Wednesday, June 30, 2010

Reworked Food for June 30, 2010

Okay, after much poring over cookbooks and calculating and consulting the CRON-o-meter, I have a new and majorly delicious food o' the day!! Try not to be too jealous:P

-3 raw spring rolls w/ mock peanut sauce (Jennifer Cornbleet's book)
-Jerusalem salad (cucumber and tomato and onion) w/ tahini lemon dressing
-Cucumbers w/ mint (Cornbleet)
-Green smoothie (pineapple, banana, kale, lime juice)
-Bean and Kale Minestra from my old Moosewood book
-1 large slice sourdough (for soup)
-2 c watermelon
-coffee

Total= 1696

Yeah baby!!! Summer time and the eatin's easy.....

C25K Progresses

Week 1, Day 2 of the C25K looks exactly like day one. It's intervals: walking 90 seconds, running 60 seconds, repeat for 20 minutes. I have to say, yesterday was easy. But I want to start from the beginning and start easy so I don't burn out. I think when you're starting out it's better to stop on a high note, even feeling like, "Oh, I sooo could have gone another ten minutes." That way you feel like a success. Then once you get a little better and in shape, let it rip!

Yesterday I had some last minute substitutions. Instead of the hummus wrap I've been eating every single day now, I had some pasta salad I made. It didn't have much oil in it and it had lots of veggies. And I had some ice cream late last night:( My little one got up 4 times last night. I think he was having a nightmare. Well, whatever it was, it left me up and roaming the kitchen at 2am. But I did adjust the calories this morning, and I was over 200. Still under 2000, and I did work out yesterday, so I'll take it and move on.

I'm once again feeling bored with my food. I am going to write out my 'possible' food for the day. I have it all written out, but I'm thinking I may go back through my cookbooks and tweak it. I'm just seeing the same stuff over and over on repeat!

Intake:
-Coffee
-2 c watermelon
-Gazpacho
-Peach/Blueberry/Hemp/Almond Milk smoothie
-Hummus wrap w/ tomato
-Minted zucchini
-Romaine salad with cuke, peppers, reduced fat feta, and creamy cucumber dressing
-3 Brazil nuts

Total as is= 1602

Tuesday, June 29, 2010

C25K Baby!!!

I did it. I got off my heiney and started the C25K again. I'm on Week One, Day One and I felt sooo damn good. I was worried about my breathing a bit, but I was downstairs in the cooler air and had no problems. I think the sweat and activity may actually help me move the lung cheese out. I did skip boxing, b/c I thought it would be overdoing it.

But either way, I did it! Go me!

Sorry

Yes, I'm apologizing. I don't want this blog to turn in to a downer of an experience. It's ok to write about disappointments and feelings and such, I just feel like it's been on the depressing side lately. That said, I am aware and will try to lift it up a little. What can I say? That's been where my head's at recently. I want this blog to help others, and sharing my trials and tribulations can help, but I doubt how I've felt lately could help anyone....So, moving forward.

My lungs seem to feel slightly better this morning. I think. It's a little early, so I can't really tell yet.

I wanna go boxing so much, but I don't think it's smart for a few reasons, one being the lung gak, and two being this oppressive muggy heat. *Sigh*....it better be a go for Saturday, I'll say that much!! Grrrr.

Food. Hmmmm. Let's ponder the edibles. I can already hear my veggie and vegan friends' shocked outcries on this one, but I make no apologies: I picked up some bologna for the boys yesterday. They eat this crap probably twice a year. And make no mistake, I do think of it as crap, ha. But that being said, I bought it for the boys, and yet I had two slices on whole grain bread!!! Aaaaaah! I haven't had it in forever. The taste was 'meh'. I could have lived my life without it. BUT....those extra calories I had left yesterday disappeared as fast as you can say "Oscar Meyer". I can assure you the rest of my food yesterday was angelic, full of veggie and fruit goodness, and raw! So we'll call it a draw:) We all pigged out on ice cold watermelon after dinner last night. So darn good! There's just something about this muggy heat and chowing down on a watermelon:) It makes me smile.

