Day 2: Stepping Up

Today was surreal. Running on about 5.5 hours of sleep, I dragged myself to barbell class this morning. Then I ended up with Finn hanging out in my office for part of the day, so he went with me on my lunchtime walk, which wasn't quite at the same pace I've gotten used to. But hey--we were still moving, so it counts. The dog had surgery and needed to be picked up. The boys had swimming lessons. There was nothing but running around all over the place.

And also today, my good friend's husband, who is 42 years old, slim and fit, and an all around healthy-seeming guy, had a heart attack and had a stent put in. Sobering and frightening. Yet another reminder that the time to do things is right-exactly-fucking-now.
Whew.

Log:

Exercise:

• Barbell Strength Class with Tracy at the Apex gym
• Lunchtime walk: 1.71 very, very slow miles with Finn
• Evening walk to knitting:1.98 miles
• Day 2 of the 30-day Abs Challenge: 20 sit-ups, 8 leg raises, 8 crunches, 12 second plank

Nutrition:

• Breakfast: 2 fresh farm (thanks, Sharon, my farmer friend!) eggs over easy, 2 links of chicken sage sausage from Applegate Farms, chopped fresh tomato, 1 slice of whole wheat toast with a bit of butter, 4 oz fresh OJ, and hot tea with milk and sugar
• Lunch: wasabi tuna wrap from Chelsea Cafe with LOTS of veggies inside--so good,very nutrient-rich, and not too many empty calories: win!
• Dinner: knitting at Panera: 1/2 soba noodle and chicken salad and a small Fuji apple
• Snacks: This was cleaning up after Kieran because 1) I can't resist whatever crack the Chick-Fil-A people put in their chicken, 2) I hate wasting food, and 3) I was STARVING before I took them to swimming class: 1/3 of a chicken sandwich and 3 or 4 fries

Stats:

• Steps:15,009 (BOOM!)
• Calories: 1401 consumed (stupid Chick-Fil-A),961 burned
• Weight: 195 lbs--bleh, but I'll fix it

Day 173: Weekend Update and Other Thoughts

This past weekend was one of running flat out all weekend long. There was very little in the way of formal exercise, but there was also very little in the way of stopping at all. I got up Saturday, went to the farmers market to grab my CSA with both boys in tow, came home, threw everyone in the car, dropped kids off at the grandparents' house, and headed with Jason to Ikea, which is about 2.5 hours away. There we bought ALL THE FURNITURE, and then we came back, grabbed the boys, fed everyone pizza and salad, and crashed. Sunday, as you might imagine, was a day of putting stuff together. That, along with the weekly grocery store run, and a ton of re-organization, ate the day. I cooked little, ate OK, but not great, and went to bed absolutely worn out. There was no logging and no blogging.

My weight dropped to 189, so yay for that!

Yesterday was mostly back on track, but man it's cold. Too cold for walking outside at lunchtime. My food intake wasn't huge, but it wasn't all great, that's for sure. But I did make it to yoga class last night, and I arrived early enough that I did a whole bunch of ab work to cover day five and to make up for missing day three of the 30 day abs challenge over the weekend. (Day four is a rest day, so I guess I didn't miss that one. lol) I was pretty proud of myself at yoga for managing a full on lizard pose, which I haven't been able to do before. That baby grasshopper pose, however? That still looks like something the human body isn't meant to do. I mean, just look at it! (Images are from here and here.)

Today--today, man. I am TIRED. But I got up this morning at 5:15am and dragged my butt out into the 18-degree morning to make it to barbell class. I spent the day yawning as a result, but I am still glad I did it. I need to figure out how to get some steps in when it's so abysmally cold outside--I really can't take being outside for long when it's like this. I guess this is why there are treadmills and elliptical machines.

I am so tired that I skipped knitting tonight--that's saying something when you're too tired to sit still and knit. Time for bed!

