Big Cheat

Today is an epic cheat-meal day on par with Thanksgiving: it's Jack's BBQ party! Jack builds his own house, breeds parrots and exotic birds, can teach talking birds to say anything, is my metalsmithing instructor, is a mokume gane innovator, collects mutant irises, breeds them, collects wild orchids and cultivates them, makes wildberry champagne, and does aurora photography in the winter. That's just in the time I've known him. Wrap it all up in a soft-spoken, hilarious, transplanted Texan and he is one of my favorite people ever. One of the restaurants downtown was getting rid of a deep fryer so Jack carted it off and transformed it into a barbecue. Now he and his wife have students over for potlucks with tons of people and great food.

7:30 wake
8:30 pineapple/lime/berry/whey smoothie, 1oz chips, coffee
11:00 1sl sprouted wheat bread, 1/2T reduced fat JIF
12:00 20m on heavy bag (oof! really tired)
1:00 broccoli, 1/2c rice, 1/2 serving peanut chicken
3:00 Party party
6:00 half ear of corn

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Gadget Alert!

My new toy! For awhile I thought a veggie steamer was the stupidest appliance ever since I had pots, water, and baskets. But the steamer has... a TIMER...which means you can set it and go on your merry way. It also has handles which is great because I've never figured out how to get a hot metal basket filled with steaming veggies out of a boiling metal pot effectively. I made 'boiled' eggs, tilapia & spicy rice, frozen veg. I haven't been to the grocery store in two weeks so oranges are the only plant matter in the fridge. I'm going to get crucifers! green beans! greens! maybe even a $6 artichoke. What's up with the artichokes??

Really tired all day from workout. I squeezed in a nap and woke up still fatigued so I skipped sparring class because I couldn't face the heat and the exertion. I'm fed, rested, caffeinated and watered and still tired and I don't know where else to get energy from....

6:30 wake
7:00 grout
8:30 workout 2 (took another 10# off the deadlift--40#--and replaced the one legged hip/thigh extensions with SHELC)
9:30 Syntrax
10:00 Tilapia and spicy rice
11:30 cinnamon raisin bagel, cream cheese (really hungry)
1:00 2 small slices pizza (seminar day)
5:30 Metabolic Drive Complete
After this the eating just fell apart. I had a stomach-ache and I browsed on some stuff I was making for Saturday's potluck.

Not counting pizza and evening:
Calories: 1133
Carbs: 132.5g tot (40.7% net)
Fat: 24.8g (19.7%)
Prot: 99.3g (35.1%)
Fiber: 17.3g

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New Yeller

Got my yellow belt last night. Testing went really well except that I had trouble breaking my board which ticked me off to no end because I never never never have trouble breaking! And then people shout things like "You can do it!" which just makes me want to snap the board across my forehead because I KNOW I CAN #@%$@ DO IT, what I don't know is why it didn't break! I'm still mad. I'll probably be mad until the next belt test. Flying front snap kick next time >=(

I don't remember what time anything happened yesterday. My innernets have been intermittent because "they" are laying fiber optics cables all over town unbeknownst to the cable company's technical support.

Pre-workout: grout, coffee
Workout: HIIT, kick heavy bag 15min
Post-workout: GoLean, LeanDessert protein, 3oz pineapple
Lunch: turkey/beef/ranch meatloaf burger, bell pepper
Snack: pineapple/lime/berry shake with Syntrax
Workout: Belt test 2h
Dinner: huge salad w/ beef, 2 sesame chicken eggrolls
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Cals: 1360
Carb: 146.9g tot (35.2% net)
Fat: 37.5g (24.8%)
Prot: 123.6g (36.4%)
Fiber: 27.2g

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Shaq Attack on Fat

Shaquille O'Neill has a show (was at parents' minding cats) where he's going to help morbidly obese children. What's nice is that he's going to take SIX months to do it and change their habits, their home and school environment to support them and not kick someone off the team each week.
Yesterday's lesson: If you give kids a list of exercises and some treadmills they will
A) happily do all the exercises
B) do all the exercises and the treadmill work
C) throw Swiss balls at each other.