The vanilla hemp protein powder is much better than the dark chocolate. There was a change of plans in yesterday's smoothie. The mango was not looking so good (poor thing), so I replaced it with frozen banana. I always take my overripe bananas and throw them in the freezer. Perfect for smoothies and they don't go to waste. However I discovered that using frozen peaches AND frozen bananas makes for a very very thick smoothie. Me no like. I like to have a slightly runny, straw-friendly smoothie. So in addition to the cup of almond milk, I had to throw in some water to get it all mixed up right. It was about three regular-sized glasses full! I was filled to the gills after that smoothie.

On to the raw carrot ginger soup. The original recipe calls for a 1/2 c of macadamia nuts. A problem on two levels: it also had avocado in it and I didn't care for the fat content, and I didn't have any macadamias. So I left them out and just used the avocado for body and creaminess. The recipe also calls for a large chunk of fresh ginger. I chopped it up and threw it in, but it just didn't blend in well, and when I was eating it I kept having to pick out chunks of ginger. The flavor of the chunks would overpower the whole soup. I think just for texture's sake, next time I'll use powdered ginger. Just my opinion.

The raw tabouli is a favorite, especially on summer days. It's got tons of lightness from all the parsley and mint, and the tomatoes are delish with the dressing of just a little olive oil and lemon juice. I had this after dinner as a snack while watching Lie To Me, and it had been chilling all day.

Oh, and I've rediscovered my inner gamer-chick! It was so hot yesterday that I ran for cover in the air-conditioned office with my boys in tow. Well, I have a game that M got me ages ago that I never played. So I popped that bad boy in and we were off for a good hour and a half. I'm into the fantasy type role-playing-games (RPGs) and this didn't disappoint. It's supposed to be in the 90s here again today. I plan on dodging the heat this way again:)

What I'll be digesting today:

-Coffee a la me
-2 c watermelon
-Minted zucchini (raw)
-Banana/peach/almond milk/vanilla hemp smoothie
-Hummus wrap with tomato and cucumber
-Carrot Ginger soup (raw)
-2 Brazil nuts

Total= 1591, a little short again, but don't worry about me, I'll find a way.....:)

Monday, June 28, 2010

Mostly Rawkin' Today:)

Yep. A lot of my food is raw today. It's really really hot and muggy here, and the thought of cooking is just gross.

I still have something funky in my lungs. I am ok for a large part of the day, but then there are random times where I feel like I've been holding my breath and am almost gasping for air. Not good. I told M that if it doesn't improve today, I'll visit my friend at the urgent care clinic. I probably need an inhaler or something. All of this is thwarting my efforts to exercise. I am feeling a little panicky already at the whole 'not being able to breath right' thing, and working out would just exacerbate that. So it's on the back burner for now. However, I do know for a fact that one can still lose weight with CR and no exercise. I'm keeping my eyes on the prize!

Ag's inspired me to think about running again. I used the Couch to 5K program with good results. I was never a runner. The only time you'd catch me running is if Godzilla were on the rampage or something. But this program eases you into it. I liked it. I like what she had to say about running clearing the head space. I need that. I've been such a bitch lately. I bet my meds are off. Yep, the crazy meds must not be working...yeah, that's it.

Yesterday was horrible for me mentally. I actually broke down and started crying over CR and exercise. I am just not seeing the results I want as quickly as I want, and I was just overwhelmed with writing everything and counting everything and just being overly consumed/obsessed with it. Like, I don't feel like I'll ever be able to just relax and enjoy food anymore. Food has become almost automatic, a necessary evil. I haven't even been enjoying eating lately. I just shovel it in while on the computer or something, in a fog. I count my calories, get my nutrition, and beyond that food gives nothing. I used to loooove eating. I'm feeling robbed. Poor M didn't know what to do or say, but he hugged me so that was good. We came to the conclusion that we are drinking too much and maybe only drinking every third weekend might help shed some pounds. SO...that's the next tactic. Something's gotta give, right?