Log: 

Exercise:

• Barbell strength class with Tracy at the Apex gym
• Day 6 of the 30-day Abs Challenge: 34 sit-ups, 15 leg raises, 15 crunches, 25 second plank

Nutrition:

• Breakfast: two eggs scrambled with cheese, 2 Applegate chicken and sage sausage links, milk, tea with milk and raw sugar
• Lunch: turkey and havarti on whole wheat, cut up raw zucchini and red peppers with honey mustard, and a cup of fruit (honeydew melon, grapes, blueberries)
• Dinner: grilled chicken thighs, roasted sweet potato, and French green beans with olive oil and porcini salt
• Snacks:1 lemonade Girl Scout cookie, an extra cup of tea with milk and raw sugar, a handful of roasted peanuts

Stats:

• Steps: a pitiful 5210
• Calories: 1480 consumed, 327 burned
• Weight: 189 lb

Day 164: Hitting the Life Reset Button

Despite the best of intentions, life gets in the way of your goals sometimes. The best you can do is move on from setbacks, try not to beat yourself up, and get back on the path you've set for yourself as soon as you can muster the strength to do it. Last week was the first week back after the holidays--hard enough on its own. But then I was also still sick, so that kept me from the classes I love. Then my aunt passed away, which meant leaving town unexpectedly in the middle of the week, just as my cold was backing off. I ate well Monday through Wednesday, but then I was utterly out of whack for the rest of the week. And I won't talk about my level of exercise Wednesday through Saturday, as it was basically non-existent. What I did do was see a ton of family and old family friends that I seldom see. And I sat down for some treasured moments of stillness with my mother. And I slept and slept and slept. And when I got home, I drank some wine, chilled out, and cooked All The Foods. This week, I am ready to get moving again!

I made it to yoga last night, but I failed to log my day. Things were just too busy. This morning, I went to my barbell class, which is seriously a relief to be back into! I sucked, and I struggled, but I made it through, and I am so glad I did! Lunchtime was a good walk out in the sun--chilly but beautiful, and nowhere near as cold as last week! I won't be able to walk every day this week, but I'm definitely going to do it as much as I possibly can!

Log: 

Exercise:

• Barbell strength class with Tracy at the Apex gym
• Lunchtime walk: 2.06 miles

Nutrition:

• Breakfast: spinach and mushroom frittata, 2 pieces of Applegate Farms chicken sage sausage, tea with milk and raw sugar
• Lunch: a small piece of grilled NY strip steak, grilled asparagus/peppers.mushrooms, 1/2 a sweet potato, and a small red pear
• Dinner: knitting night at Panera--1/2 a chicken soba noodle salad and a small fuji apple
• Snacks: ugh, a little fun-size Butterfinger

Stats:

• Steps: 11,049
• Calories: 1204 consumed, 543 burned
• Weight: 190 lb

Day Ninety-Six: Gorgeous Fall Day!

I had Finn home with me today, so we took a long lunchtime walk around the neighborhood to burn off some of that little boy energy. We walked to a friend's house, took a little break, and walked home. Finn made it all 2.48 miles all by himself, which made be crazy proud. And the weather was absolutely glorious! Couple that with me actually making it to my morning barbell class, and I feel like today was pretty much a winner.

Log: 

Exercise:

• Barbell Strength class with Joy at the Apex gym
• Big walk in the neighborhood with Finn: 2.48 miles
• Short evening walk to finish miles/steps: 1.01 miles

Nutrition:

• Breakfast: spinach and mushroom frittata, 2 pieces of Applegate Farms sausage, 2 cups of tea with raw sugar and milk
• Lunch: leftover stir-fry with skirt steak and greens (not enough, but too good to waste!), half a honeycrisp apple
• Dinner:a small amount of meatloaf (Paula Deen's basic meatloaf recipe), roasted parsnips, green beans cooked in tomato sauce with onions and bacon
• Snacks: 1 Mozzarella Babybel, 1 can of Steaz green tea with coconut water, 1 piece of irresistible bacon handed to me by a so-called "friend" :-)

Stats:

• Steps:12,803
• Calories: 1213 consumed, 745 burned
• Weight: 191 lbs (Boo--it went the wrong way!)(Yes, I realize fluctuation is to be expected, but I don't have to like it.)

