know what they are talking about.

Thursday, wk 3

Meal Plan: 1200-1300 Calories

Breakfast:
Cereal..........................................160 cal

Lunch:
took a nap

Snack:
1/2 c. milk..................................45 cal
3 Oreos......................................160 cal

Dinner:
Rocco's Pizza................................?????
3 slices & 2 slices of pizza fries (like cheese pizza)
1 diet coke.......................................0 cal

Total Calorie Intake...........................365 cal without the pizza so I think I am okay and somewhere in the range of things.

UPDATE:
1 SMIRNOFF RAZZ.................................249 cal
1c. POPCORN.............................................30 cal

Final Thoughts:
Had a really long days with hardly any sleep, so I took the much needed nap with Tony today and surprisingly enough he took a 5 hour nap. I think I slept on and off for the whole time.
KIDS DROVE ME TO DRINK :-) TRIED TO GO TO BED EARLY BUT IT WAS JUST CHAOS WITH CHRIS FIELDING CALLS AND KIDS WHINING.

Wednesday, wk 3

Meal Plan: 1200-1300 Calories


Breakfast:
Cereal....................................160 cal


Lunch:
Lunchable..............................370 cal


Dinner:
2 1/2 roast beef sandwiches w/cheese..........................90 + 180 + 187 = 457 cal
1/4 c. pineapple................................................................41.5 cal
1/4 c. watermelon............................................................23 cal
1 diet coke......................................................................0 cal


Snack:
1 diet Lipton green tea....................................................0 cal

Total Calorie Intake.............................................1051.5 calories

Final Thought:
Not too shabby for a school night. I thought I was doing really bad but when your sandwiches are on the tiny dinner roll buns I guess it plays games on your thinking. So before it gets too late I might eat some popcorn.

Tuesday, wk 3

Meal Plan: 1200-1300 Calories

Breakfast:
Cereal.......................160 cal

Lunch:
McDonald's Southwest salad.......................420

Snack:
Trail Mix............................160 cal

Dinner:
4oz spaghetti...................400 cal
4 meatballs..........................180 cal
1/4 c. sauce........................30 cal

Snack:
1 c. milk...................................90 cal
6 Oreo....................................270 cal

Total Calorie Intake....................1710 cal

Final Thoughts:
I realize on school nights dinner won't be the healthiest because class starts right at dinner time and I don't get a chance to fix anything that might be time consuming. Okay I didn't need to eat all of those cookies either but I had to study and Chris was out on a service call.

Monday AGAIN, week 3

Meal Plan: 1200-1300 Calories

Breakfast:
Slept In............................o cal

Lunch:
Cereal................................160 cal

Snack:
celery & broccoli w/2Tbsp dressing.................85 cal
1/2 grilled cheese w/ c. soup...................251 + 180 cal

Dinner:
KFC
1 breast of chicken no skin...................370
1/2 c. coleslaw..........................180
1 biscuit.....................................180
1 diet snapple............................0 cal

Total Calorie Intake............................1406 Calories

Final Thoughts:
Today was pretty good. I was able to eat KFC and not eat everything under the sun. I passed on the mash potatoes and potato wedges, which I love. The numbers are probably lower since the only calorie count I could find was with skin and I didn't eat the skin.

Sunday, Wk 2

Meal Plan:1200-1300 cal


Breakfast:
Cereal......................160 cal

Lunch:
Lean Cuisine......................280 cal
1 c. milk...................................90 cal
4 Oreos.................................240 cal

Dinner: (watching the game:-( )
Fish Fry
Potatoes
Salad
Chips and Dip
2 Beers

Total Calorie Intake.........................?????

Final Thoughts:
I see why the tell you to have a pre-game meal plan because they are usually an assortment of foods your not suppose to eat. I think next year I am going to have game day at our house because then I can control what is going to be served.

Saturday, Wk 2

Meal Plan: 1200-1300 Calories

Breakfast:
Hockey (Got up late and had to hurry out the door)


Lunch:
Soup..............................160 cal
2 lettuce wraps..............80 cal
diet Snapple.....................0 cal


Dinner:
3 oz pasta..........................200 cal
2 oz polish sausage.................170 cal
6 asparagus.........................28 cal


Snack:
4 double stuff oreos...................240 cal
1 1/4 cup milk............................135 cal


Total Calorie Intake...................1013

Final Thoughts:
Skipping breakfast isn't what I was aiming for but it was a busy morning.

Friday, Wk 2

Meal Plan: 1200-1300

Breakfast:
cereal...........160 cal

Lunch:
LeanCuisine...............280 cal
Cupcake................100 cal

Snack:
Trail Mix...................160 cal

Dinner:
Meatloaf..........................294 cal
ketchup.............................60 cal
1/2 c. mash potatoes.................200 cal
2 Tbsp corn............................66 cal
1 cn diet coke..................0 cal

Total Calorie Intake..............1320 calories

AFTER THE FACT SNACK:
SNICKERS ICE CREAM..............300 CALS

NEW Total Calorie Intake....................1620 cals

Final Thoughts:
It was the second piece of meatloaf that did me in. I went ahead and made this comfort meal for Jasmine and Chris, you know the traditional meat and potato people, and then they are gone for the meal. Jasmine choose to go to a friends house and Chris got a service call. Oh well right, but seeing all that food there is really a down fall because I don't want to see it go to waste so I ALWAYS seem to go for seconds.