So, in protest of unaware automatic eating, I'm actually making a few new recipes today. See if I can't wake up my taste buds a little:) They could sure use it.

Food....Meh.

-coffee a la the usual way
-peach/mango/hemp protein/almond milk smoothie
-2c watermelon
-hummus wrap with grilled zucchini
-Carrot Ginger Soup (from Idiot's Guide to Eating Raw)
-Raw Tabouli (Jennifer Cornbleet's Raw Food Made Easy)
-Minted Zucchini (from Kristen Suzanne's Easy Raw Vegan Sides and Snacks)

All this veggie goodness equals 1523 calories.

I went to one of the health food stores near us yesterday and picked up brazil nuts (holy expensive Batman!!!) and some hemp protein shake mix, vanilla flavor. I didn't care for the dark chocolate variety of this hemp protein, but maybe the vanilla will mix better with my fruit.

Again, the calories are a little low, but I honestly couldn't figure out what else to eat! I was wandering through the kitchen in a daze, looking for stuff....so maybe later the light will come on!

Sunday, June 27, 2010

More Veggie Burgers

Seems like I'm eating a lot of these guys. These Morningstar Farms Grillers Prime. I usually have a different dinner from my family, and these burgers are just easy to throw on the grill next to the regular burgers, or nuke in the microwave when I've made something else for them. I like them a lot.

I got so irrationally pissed at M last night. First of all, let me say he is thin and healthy, no weight problem whatsoever. Well, he eats like a frickin' pig! Last night, I made salmon fillets with sauteed swiss chard with pine nuts and feta cheese on it. Both sauteed in olive oil. Well he ate two fillets and a nice portion of the chard. Then he had ice cream. Then he goes back and has the last fillet of salmon! And he's always finishing what's left on the boys' plates. Oh, and for breakfast yesterday? Two eggs scrambled with bacon and cheese on a flour tortilla! He works out 4 days a week compared to my 5 or 6. I was so annoyed and I told him. His answer? "Well, I guess I just have faster metabolism!" I was really peeved, let me tell you. I sit here and parcel every damn calorie that goes past these lips and lose 1 pound a week when I'm angelic with the diet, which to be honest, I go over around 100-200 calories a few times a week. But still, with CR, that wouldn't cause me to gain! It just makes me not lose. I was having a seriously "why me" moment last night. A pity party. Oh, and I just LOVE when he gives me advice on eating or exercising:) I'm like, "Please." So, that's my random vent for the day, moving on.....

Foodie Goodness:

-coffee (half and half and stevia)
-2 c cantaloupe (always by itself)
-hummus wrap
-peach/mango smoothie (no almond milk today, just water and ice)
-leaf lettuce/tomato/cuke/pepper salad with cucumber dill dressing and 1/4 c reduced fat feta
-1/2 large zucchini, grilled
-veg burger, whole grain bun, ketchup and mustard
-1 rum and coke zero

Total- 1734

I also realized I never told you guys that I do take a multivitamin for nutritional insurance. I can hit around 90-95 of my targets without it some days, but other days not so much. It is just a women's one from GNC. I also take a few other supplements, but I've been really slacking lately, so it hasn't counted. I'll do a post sometime on what I take. I became obsessed with Dr. Amen's Change Your Brain, Change Your Body program, so I went and started taking what he recommended. It's just a lot of pills and my stomach can't handle them unless I've eaten a decent meal. Of course, then you also need to remember to take them, ha.

Saturday, June 26, 2010

Lame

I'm feeling something nasty brewing in my lungs. I have very thick hard-to-cough-up mucous and it's making my throat raw from constantly coughing and clearing my throat. I was wheezing last night and took one of my son's albuterol treatments, which helped some. Therefore, I can't box this morning. It would kick my booty. But I still want to try to get in some of the "Shred" today, I'll just take it a little easier. This sucks. It seems like every time I try to get serious and on track (again), something slows me up. I'm still struggling with the idea of actually going boxing, but I honestly think it would be a mistake. But I'm kinda dopey like that! Breathing is a good thing....