3:30 wake (too hot, had to pee, cat gnawing on left eyebrow)
8:30 wake (barely), grout, coffee
9:30 got all gym stuff together, prepared snacks for day, 10 minutes later realized I was in the shower... @#$%!! Head off to work on computer stuff, but in gym clothes so if I want to do errands this afternoon I have to work out first.
11:30 carrots, beef/turkey ranch meatloaf burger
2:30 egg, orange
3:30 Lift (workout 1)
4:30 pineapple/lime/berry shake, Metabolic Drive (should've used the whey)
6:30 sweet onion chicken teriyaki sub from Subway (6", no cheese, extra veg)
Now I'm not hungry for my last meal...
9:00 2oz chicken, 1/4 sweet pepper (ick!)
-----------------------------
Calories: 1288
Carb: 157g tot (41.9% net)
Fat: 26.4g (18.4%)
Protein: 118g (36.6%)
Fiber: 22.3g

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Progress Report

Today I filled out the form for the upcoming belt test and I didn't lie about my weight (ok, I rounded down a pound). Last time I put 130lb when really it was 136lb which means I lost about 5lb in the past three months (my skinfold went down too). It's glacial, but it's progress! I'll take it!
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7:00 wake
8:00 grout, coffee
8:45 HIIT on bike, 30s/30s x 6; kick bag 5 min
9:30 Syntrax nectar, 15g dextrose
10:30 Metabolic Drive, 3/4c GoLean, berry/lime smoothie (yuk! don't want to eat, threw out most of everything)
12:30 turkey/beef ranch meatloaf burger, 2 carrots
4:00 ~4oz latte, cranberry/chocolate bready thing (I think I'm hormonal: had two really 'bad science' days, fatigued and cranky in PM)
6:00 TKD ~1h, 20m but pre-testing so not very strenuous
8:00 rice ball, decaf; practice kicks and patterns while watching tv

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Monday Funday

Ugh, rotten workout. Deadlifts were totally off and I chided myself for lacking 'mental toughness' and then they got worse. Phase 2 starts next week and I'm sure I'll look back fondly on the days of 20 deadlifts. I tried eating 40/20 fat/40 today, but I was going to have to have a final meal of beef jerky and protein powder to make my ratios and get anywhere near 1500 calories.

Which is the lesser of two evils, to be 200 calories under or to have too high a fat percentage? I try not to live on protein powder, I try I try I try.

I got my arm twisted into attending a investment company meeting thingy where I guess they were trying to kill off shareholders with a cholestoriffic buffet. No, no, it was very nice. Then dinner afterward was crab bisque which to my ignorant palette was horrifically overseasoned (but would've been a nice sauce on halibut & veggies) and salad. I ate about 1/3 of my soup with lots of white bread. Back on track tomorrow!
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7:30 wake
8:00 grout, diet pepsi, 2 fish caps
9:15 Lift - workout 2 (deadlifts)
10:00 Syntrax nectar, 15g dextrose
11:00 1sl toast, 1T LF PB, orange, boiled egg, 2 fish caps
2:30 scoops Metabolic Drive, celery
5:00 (feeling fatigued and ill) 1/2c GoLean, 1/2 pkg lite silken tofu
6:30 1 cocktail meatball, 1 shrimp, bacon with fat dissected out, 5 tortilla chips, 2T dip, 1 mini bagel, 1t cream cheese, 3T champagne
8:00 crab bisque, bread, salad, 2 stuffed mushrooms, 2 fish caps
-----------------------------------------
Pre-damage:
Cals: 1026
Carb: 118.6g (36.9% net)
Fat: 25.8g (22.6%)
Prot: 92.6g (36.1%)
Fiber: 24g

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'Round Midnight

Two days after the longest day of the year...




















...some nerd sat up and pinged the web-cam to catch this shot at 00:00:00 o'clock! Go, me!