Day Ninety-Four: A Break in the Rain

When I woke up this morning at 5am, it was POURING rain and cold outside. I almost can't believe that I made it to the gym this morning--it was a close thing, and the warm bed nearly won over the freezing rain. Utterly proud of myself for pushing through and making it to my barbell class, and even adding some weight for some of the workout today. I think that Tracy must have had something extra-energizing for breakfast, as she was extra mean today. She was even laughing an evil laugh and everything! I made it through class, but wow.

At lunchtime, the rain stopped right at the time when I generally walk, and I actually got to go! OUTSIDE! I can't tell you how glad I was to be outside for a walk during daylight hours--I have gotten so addicted to that. In fact, I just got my labs back from my physical last week, and this is the first time in years that my vitamin D levels have been good--apparently all the outdoor hours have been good for me. :-)

Log: 

Exercise:

• Barbell Strength class with Tracy at the Apex gym
• Lunchtime walk: 2.08 miles
• Evening walk to finish miles/steps: 1.56 miles (I didn't log it on MapMyWalk, but my fitbit doesn't lie!)

Nutrition:

• Breakfast: steel cut oatmeal with cinnamon and brown sugar, sliced almonds, 2% milk and half a banana, 2 cups of tea with milk and raw sugar
• Lunch: turkey and avocado wrap on whole wheat tortilla with lettuce and havarti, a small honeycrisp apple, muhammara with sliced cucumbers, red peppers, and TJs pumpkin cranberry crisps
• Dinner: stirfry with skirt steak, bok choy, tatsoi, chocolate peppers, ginger, garlic, soy, peanut oil, shallots, and scallions, served with steamed jasmine rice
• Snacks: a super-decadent chocolate duet cookie from Panera (which I regretted after it made me feel a little nauseated)--I don't need anymore chocolate anytime soon. Ugh.

Stats:

• Steps: 11,085
• Calories: 1756 consumed, 561 burned (plus tonight's walk, which I failed to log on MapMyWalk)
• Weight: 190 lbs

Day Eighty-Seven: Determination

Today it rained all day again, so no walks. This drives me insane. I got up this morning and went to my barbell class, which was good, but then it seemed clear there was no way I was going to make all of my steps today. Frustrating. Further, Jason has to do some training tomorrow, which means no Zumba tomorrow either. Also frustrating. My solution: skip knitting and go to Zumba tonight. I have mixed feelings about skipping knitting--it's and it's purely relaxing girl time, and I don't get much of that. But I REALLY don't want to miss any classes this week if I can help it, so I went. And it was great! The woman who was teaching turns out to be a Zumba education specialist, and she was amazing--so much energy!

My food was ok, though the Indian food I had for lunch was a bit of an indulgence. However, going to the gym twice in one day burns enough extra calories that I think I could probably eat a cupcake and still be alright. Here's to more exercise!

The rest of the week promises more rain--I am so hoping there are some good breaks for walking. I am utterly determined to make the rest of my planned classes this week.

Log: 

Exercise:

• Barbell Strength class with Joy at the Apex gym
• Zumba class with Loretta at the Cary gym

Nutrition:

• Breakfast:2 boiled eggs with microgreens, 1 slice of honey whole sheat toast with butter, 2 cups of tea with milk and raw sugar
• Lunch: some Indian food from the hot bar at Whole Foods with a little mixed fruit and an unsweetened iced tea
• Dinner: London broil and grilled asparagus/red pepper/mushrooms
• Snacks: N/A

Stats:

• Steps:12,257
• Calories: 1368 consumed, 1049 burned
• Weight: 193 on the home scale, 198 on the gym scale (which, by the way, the trainer weighing me told me is known to weigh high--um, get that fixed, y'all!)