Yesterday we signed the boys up for the library reading club. It was crazy! I've never seen so many people in the library. It was a madhouse. They gave us a little packet with a beach ball, and Jackson also got to have ice cream and make a sand art necklace. Then when we got back home, I realized I forgot to sign myself up! Too funny. It's pretty common to forget about yourself when you're a mom, I suppose. Then Jackson proceeded to sit in the big comfy chair and read every single book we got, even the ones to read to Ivan. He's supposed to get a prize after every 50 pages, and read 200 pages to complete the program, and he's already at around 150. Silly boy.

No late night snacks for this girl last night! Woo hoo! I actually went about 150 over my calories yesterday, which is kinda stinky, but nothing compared to the damage I could normally do, so I'm moving on. My sleep is getting better in fits and starts, not steadily, so I think that's helping some with the eating. It's hard to be asleep and eat:) At least for me it is, I don't know about any of you....

The farm was awesome. In addition to our share, they were offering fresh eggs and local honey. We picked up some of the honey. They are actually looking for someone to work the beehives with them, and M did that a few times with his uncle back in the day. So he gave them his number and now he's all excited for doing the beehive thing. We got all sorts of stuff: lettuce, carrots, onions, parsley, zucchini, swiss chard, garlic scapes, and ummm.....I think that's it.

Food for today:

-coffee w/ half and half and stevia
-2 c cantaloupe
-lettuce, cuke, and pepper salad w/ cucumber dill dressing
-blueberry/mango/almond milk smoothie, with a few leaves of chard thrown in
-1 1/2 c grilled zucchini
-hummus wrap
-raw gazpacho
-2 rum and cokes

Total= 1536

It's on the low side, but I want that little extra wiggle room. I seem to overdo it every other day or so, and this is a new tactic. If I leave some room for those extra calories, maybe it will balance out. Give me some space for the spontaneous-ness of life:)

EDIT- Hey I just looked in my handy dandy spreadsheet o' progress, and even though it seems like I'm going up and down with weight, its showing a five pound loss for the last 4 weeks. So...it may be coming off really really really slooooowly, but it's coming off! Also, in randomness, yesterday was my 100th post! Yay!

Friday, June 25, 2010

Last Day of School

It's both the boys' last day of school. Summer break! Except for the fact that Ivan goes back for summer school on July 6. Poor kid. We don't have a lot planned other than the summer reading club. I hate the beach, so I usually don't take the kids. But M might, he likes it. And we'll probably do some stuff like the aquarium or maybe run in to the city for a museum or two.

Yesterday's food went well! I actually re-tweaked it to include my rum and cokes. Two of those bad boys. Yum. Used coke zero, so only had to include the calories in the rum. It was so hot, and I put loads of ice in them. I was still below my 1700 for the day. So that's a success in my book. I am trying to stay positive. Those damn pounds WILL come off! They are not welcome here:)

I was supposed to go boxing both Sat and Sun. However...Sunday is Jackson's last game and trophy day at soccer, so I want to be a good supportive mom and be there. So I'll just be going Saturday. Grrr. But I'll make sure I do some kind of exercise. Yesterday I tried to finish the JM30DS, but it was so hot (even downstairs) that I got halfway through and was soaked like I had worked out for an hour. Disgusting! But I did something, so I'm alright with that. Today I think I'll try it again. I know, I know, I'm a glutton for punishment, ha.