So I got some Fish Oil caps at the price club (Berardi and Finn both ok'd Member's Mark brand). Now they have "enteric coated" so I got those because while I do not have issues with fishy _burps_ per se...well...TMI!! But this is what the label says

"Laboratory tested to ensure absorption in the small intestine."
followed by
"The enteric coating...[blah blah]...protecting the softgel until it reaches the lower intestine."
Huh? wha? Who wrote this?

Anyhoo - six per day will only add ~54-60 cals to my diet (which I'm not going to add in, ha) and we'll see how it goes this week. If all is well then I'll probably up the dosage as memory and eating habits allow. Tomorrow is the Day 1 of a new hormonal cycle following a week of (relatively) diligent gym work AND diet-recording so hopefully there will be a compound effect on weight loss which, while it has been hovering at the low end, hasn't really moved although my skinfold has decreased since the last time I measured which brings us to the question of What is Up with the Spare Tire?? I thought since that was the last thing to appear, it would be the first thing to disappear, but it's holding on til the bloody end....along with my Huge Head which I thought would have deflated now that I can see most of my collarbone.
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7:30 wake
8:00 walk 1 hr
9:00 pineapple/lime/berry smoothie, GoLean, Metabolic Drive
12:30 spinach salad, cow/turkey ranch meatloaf burger
2:00 1oz cashews
dinner @ parents' was belated Father's day: grilled lobster tails, salad, corn, pesto tortellini, eggplant, rice, strawberries and cake.

pre dinner
Cals: 899
Carb: 91.8g tot (32% net)
Fat: 39.7 (39.7%)
Protein: 58.6 (26.1%)
Fiber: 20

Reunion 2007.... theme: "Holy $#!+ has it been 20 years?"

Those of us glamorously shopping for Italian toilet paper holders in the Veneto MAY HAVE MISSED the 20 year (yes! 20! years!) reunion last night at the very classy Hide Out club reknown for its warehouse-chic decor, and spontaneous MMA melee performances by military and civilian alike. Since I only talked to 6 people in high school I was doubtful of the point of attending at all, but it was surprising to realize how many people you went to kindergarten with graduated with you as well. So it was a good opportunity to inappropriately hug anyone whose name-tag or face you even vaguely recognized. Pretty much everyone has a career, spouse and offspring except for one of us who is in grad school again.

Rather than partake of the delicious sloppy joe/hotdog buffet, I had a beer and a vodka & tonic. Then, still determined to fulfill my cheat meal I went by Taco Bell for dinner. I guess the corn shortage has struck TB and the chips in their nachos were fried flour tortillas. Disgusting! Like fried wonton nachos! I still ate them...

Today was uneventful except that I had to pick up my Dad at the airport at 2:30 and the gym didn't open until noon. So I really did keep my rest intervals to 60 seconds all the while cursing Scotland, haggis, bagpipes, evil scottish ex-pats, etc. but I must say my upper body looks noticeably leaner and I can kind of see my abs....
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Bfast: coffee, turkey/beef ranch meatloaf burger, pineapple/lime/berry smoothie
Workout: workout 1 (same as Monday, 60# squat)
PWO: 15g dextrose, Syntrax whey
Lunch: tofu, spinach salad
Snack: 1sl sprouted grain bread, 1/2T reduced fat PB, 2 scoops Metabolic Drive
Dinner: at parents, always healthy

Cals: 1071 (pre dinner)
Carbs: 102.7g tot (31% net)
Fat: 26.5g (22.3%)
Prot: 120.4g (45%)
I'm going to try a 40/20fat/40 ratio and see what happens =)

Bad sleep, good news, one goal OWNED!

Another terrible sleep night. Six fitful hours with maybe 2 hours of actual unconsciousness. Felt like total crap all morning, but slightly better in the afternoon after a large glass of Diet Mountain Dew. When I feel exhausted and terrible I get food cravings. For me, food isn't really entertainment or comfort, it's energy so I want bad food when I feel crummy. Anyway, things are under control for the moment.