MY DOWN FALL...A NIGHT WITHOUT KIDS AND HUSBAND...LAYOUT ON THE COUCH AND WATCH MY MOVIE WITH ICE CREAM. OH WELL IT ONLY HAPPENS ONCE IN AWHILE RIGHT?????

Thursday, Wk 2

Meal Plan: 1200-1300 Calories


Breakfast:

Cereal...........160 cal


Lunch:

Lunchable............370 cal

...mini turkey sub w/mayo & tomato
...water with kool aid mix
...mini vanilla waffers
...apple sauce


GREAT LITTLE MEAL ALL IN ONE

Dinner:

Stuff Chicken......320 cal

steamed broccoli...........44 cal

1/4 c. stove top stuffing............75 cal

1 diet snapple.................0 cal

Snack:

Trailmix............160 cal

Total Calorie Intake...........1129 calories

Final Thoughts:

It is week two but doesn't get any easier does it? Oh well that is why they say it is a life change and if it was easy than everyone would do it.

Wednesday, Wk 2

Meal Plan: 1200-1300 Calories

Breakfast:
Cereal............160 cal

Lunch:
LeanCuisine Meal..............280 cal
1 diet Dr. Pepper...............0 cal

Snack:
Pretzel Sticks..............90 cal

Dinner:
Papa Murphy's Pizza................700 cal
1 diet coke................0 cal

Total Calorie Intake...........1230 cal

Final Thoughts:
Better day but I found myself hungry at about 3:00 even after eating my snack. Had to splurge tonight for dinner because it was my first day of online classes.

Tuesday, wk 2

Meal Plan: 1200-1300 Trying it again


Breakfast:
Cereal......160 cal



Lunch: McDonald's (I know again)
Cheeseburger........300 cal
Fruit & Yogurt salad........210 cal
1 diet Dr. pepper...........o cal


Snack:
Trail Mix........160 cal


Dinner:
Salad.............100 cal
...2 oz turkey
...1 med. tomato
...lettuce
...2 Tbsp lite dressing
1 cn diet coke...........0 cal


Snack:

Grasshopper cookies.......100 cal
Popcorn (7.5 c).......112.5 cal

Total Calorie Intake............1142.5 calories


Final Thoughts:
I did much better today and didn't feel deprived and I still have extra calories to eat with Chris tonight!!!!

Monday Fun Day, Week Two

Meal Plan: Still Tweaking It



Breakfast: More like Brunch

2 med. chocolate chip pancakes...........525 cal

2 strips of bacon...........92 cal

1/2 egg (scrambled).............80 cal

1 diet coke..............0 cal



Lunch: Snackish

2 lettuce Wraps..........80 cal



Dinner: McDonald's

1 diet coke...........0 cal

1 cheeseburger.........300 cal

10 fries.........184 cal

1 sample chocolate mocha..........100 cal



Total Calorie Intake..............1361 calories



Final Thoughts:

Okay this was kind of like the weekend still since the kids had a three day weekend and Chris was home too. So eating like this is just an extension of my weekend. It is so much easier to stick to the routine when the kids and husband are away. So I am actually looking forward to the start of the week.

Sunday -- Ickier

Meal Plan: Out the Window


Breakfast:

2 pieces of cold Rocco's Pizza.........250 cal ?????


Lunch:

3 pieces of cold Rocco's Pizza......... 375 cal ????
(watching the Vikings play)


Snack:
8 oz hot chocolate...............128 cal
(snow tubing @ Afton)


Dinner:

6" Subway Turkey/Ham on Wheat.........315 cal (w/o cheese cal)
handful of chips...........350 cal (??? 3 oz)
16 0z orange crush pop..........260 cal (wowzer)


Total Calorie Intake..................1678 cal (WOW)


Final Thoughts:

Today I kind of chucked everything out the window but saw that I didn't go way over, but ate when I was hungry. I was surprise that I didn't eat more while watching the Vikings play. This is usually the time I eat, but luckily I had nothing in the house to munch on. I just have to make better choices. I see now that I could have made myself lettuce wraps instead of the pizza, but the pizza was just grab and go (easier). So I have to get myself out of that habit. Some stuff I see I wouldn't have ate but it was there like the soda, I usually don't drink non diet stuff and that added 260 cals to the day.

Saturday -- Icky

Meal Planner: Destroyed

Breakfast:
Cereal........160 cal

Lunch:
Leftover enchiladas........664 cal (including cheese)

Dinner:

6 pieces Rocco's Pizza (squares)..........750 cal
1 diet coke..........0 cal

Total Calorie Intake.................1574 Calories

Final Thoughts:

Having all the kids at the house without Chris is hard enough to deal with but add another kid into the mix and now we have Chaos. Jasmine had a friend over and having to make a meal for my kids that don't like my cooking is hard, but now I have another person that has to eat that is just as picky...no wonder I gave up cooking this weekend.