Foodie Goodness for today:

-coffee w/ half and half and stevia
-mango/peach/almond milk smoothie
-2 c raw gazpacho
-quesadilla w/ avocado (whole grain tortilla)
-veggie burger w/ whole grain bun and ketchup and mustard

Total- 1513

It's a little low, but I plan on doing some sort of grilled veggie or salad with dinner from our farm pick up today, and I don't know what we're getting yet, so it's TBD:)

Thursday, June 24, 2010

Scorcher

It's supposed to get up to 93F here today. Yep. And as I said a few posts earlier, I just do not function well on any level in high temps like this. I am definitely hanging in the air conditioned office today. I have a computer, tv, and best of all, an XBox 360:) I used to be quite the gamer, but as of the last two years, with school and kids, I haven't played much. It's mostly M and the eldest boy who play. I'm thinking today when the kids are in school is my chance to rediscover this mind-numbing activity!

A friend posted a very angry post on facebook yesterday, but it was sort of ambiguous as to what the heck was going on in her life. I called her to check on her, but she couldn't talk right then. So we made plans to hook up today at her house and she'd explain what was up. The baby will be in school, but Jackson gets home early, so in that space while it's just him and I, we'll go visit. She's got a son who's a few years older than my boy, so they'll play and we'll catch up. But she's studying for a police exam (she's cop in NYC, but applying to move to another state), so I don't want to keep her long.

I am trying to get back on the consistent exercise wagon. I went boxing Tuesday but didn't do anything yesterday. So today I'm going go back to my good ole JM30DS. Level One.....again (or still?). Luckily, my workout room is downstairs so I'll get a little relief from the heat down there. The scale keeps dropping a few, then back up a few....it's getting really tedious, to say the least. But I know why, if I'm truly honest with myself. I do my CR faithfully for probably 4-5 days, then I slack a day or two. It's usually those days when I am in a funk. I had The Epiphany a while ago, and it's made things a little better, but I need to rock the hell out of this if I wanna get somewhere. I have other excuses of course: thyroid problem and meds for that, bipolar meds.....all of that helps me hold on to every little ounce. But I know that if I really get down and do this, it will work, even if it is more slowly than others. So here's to a new day and being as healthy as I can! I will be positive even if I don't feel like it. Fake it til you make it, right?

So, with the heat here today, I wanted to keep the food as light and cool as possible:
-coffee, the usual half and half and stevia
-2 c cantaloupe
-Mango/peach/almond milk smoothie
-2 c raw gazpacho
-pretzels with raw sun-dried tomato pesto from Kristen Suzanne's Raw Entrees cookbook
-Guacamole wrap

Total- 1603, with lots of good fats from the avocado and pesto.

Tuesday, June 22, 2010

Blah...

That's how I feel today. Not depressed or in a bad mood, just blah. I'm not gonna even post food today cuz I haven't planned it yet, and I'm feeling lazy. I'm getting to where I can kinda estimate how much I can have, because I eat a lot of the same foods in cycles. So with the current cycle, I kinda know where I'm at.

I boxed today for the first time since the whole hospital debacle. It was so damn hard. I seriously felt like puking a few times. I workout in the mornings, so I don't have breakfast before I work out. I've experimented working out with food versus without, and I feel and perform better without food. It's just me. At least if I did puke, it'd just be coffee:) I told the trainer the situation and that I needed to take it easy. He was very understanding, which, if you know anything about trainers, is unusual! It's about 85 degrees here today, and he had the gall to make us workout outside. I was seriously hating him right about that point. Then we got relief and got to go back inside with the air conditioning. I definitely noticed some weakness. Then he ended class with about 10-15 minutes of hardcore ab work. It sucked. And I'm a grunter and yeller. I'm vocal when something is hard. But, it's all good because I'm an apple and that's where I need the most work:) So I thanked him after class! I reminded myself that I pay for this, ha.

Well, I guess that's it for this post. As rambling as it was, it's what's up in my world:) (Could I possibly have used more smiley faces in this post????)