And in good news, I fit into an old pair of jeans this morning! I bought some other size 4 pants last year, but I was putting on weight so fast at that point I couldn't fit into them by the time I got around to hemming them. These are my comparison-pants. Last year I could barely get them up over my butt and there was no way I could zip them up. For the past few months I could get into them, but didn't want to wear them in public. Today, they are comfy! Go, me! I tried on some pants yesterday and the butt was all baggy and they made me look really thick in the middle so I got depressed and left the store, but I think I've been wearing pants based on how they fit my quads and really I should get them to fit my hips now. With the speedskater genetics (sans speed!) everything is going to be a bit snug in the thighs. My what big legs I have? All the better to KICK you with, m'dear!


The other news is that I finished my 6th bear in my Bear-Per-Month challenge. Which shows I can set goals and finish them, even with zero accountability, lol. Looking back I guess it was simply a matter of perseverence, breaking the goals down into steps, and consistently completing the steps as scheduled. Now they are off to Africa to hopefully bring a little comfort to AIDS orphans.




4:11 wake, grout
9:00 beef turkey ranch meatloaf burger, pineapple/berry smoothie
1:30 chicken breast, peas, sesame chicken eggroll
4:30 1 scoop Metabolic Drive Complete, 1 dk chocolate square
This evening: cheating and not writing it down!

Cals: 888
Carbs: 81g tot (28% net)
Fat: 27g (31%)
Protein 82 (37%)
Fiber 19.8
(my percentages haven't been adding up... must check algorithm)

On the fifth day...

I have managed to log my food for FIVE WHOLE DAYS! Probably because I have been eating home cookin' which means I can weigh stuff. However, there are two parties this weekend plus dinner with my parents so it's going to be challenging. I'm invoking a Cheat Meal for tomorrow night and I'm not going to write it down >=)

Recipe of the Day: Tilapia and Spicy Rice! Not for fish-gourmet peoples who become upset at fish which is a teensy bit overcooked and boingy.
----------------------------------------------------
1 frozen tilapia filet (salmon is good too, but I got a huge package of tilapia at the price club)
1/4c Zatarain's rice something (Jambalaya or Dirty Rice, mix rice with spice packet, store in jar)
1/2c + 2T water (or diced tomatoes with juice and a little extra water; 2.5x the amount of rice)
-----Place rice mix and water in small shallow glass container just large enough to fit filet. Place frozen filet on top. Cover tightly with foil. Bake at 400 for 20min or until rice is done. Let sit covered for 10 minutes before eating.
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7:00 Wake (bad sleep, ugh, too hot), grout & coffee
8:30 HIIT: 20s/40s intervals x 6; 12min on heavy bag
9:30 Metabolic drive, 1c GoLean Crunch, 3 celery stalks
12:30 Broccoli and tofu leftovers with coconut curry sauce
2:30 beef jerky, boiled egg, orange
4:30 2 scoops Metabolic Drive complete, 1/2c berries
5:00 nap
6:20 TKD 1 hour
8:00 tilapia and spicy rice, spinach salad
---------------------------------
Cals: 1521
Carbs: 161.1g total (32.4% net)
Fat: 49.5g (32.5%)
Protein: 129.3g (34%)
Fiber: 37.9g

Maff

Hi sk,
Got out my copy of BFFM and ran some numbers. I'm putting in 25%BF (i.e. 97lb lean mass) because I have no idea. Technically my activity level may be a little higher than 'moderate', but I figure it's better to underestimate as I am small.

I've been aiming for carb/protein/fat of 40/30/30 and actually been very close, until I subtract out the fiber and then my diet looks like 30/30/30. I don't feel particularly deprived so I guess I'll just keep doing what I'm doing which is 1500 cals, 150g carbs, 49g fat, 116g prot, 25g fiber.