Theme for Tuesdays and Thursdays

Day Eighty: More Walking Needed

Today it rained and rained, so my intentions of walking were de-railed. I did get up and get to the barbell class this morning, however, and that was great. My legs are already getting sore after two weeks of no squats. Tomorrow, I will do better on the steps, and I plan to start re-adding ab work.

I was delighted this morning when I stepped on the scale to see that I had only gained back 2 pounds over the past couple of weeks. That could have been MUCH worse, and I was braced for a much higher number. Now I just need to reverse that and get it moving down down down.

Log:

Exercise:

• Barbell Strength Class at the Apex gym with Tracy
• Note: Lunchtime walk aborted due to rain :-(

Nutrition:

• Breakfast: 2 cups of tea with milk and raw sugar, 1 boiled egg and 1/2 a honeycrisp apple
• Lunch: garden salad with honey mustard, crock pot chicken/onions/tomatos/peppers and cilantro, a handful of grapes
• Dinner: pan seared salmon with lime, stir fried veggies (broccoli, mushrooms, red pepper, onion, ginger, garlic, soy and sesame)
• Snacks: 1 Mozzarella Babybel, about 15 peanuts

Stats:

• Steps: 5031
• Calories: 1097 consumed, 267 burned
• Weight: 195

Day Fifty-Nine: SUN! and an Official Weigh-In

I'd love to tell you that I hopped out of bed at 5am this morning feeling energized and ready to go, but the truth is that I dragged my sorry self out of the bed with a lot of mental ranting about the early hour, the warm bed, the cuddly cat on my feet, and the gigantic temptation to stay put till about Thursday. But I made it to my barbell strength class for the first time in weeks, and I am so glad I did! If I had given into the temptation to snuggle in, I would have regretted it and spent the day feeling like I had let myself down. Since I didn't wimp out, I walked outside at 5:25am and was rewarded with a gorgeous navy blue sky filled with stars, a crescent moon, and two super-bright planets floating overhead--so lovely and so VERY welcome after all the nasty weather over the last couple of weeks!

Going to the gym this morning means I actually officially weighed in for the first time in a month. Their scale doesn't agree with mine of course (mine is better), but it's still showing a net loss, which is what counts!

I was so excited to go for a walk at lunch, and my friend Lisa even came with me. I could have walked for hours, it was so beautiful outside! But it was Lisa's first day walking with me, and she's kind of easing in. Tomorrow is supposed to be even better weather than today,  so hopefully I can go farther.

At knitting tonight, I was trying to resist a serious chocolate craving, which actually doesn't happen to me all that often. I had talked myself out of the cookie that I wanted, and I just ordered a cup of tea. And then, damn if they didn't give me the cookie for free! I used 100% of my willpower to cut it in half and give half of it away, but it was STILL more calories than that cookie deserved. At 440 a pop, I will not be getting another one of those for a while.

After knitting, it was too late, and I was too tired to do an evening walk, so I didn't quite finish my steps. However, I am still calling this a decent exercise day, however: my legs are so sore from all the split squats I did in class this morning that I almost can't walk up a flight of stairs.

Tomorrow: Zumba! Yay!

Log:

Exercise:

• Barbell Strength class at the Apex gym with Tracy (who may or may not be trying to kill me)
• Lunchtime walk:1.66 miles (with Lisa!)

Nutrition:

• Breakfast: steel cut oatmeal with brown sugar, cinnamon, chopped pecans, and half a banana
• Lunch: baked chicken breast, a big salad with Briana's honey dijon dressing, and half a honeycrisp apple
• Dinner: stir fried skirt steak with ginger, tatsoi, and shitake mushrooms, jasmine rice
• Snacks: half a Panera chocolate duet cookie (220 calories! for half!) and a big cup of tea at knitting

Stats:

• Steps: 8851
• Calories: 1607 consumed, 479 burned
• Weight: 196 on the home scale, 201.9 on the gym scale (I sure like mine better!)