Monday, June 21, 2010

Hot

No, not me. The weather. It's muggy and sticky and disgusting. The kind of weather that causes me to not function properly. We don't 'believe' in AC (well, we believe that it exists, ha, we just don't want to use it a lot), so we only have one small unit for the office room. I haven't used it yet this year, I'm trying to hold out. However, I may cave today. Just a wee bit:)

It's the last week of school for the kids. Ivan starts summer school on July 6th or 9th or something. It will be kind of nice for the summer, having time alone with my older boy. He rarely gets time with me alone. Something for us to look forward to. We are both doing the summer reading club at the library this year. He's done it the past three years, and last year was my first time. It's cool and I can't wait til Ivan can do it. Of course, Jackson didn't wanna do it this year, he complained, so I bribed him with a toy at the end of the summer:) Hey, a mom's gotta do what a mom's gotta do. He's stuck between really taking off with the easier chapter books and still reading the early readers, and I kinda pushed him a little and overwhelmed him I think. So I've taken a step back and let him run the reading show. Even though I know he's capable of the harder books, I don't think he thinks he's ready himself. But he's *this* close!

I had horrible insomnia last night. Don't know why. Just randomness, I guess. However, I did get to see a movie I had never seen before but always wondered about: Rent. It was pretty good. I liked the songs and the story. It was kind of sad. But all "triumph of the spirit"-ey. Then I saw two episodes of Cops. That show is weird. I always feel like I'm eavesdropping on some poor unfortunate soul's worst day ever. I don't think I'd want someone filming my worst day ever.

I'm really itching to get back to boxing. I was supposed to officially start tomorrow, but I have my follow-up appointment with the doctor from the hospital. Sucks. I just wanna box! I feel like it's gonna be just like starting over. Which is really really really unfortunate for me. It's hard as hell. It's been two and a half weeks.

About foodie goodness. We grilled zucchini and peppers on skewers on the grill. I frickin' LOVE that flavor! A little bit of thai marinade on it and it's so damn good! Like, I forgot how yummy grilled zucchini is. I almost sliced it lengthwise, but then I remembered I always have a hard time with that on the grill. So chunky and skewered worked. And I tried a veggie burger I haven't tried before: Morningstar Farms Grillers Prime. I've had various incarnations of this brand, but never this particular one. Pretty tasty. I slapped some blue cheese on it and some ketchup and mustard. Mmmm. I'm also pretty in love with their tomato basil burger. I was, however reading somewhere in blogland about how they process the soy for these bigger brands (if it's not organic) and apparently it's pretty gross and chemical-laden. Maybe Sie will do some of her famous research....hehe. I'm too lazy.

Ok, here's what I'm nom nom nomming today:)

-the usual coffee
-banana/blueberry/almond milk smoothie
-2 c pineapple
-romaine and leftover grilled pepper salad with cucumber dill dressing (again...I know...I'm loving this dressing almost as much as I was loving the lemon tahini dressing...)
-plain yogurt/apple butter/flax seed 'snack'
-2 veggie burgers on whole grain buns with blue cheese and ketchup and mustard
-2 c leftover grilled zucchini:) Yay!

Total Tally=1595

I'm coming into a little extra money, and I just got in touch with my tattoo artist. I'm toying around with maybe....maybe....starting a half sleeve on my right arm! I don't know if I have enough to get it going though. I have lots of ideas: pin ups (I love Bettie Page and that whole retro vibe), something customized for me from Nightmare Before Christmas (I love all things Tim Burton).....decisions, decisions....
I should do a post of my tattoos. I don't know that it would interest anyone, but it would be informative for those wishing to get to know Dawn a little better;) I have 4. The most recent is a pretty big back piece of cascading stars down from the neck to lower mid-back. All in different colors and descending in size. And the most regretted: the stupid Japanese kanji that means 'harmony/peace' on my right bicep. Stupid idea, just got carried away with the trend and thought it was cool. Never do that! I plan on doing a cover over this for the sleeve.

Boy, I had a lot to say today! Have a CRONeriff-i-licious day, peeps!!!

Sunday, June 20, 2010

Father's Day!