BW=60kg, Lean mass=44kg, Height=150cm, Age=38

Method.......................BMR.......TDEE.....Fat loss (-500 cal)
Simple..............................................................1572
Harris-Benedict..............1318...........2043..........1543
Katch-McArdle...............1322...........2050..........1550
Average.........................1320...........2047..........1555
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7:00 wake, GoLean crunch and Metabolic Drive
10:00 orange, omega-3 egg
12:00 spinach salad with chicken breast
3:00 Lift
Superset 3x [deadlift 50# x20; military press 15#db x 20]
Superset 3x [Bulgarian split squats x 40; db pullover 25# x 20]
Superset 3x [one-leg hip/thigh extension x 40; swiss ball prone jacknife x 20]
recovery LISS
4:30 Syntrax Nectar, 15g dextrose
6:00 tofu-broccoli, chicken eggroll
8:00 Lean Dessert protein blend, 1/4c GoLean
8:30 30m Qigong, practice pattern (belt test coming up!)
---------------------------------
Calories: 1526
Carbs: 154.1 total (31.9% net)
Fat: 48.8 (32.1%)
Protein: 134.7 (35.5%)
Fiber 33.1

Yes, we have no DOMS

Last week, the day after I returned from the conference I jumped back into my training. I guess 60 squats and 120 steps-ups were a bit much after sitting motionless for a week. By Tuesday morning just stepping off the curb was so painful my inflamed quad would momentarily go limp threatening to send me face-first into traffic so I wussed out and skipped Tuesday TKD (with Instructor Cutie-Pie, no less).

ANYWAY - no DOMS today after Monday's workout! Maybe because I drank my recovery shake, maybe the magic BCAA and glutamine, maybe because I am a wimp and took some weight off the squats and a few reps off the step-ups. Probably the last one.
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Today's recipe:
Grout
---- 2T old-fashioned oats
---- 10g chocolate protein powder
----1t reduced fat JIF
Cook oats in water and stir in other ingredients until mixture resembles industrial gap-filling compound. Enjoy!
--------------------------------
5:00 AM: wake, go back to sleep
9:00: get up, eat grout
10:00: HIIT - 8 x 20s/40s Tabata intervals on bike; 15m hamster cardio; 10 pullups & dips on Gravitron (60# counterweight)
12:00: 1 slice sprouted grain toast, 1 beef patty, 2/3c peas, ketchup, horseradish
2:00: 1 orange, 1 omega-3 egg
4:30: 2 scoops Metabolic Drive Complete, 1/2c berries
5:30 - 7:30: TKD class
8:00: 7oz broccoli, turkey/beef meatloaf burger, brown rice, 85% chocolate square
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Breakdown:
Calories: 1484
Carbs: 143.3 total (38.6% net)
Fat: 55.6 (37.5%)
Protein: 114.1 (30.8%)
Fiber: 34.5

Happy Monday

I think I'm better today, throat isn't so sore, slept in a bit. Usually am compelled to be waiting at the gym doors when they open at 5:30 because it turns out that 'Early Guy' is actually 'Chancellor Steve'. Once he told my dad that I was 'sweaty' and when he sees my Dad he tells me whether he's seen me at the gym. Hmph.

4:30 wake, go back to sleep
9:00 wake; 2T oatmeal, 1t JIF
10:00 superset [20 x squat w/ 50#; 16 T-pushups] x 3
- superset [40 stepups; 20 high cable row 17.5#] x 3
- superset [20 SHELC on swiss ball; 20 swiss ball situps] x 3
- 60 sec prone cobra
Sometimes the first superset makes me want to barf but it was ok today because I took 10# off
11:00 1 scoop Syntrax Nectar (whey), 15g dextrose, 6g BCAA, 1g glutamine
12:00 2/3c brown rice, 4oz chicken breast [add veg or fruit]
4:00 1 medium orange, 1 large omega-3 egg, 1oz beef jerky [late]
7:00 huge salad, 15g Lean Dessert (protein blend), 1/2c GoLean Crunch, 1sq 85% dk chocolate
I had budgeted in 1 scoop Lean Dessert with 1c GoLean as a pre-bed meal, but I still wanted food after my salad and I didn't think I'd be hungry later.