Day Twenty-Six: Resisting Serious Temptation

Today my company had a team event at an Irish pub with a reputation for delicious food and a huge menu covered in things like open faced roast beef sandwiches with gravy and mashed potatoes, burgers, sweet potato fries, etc. But I was good--I ordered some grilled pork loin with cabbage and applesauce. It came with a roll, which I gave away, and a salad, from which I removed the croutons. Go me.

Meanwhile, I have hit a failure point on the plank situation. I can hold it for a minute and 21 seconds, and then my wrist gives out. I can finish it out on my elbows, but it feels like wimping out. Further, I am frustrated as all get out that I haven't had time to go on walks this week. It's making me tense, and I feel like I am falling behind. We're going to the beach on Saturday, and I am hoping I can walk and walk and walk on that shoreline while I'm there...

Today's Log:

Exercise:

• Barbell Strength Class with Tracy at the Apex gym
• Day 26 of the 30 Day Abs Challenge (110 sit ups, 170 crunches, 60 leg raises, 100 second plank--I was 20 seconds short)

Nutrition:

• Breakfast: 2 cups of hot tea with 2% milk and 1/2 tsp raw sugar each, two egg omelet with tomatoes, avocado, turkey bacon, and Parmesan, served with a pile of microgreens
• Lunch: work lunch at O'Malley's Irish Pub & Grill in Raleigh: grilled pork loin chops, stewed cabbage, applesauce, a garden salad with balsamic vinaigrette, iced tea
• Dinner: a small grass fed ribeye, French green beans with olive oil and porcini salt, sauteed mushrooms
• Snacks: 1 mozzarella Babybel

Stats:

• Steps: 4012 (UGH!)
• Calories: 1219 consumed, 280 burned
• Weight: 201 (home)

Day Nineteen: Overcoming Exhaustion

Thursdays are my Tired Day. I was so tired this morning that making it to my barbell class was a near thing. But I did it. And here at the end of the day, I don't feel like writing it all up either, but I am doing it. I feel like I can't let exhaustion win, or letting it win will become the norm again (as it was!)

Meanwhile, two things of note:

1. Jason messed up the kids' lunches today, and Finn ended up with Kieran's way-too-healthy lunch at his school, so I had to leave work to go take him something he would actually eat for lunch. This means that I missed my normal lunch walk. So I worked till I hit a stopping place, and then took a long break and went for a walk around Apex Community Lake. So nice to get a change from the normal path.
2. The abs workout tonight about killed me dead--thank goodness tomorrow is a rest day! BUT, and this is a huge but, I can now do about 5-7 leg lifts with a full range of motion. 19 days ago, I could not go past about 45 degrees without my surgical scars feeling like they were going to tear free from my abdominal wall. But now, I can go all the way to the floor and back up. Granted, I can't do that for 50 leg raises, but I think any is HUGE progress for less than 20 days. Very pleased.

Today's Log:

Exercise:

• Barbell Strength Class with Joy at the Apex gym
• Lunchtime Walk:  2.64 miles
• Day 19 of the 30 Day Abs Challenge (85 sit ups, 120 crunches, 50 leg raises, 75 second plank)
• Teeny evening walk in the neighborhood with the family: .30 miles

Nutrition:

• Breakfast: hot tea with 2% milk and 1/2 tsp raw sugar, two eggs scrambled with parmesan and turkey bacon, some little tomatoes from the garden, 1/3 of an avocado
• Lunch: a big salad with balsamic vinaigrette and some baked chicken breast
• Dinner: salmon baked in parchment with lemon and basil, steamed French green beans tossed with a tiny bit of olive oil and porcini salt
• Snacks: one Babybel

Stats:

• Steps:11080
• Calories: 1029 consumed, 665 burned
• Weight: 202.5 (home)

Day 17: Official Weigh-In Miracle

OK, so I had some LOW expectations at the official weigh-in this morning, given the weekend's cheater-y extravagance. Imagine my surprise to see my weight down this morning! Not insanely so, but still down. I am so relieved and pleased. What I am less than pleased about is the fact that i STILL have to drive my results over to the Cary gym to get them properly recorded. I attempted emailing the picture to a trainer at Cary, but received no response, so off I went. This time, I could find no trainer to enter my info, but I finally went and pitched a fit till i found out who was in charge. I emailed that guy, and all is now well. He's going to take care of entering my info every Tuesday from now on. Again--it's not like I think I am going to win this thing, but the whole point of joining was for more accountability, right? I want my credit, dammit!