It's Father's Day and we are celebrating by grilling. I will call my dad (who lives on the west coast), and Mark will call his (who lives in FL). And Jackson will go to his dad's (we got him a shirt and Jack made him a card and picture). But first, the boys will give Mark his gift and card. We got him a practical gift this year. His old leather flipflops are falling apart, so we got him a new pair. Not exactly the most thrilling gift, but he'll like it. I'm going to buy some veggie burgers today, instead of eating regular beef ones. I ate red meat while in the hospital so it's too soon to loosen up. And I'm going to get whole grain buns. I'm going to do my bestest to make my dinner as healthy as possible!

My calories were a little lower for yesterday than planned. My blender was used for making a dressing, and it had oil in it. Well, I put it in the dishwasher (being too lazy to actually hand wash it), and when it came time for my smoothie, I couldn't use it. So I am estimating (I'll fix it in the program later) I'm down another 150 calories. That's fine with me, especially since I haven't been working out.

Today's plan looks something like this:
-coffee w/ half and half and stevia
-banana blueberry smoothie w/ almond milk
-lettuce and sweet pepper salad w/ cucumber dill dressing
-raw zucchini 'noodles' w/ raw marinara
-2 veggie burgers on 2 whole grain buns w/ ketchup and mustard
-BEER!

Total=1746

I'm a little short on potassium and phosphorus today. And I'm thinking of limiting the drinking of alcohol to 2 days a week. Mark has a 3 day weekend, and we can easily drink 3 or 4 nights a week. It's not that healthy, and it takes calories away from real nutritious food I could be having. Food with, say, potassium and phosphorus in it:) Now that I look at it, I think I'll skip the raw marinara and just grill my zucchini....hmmm. I may edit calorie totals later. Stay tuned!

I have trouble sleeping. I am a terrible insomniac. We've tried a lot of things short of sleeping pills, which I don't want to get into doing at all. I usually wake up twice a night and have a hard time going back to sleep. BUT...I slept great last night. I didn't wake up at all! And, call me crazy, but I think it may have something to do with my epiphany about my weight the other night. Like, it put me psychologically in a better place. I am so happy that my thinking process 'went there'...I have that clarity to guide me when I want to eat more than I should. It's comforting in a way. Like my secret weapon! To have something to actually pinpoint. Cool:)

EDIT- I nixed the beer and added two slices of cheese, and removed the marinara...now at 1623.

Saturday, June 19, 2010

McVent

I gotta pop on here and say.....

Have you all seen that new McDonald's commercial? The one where the mom walks in the door and apologizes to the sitter for being late, then pulls out two Happy Meals from her purse and tells her kids all lovingly, "These are for you!" The kids go all bonkers, then she collapses in a soft comfy chair and the voice-over says something like, "When I've had one of those days, I make it a Happy Meal night." Wha??? Well, in 30 years you can make it a McTripleBypass night. Disgusting.

I remember the first time I gave Jackson McDonald's. I was all militant with how I fed him. I made all his baby food and prided myself on his big reportoire (sp?) of tastes. He'd eat most veggies no problem, and even dabbled in sushi (cooked) at a young age. Well, I'd just moved across the country after splitting w/ my babydaddy, and we were alone. My sister lived just across the street from my little two bedroom apartment. She came by and was going to McD's and wanted to know if I wanted to come. Well, I took Jackson for his first Happy Meal. He was 2 and a half. I remember being so nervous, but seriously, when I saw the look of joy on his face from those damn nuggets and little plastic toy, I was like, "Wow." I even said to my sister, "So this is why people do this???" But I knew it was only a sometime food. I am very strict with my diet, but I have to admit: my kids eat fast food probably 3 or 4 times a year. As a random treat. They love it, but they also know that it's not good for them and they can't eat too much. And I'm cool with that. I want them to always know moderation in all things. If they choose to become more strict with their diets later on, that's great. But I'm not going to push any extreme on them. They are kids and need to live in this society where birthday parties happen and the ice cream man comes around on hot sunny days:)

No Late Night Noshing

Yep. I even got up at 2 am and went into the kitchen. Then I just grabbed my glass of water and chug-a-lugged half a glass and went back to bed:) Yeah, I know, I pretty much rock! Now to carry this victory to another night....I can do it.