Last Note....I don't like to throw leftovers away but no one in this house seems to like to eat them. Well you can see by eating the leftovers I get to consume more calories too.

Day Five

Meal Plan: 1200-1300 Calories


Breakfast:

Egg McMuffin.......290 cal

Coffee........50 cal

Lunch:

1/8 Totino's Pizza........92.5 cal

1. lettuce wrap.......51.5 cal

Snack:

Trail Mix.......160 cal

Dinner:

Wendy's chicken sandwich..........?????cal

A few fries............??????cal

3 sips of a soda before I remembered that I was suppose to quit.............................???cal

Total Calorie Intake.....................?????? (I know it is way over)

Thoughts:

These days are the days I totally forget about what I am suppose to eat and get what is convient. During the day I am okay, because I can watch what I am eating and everything inside the house is there because I put it there, but as soon as I leave the house so does my brain. I must be on auto pilot, but I am focused on the kids and I forget to focus on me. Like they say if you fall off the horse jump up, brush off, and get back on. So tomorrow is another day.

Day Four

Meal Plan: 1200-1300 Calories

Breakfast:
Cereal......160 cal

Lunch:
Soup......160 cal
Lettuce Wrap.......74 cal
1 cn diet coke.......0 cal

Dinner:
2 med. enchiladas........554 cal
Salad......89 cal

Snack:
Trail Mix......160 cal
( 1/2 c.) milk......55 cal

Total Calories Intake...........1225 cal

Thoughts:
I was pleasantly pleased to see that I could still have dinner with the rest of the family and that I got to eat two enchiladas. This meal was delicious and I didn't feel deprived putting off my snacks for a larger dinner, bonus I still had room for a snack later in the evening.

Day Three

Meal Plan: 1200-1400 Calorie Intake

Breakfast:
Cereal.....160 cal

Lunch:
Sandwich......174 cal
1 med. apple.....82 cal

Snack:
Trailmix (3oz).....160 cal

Dinner:
Noodles (4oz).....420 cal
Sauce (4tsp).....90 cal
Salad.........90 cal

Snack:
mini cupcakes.....100 cal

Total Calorie Intake............1276 cal

Thoughts:
Meal planning sucks, but at the same time weighing out your food does give you a real sense of what you are eating and how much. For example, my turkey sandwiches for lunch actually gets more lunch meat than I would normally put on and on other hand my dinner of noodles tonight was a fraction of what I would normally eat. It shows that I LOVE pasta and totally my down fall. On the flip side, I have been cruising my BL cookbooks and some of the food is indescribable, and I have no idea where to buy it or how to cook it. Those experts are always saying if you can't pronounce it you shouldn't eat it, well is that the same in the BL cookbooks? Very Interesting.

Day Two

Meal Planner 1200-1400 Calorie Intake

Breakfast:
Sandwich..........190 cal
Coffee..........50 cal

Lunch:
Polish Sausage (2oz)..........110 cal
Sauerkraut (2Tbsp)..........5 cal
1 diet pop..........0 cal

Snack:
snack cakes..........100 cal

Dinner:
Spaghetti Pie..........576 cal
1 piece of bread..........120 cal

Snack:
Trail Mix (3oz)..........160 cal

Total Calorie Intake..........1311 cal (w/o calculator so it could be off)

Thoughts:
Again I didn't get a chance to get on the treadmill, but I hope to get the thing down tomorrow :-) I am hoping to finding other alternative ways to exercise without the treadmill because right now I have to wait for the kids to wake up in order to use the treadmill and once Tony is up it is pretty much over until he takes a nap.

Day One

Meal Plan: 1200-1400 Calorie Intake
Breakfast
1 c. cereal w/ 1/2 c. milk .............. 160 cal

1 (16oz) bottle of water .............. 0 cal


Lunch
Soup .............. 140 cal

Sandwich............... 174 cal

(8oz) water................ 0 cal


Dinner

Pasta............... 290 cal

Salad................. 90 cal

Bread................ 120 cal

1 cn diet coke................ 0 cal

Snacks
1 small ice cream cone................ 230 cal

Total Calories ......................................... 1304 calorie Intake

Thoughts:
Why is it the time when you cut back on food intake is when you crave the foods you aren't suppose to eat? Plus making your meals are so time consuming. Making my lunch sandwich today took twice as long for a turkey sandwich should, but it was good. I looked again at my journal from last year and was surprised that I stuck to it all the way to April. I was shocked to see that, I didn't realize I had the will power. Now that motivates me to surpass that milestone. Lets hope.

January - A Healthier Me

January's goal is to become healthier. Not necessarily go crazy functioning like a maniac diet, but getting healthier by eating and getting more exercise. Yeah I want to lose a few lbs on the way and I by tracking that journey it becomes my legacy. I have a event to shoot for...my cousin Katie is getting married on May 22 and I want to look and feel better. Starting January 11, 2010 my journey down the yellow brick road to my Happiness begins and on this blog you can watch my journey in depth. Or if you choose not to you can follow it otherwise on my other blog Cartara's Journey to Overall Happiness.

Thanks all for helping and supporting me.