Today's lunchtime walk involved a snake sighting, as you will have seen from the pictures below. Poor guy wasn't doing too well, but I did my best for him by moving him off a busy path into a little secluded grassy area. We'll see if he's still there tomorrow.

Today's Log:

Exercise:

• Barbell Strength class with Tracy at the Apex gym
• Lunchtime Walk:  2.28 miles
• Day 17 of the 30 Day Abs Challenge (75 sit ups, 100 crunches, 42 leg raises, 65 minute plank)
• Evening Walk: 0.76 miles

Nutrition:

• Breakfast: hot tea with 2% milk and 1/2 tsp raw sugar, steel cut oatmeal (.2 cups before cooking) with 1/2 a banana, 1/2 cup of milk, a handful of chopped pecans, and a teaspoon of brown sugar (which I didn't really need and wished I could undo)
• Lunch: salmon and squash baked in parchment with lemon and basil, tomatoes from the garden
• Dinner: Panera for knitting--a half chicken Caesar with no croutons and a cup of black bean soup--tasty and not too bad
• Snacks:1 medium honeycrisp apple

Stats:

• Steps: 11287
• Calories: 1213 consumed, 678 burned
• Weight: 203.5 (home), 207.7 (official, -6.6 lbs)

Day Ten: Crazy Busy Weigh-In Day

Today I had an eye doctor's appointment, which means I had no time to go for a lunchtime walk. In the end, however, I think I might have been more productive if I had just gone anyway. I really think it  makes a tremendous difference to my afternoon when I get outside for a bit at lunchtimes. I was sluggish all afternoon. Plus, I missed finding something pretty to photograph on the go with my phone.

The whole day was super busy, and I am pretty amazed that I was able to fit everything in in spite of it. My knitting group meets on Tuesday evenings at Panera, and I ended up needing to eat dinner there--so hard to find something that works with my current restrictions! I managed, however, and I was surprised at how good their chicken Caesar salad was. I'd definitely get it again.

This morning, I weighed in again at the Apex gym, and once again, I had to take my results over to Cary to have them recorded. I just don't get it. But the trainer at the Cary gym who entered everything was awesome. He looked at my loss so far, and high fived me, then asked how it was going. He wanted to know specifically how I was eating and to make sure I wasn't doing anything stupid. I told him I was logging it all into MyFitnessPal, and he checked it out and showed me how to look at my weekly stats to notice any trends. He asked a bunch of questions about my workouts and how they were going, etc. After looking at it all, he told me I was doing everything right. That little bit of validation really felt good. So--I'm, as my mother would say, keepin' on keepin' on.

Today's Log:

Exercise:

• Barbell Strength Training class with Joy in Apex
• Day 10 of the 30 Day Abs Challenge (50 sit ups, 50 leg raises, 30 crunches, 38 second plank)
• Evening Walk: 1.75 miles

Nutrition:

• Breakfast: hot tea with 2% milk and 1/2 tsp raw sugar, baked eggs with spinach, herbs, and parmesan, fresh tomatoes, cup of milk
• Lunch: : Chicken breast, black beans, roasted red pepper, and cilantro tossed with a tiny bit of BBQ sauce, small salad with Briana's Champagne Caper Vinaigrette
• Dinner: Panera's half chicken Caesar salad with no croutons and a cup of black bean soup.
• Snacks: large hot tea with 2% milk and 1 tsp raw sugar

Stats:

• Steps: 11607
• Calories: 1142 consumed,617 burned
• Weight: 204 (home scale), 209.9 (official weigh-in weight, -4.4lbs)

Day Five: Tired, but Still Going

I knew going in that at some point in this ambitious week, I would have a crash day. Today is apparently that day. I went to the barbell class this morning, and made it through by the skin of my teeth. I walked at lunch, and made it through by the skin of my teeth. I made it through work ok, but when I got home with the boys, I actually hooked them up with a show and took a 30 minute nap. It was that or die. I still managed to get exercise, eat well, and get all my steps in, and for that I am proud. Tonight it's early to bed for this girl.