Cals: 1332 [goal 1500]
Carbs: 111.3g tot (28.6% net)
Fat: 44.6 (33.5%)
Prot: 127.6 (38.3%)
Fiber: 15.9 [25g minimum!]

Activity: Afterburn day 1 workout, puttered around lab ~4+ hours, 30m Qigong

Sicky Sunday and Super Salad

Alright. Now I'm annoyed, I really thought I was getting better. Had to go grocery shopping today and was planning to go to a few more places, but I ended up sweating and disoriented so I just got my food and went home. Ate lunch, lay around trying to remember if this is what it was like when I was sick last year.... Am not 'taking anything' because it seems that dampening immune response would only impair viral clearance, stupid immune system.

Today I did not eat at regular intervals, tho I managed to pack away a surprising number of calories and fat thanks to flax oil and a KitKat bar.

Super Salad:
combine any of the following
Spinach: spinach has the highest alkaline value in the PRAL foods list
Romaine lettuce: supposedly has more protein per 100 calories than beef, lol
Raw sunflower seeds: potassium, polyunsaturated fats and lipase (I think...)
Beets: anthocyanins
Brassica/clover sprouts: higher levels of cruciferous indoles than broccoli, anti-estrogenic
Onion: sulfur-rich veggies support liver health
Carrots: you need to eat a whole bag to get an insulin spike, carrots are your friend
Flax meal: phytoestrogens
Organic beef burger: I crumble it, cook til really well done then boil for a few minutes and rinse with hot hot water to get out as much fat as possible. I guesstimated 7g of fat remaining, but that might be too high...
Dorito crumbs: doritos and apple cider vinegar are a weirdly happy taste combination! The trick is to only buy a small bag and smash chips into dust before opening bag
- Toss with balsamico, cider vinegar, or lemon juice
- Then toss with flaxseed oil

Eats:
9:00 wake
9:30 smoothie: pineapple, berries, Metabolic Drive; sprouted grain toast, Earth Balance spread
1:20 Salad; diet pepsi
7:00 Lean Dessert protein, Kashi GoLean crunch
grazing: grapes, KitKat bar

Nearly all my food came out of a tub or a box today
1396 Calories
Carbs 127g (29.5% net) / Fat 64g (45.8% aah!)/ Protein 92g (26.4%) / Fiber 24g

Activity:
Lay around and felt sorry for self
Went grocery shopping
Some half-hearted exercise with girly weights and bodyweight

Wherein our heroine starts an online diet/exercise weblog

Other names were going to be "Lair of the Mutant", "Iron and Yarn", but I think this one is funnier and the most applicable.
Anyway - still sick, I'm not writing down what I eat today >=) but I'll be good and start tomorrow....no, really!

Anyway - pix for your joy and amusement:
Before: this is how I've always looked and pretty much how I picture myself. This is on vacation in CO a few years before moving back home. This is why it was so distressing to put on 40% of my bodyweight in 24 months (despite my best efforts) and turn into the Blob:

I was supposed to go to another wedding the week after this one and I canceled 2 hours before I got on the plane because I couldn't stand the thought of anyone taking my picture or looking at me.
Anyone who says "We all put on weight as we get older" or "Size 6 is tiny" or "You have a cute figure" or "You look fine" can go jump in a lake =). I still surprise myself when that fat chick in the reflective surface turns out to be me. That's not me. That's not going to be me. I probably won't end up looking like the first picture either, but I'm not going to be the fat bridesmaid ever again!

Current goals:
1. Be more goal oriented, ha! Goals are ok, embrace goals.
2. Finish 6th bear
3. Get below 130lb by
- 90% eating compliance
- 90% gym compliance (doing Alwyn Cosgrove's "Afterburn")
4. Get yellow belt
5. Wear size 4 pants
6. <20% bodyfat (i.e. no extraneous bulges, head back to normal size)

Future goals:
7. Pull my bodyweight on the olympic bar
8. Do a pullup
9. Knit something wearable for myself
10. Finish that Ph.D thing