Today's Log:

Exercise: 

• Barbell Strength class with Tracy at the Apex gym
• Lunchtime walk: 2.3 miles
• Evening walk: 1.21 miles (gatta keep the fitbit happy)
• Day 5 of the 30 Day Abs Challenge (30 sit-ups, 12 leg raises, 12 crunches, 20 second plank)

Nutrition:

• Breakfast: spinach and mushroom fritata, fresh garden tomatoes, 2 cups of hot tea with 2% milk and 1/2 tsp raw sugar, cup of milk
• Lunch: Mediterranean chicken stew (with broth instead of white wine)
• Dinner: an omelet with leftover grilled veggies, sauteed spinach, turkey, and cheese--so good!
• Snacks: 24 almonds

Stats:

• Steps:11420
• Calories: 1362 consumed, 752 burned
• Weight: 207.5 (home scale)

By the way, on my lunchtime walk today, the sky looked like this--Carolina blue in full force:

Day Three: Is this a Test?

Sometimes, it feels like the universe is throwing out everything that it can think of to derail you. It's important to pass these little tests.

Last night, I got to bed a little later than I should have, but such is life. Then Finn woke up twice during the night, which was a pretty severe sleep interrupter. However, I managed to lever myself out of bed at 5am anyway to make it to the 5:45am Barbell Strength class at the smaller gym location near me in Apex. Whew, I am out of shape! I made it through the class, though it was a near thing there at the end. It's been a LOOOOOOONG time since a workout actually made me feel nauseated, but that one really did. I know that's a lactic acid issue, and that I will adjust, but it still stinks! That said, by about 10 minutes after class was over, I was good to go. I really liked the instructor, so that's a huge plus.

I did my first official Tuesday weigh-in with one of the trainers at the Apex location, and for some reason, he insisted that I didn't need to log into the machine to do it; he instead took a picture, with my phone, of my results. So this meant that, to get those results officially recorded, I had to drive them over to the Cary location. What a waste of time! Next time, I know to insist on logging in, and then no one has to manually enter anything anywhere. Who knows--maybe that trainer was as new to this program as I am.

Today at lunchtime, it was supposed to be pouring rain, so I had to sneak in a walk between storms. I had a failed start, but I got the walk in by walking around my office floor (feeling a bit like an idiot), and then heading outside when the rain paused (with a Ziploc bag for my phone and an umbrella). Every victory counts, right?

I am WIPED OUT, but pretty proud of myself for the last few days' work.

Today's Log:

Exercise: 

• Barbell Strength Training class, Apex gym
• Lunchtime walk: 2.06 miles
• Day 3 of the 30 Day Abs Challenge (25 sit-ups, 10 crunches, 10 leg raises, 15 second plank)

Nutrition:

• Breakfast: spinach and mushroom frittata, fresh garden and CSA tomatoes, hot tea with 2% milk and 1/2 tsp raw sugar, cup of 2% milk
• Lunch: pan seared tilapia with tomatoes and basil , french green beans with olive oil and wild porcini salt, roasted cauliflower with garlic and rosemary
• Dinner: salmon baked in parchment with squash, lemon, and basil
• Snacks: hot tea with 2% milk and 1/2 tsp raw sugar, hot tea (black), hummus and raw veggies (celery, zucchini, and yellow peppers)

Stats:

• Steps: 11810
• Calories: 1372 consumed, 558 burned
• Weight: 211.6 (official Tuesday Weigh-In from Lifetime) (Net -2.7)