Yesterday's calories had to be adjusted for the 3 beers I had. I just had to cut out a few items, but my numbers still looked great. I accounted for a few more today. It's nice and hot here. Nothing like an ice cold beer when it's hot out. Unfortunately there's also nothing like that beer gut you get from too many:)

My boys are annoying me right now. First, they got up before God, and then were making a bunch of noise. I wanted to crawl under the covers. Now they are just bouncing off the walls. It's gonna be one of those days, I think. I just have to chill out and not let them get to me. Easier said than done some days.

Mark and I had a weird/good talk last night. It's kinda personal, but I think I wanna share in the interest of helping others maybe....we've been not so close since my little one was born. I know the reason but never explained it to him. Well, last night I did. He doesn't realize that I don't feel super sexy or pretty anymore. I have gained about 30 pounds since Ivan was born, and I have really really big ugly scars all over my abdomen, from hip to hip, and a large one on my rear. I got the scars after I had Ivan and got those infections. Now, once I got to thinking about it, I think the reason I am having a hard time losing the weight is because maybe deep down I like it and don't want to lose it because it gives me a cushion against things. Like being overweight will keep Mark away from me and I won't have to deal with feeling weird about my scars. I never thought I'd do something like that, but it makes sense to me. I guess I just had an epiphany last night! I'm just feeling unattractive, so I'm keeping my outside matching my inside. I don't think he really knew what to say, other than he accepts me the way I am now. But still. I don't believe it. Maybe the scars, but my flabby gut??? It didn't look like that before. And I don't want him looking at it ever.....Boy I got issues!!! *sigh* Excuse the random psychological evaluation....

So my food today is delicious and CRON-eriffic:
-coffee, half and half, and stevia
-banana/blueberry smoothie with almond milk
-lettuce/cucumber/tomato salad with cucumber dill dressing
-zucchini pasta with raw marinara
-2 c watermelon
-2 c pineapple
-raw tabouli (no bulghur)
-BEER!!!

Total=1615

Friday, June 18, 2010

CRON-o-meter Baby!!!

I've plugged all my stuff into the good ole CRON-o-meter today for the first time in a while. It was actually hard to think of things to eat after a while. I thought I had it in the bag, then I looked and the calories were only 977! Sheesh...back to the drawing board.

I'm itching to get back to boxing. But I've been banned til next Tuesday. The fiance isn't 'allowing' me to go this weekend, even though I totally could:) I think I've even coerced a friend to come check it out. We used to do karate together, which was really expensive (I actually taught the little guys), so neither of us go anymore. Times are tough, money-wise. But boxing is cheap. And tough. Like me- ha!

I'm detoxifying. I think. I hope. I've gotten good fruits and veggies in this recuperating body of mine. I'm feeling better. The first few days home all I wanted to do was lay on the couch and sleep. But my energy's coming along now.

The farm pick up is today! The highlight of my day. Can't wait. We got a bunch of radishes last week, and no one besides me likes them. Well, last night I cooked them like home fries and they were sooo good! Everyone gobbled them up. That's one of the things I love about our CSA. The kids come along, choose which particular lettuce we get, weigh out the salad mix, and pick out the bunch of radishes we take home. Then it's fun to try to come up with different ways of eating the things we bring home. I really like that they are learning about where food comes from and the idea of eating local, organic food. It makes me a happy mommy:)

So food for the day looks like this:

-Coffee with stevia and half and half
-Smoothie w/ banana, blueberries, and almond milk
-Red leaf lettuce salad w/ tomatoes, cucumber, and homemade raw cucumber dill dressing
-Guacamole wrap (whole wheat wrap, avocado, salsa)
-2 c watermelon
-Raw tabouli (no bulgur wheat)
-Granny smith apple
-Zucchini 'pasta' with raw marinara
-Juice o' the day:carrot, apple, celery, little kale, lemon juice, and ginger

So that's the dealio with me: how are things for you?

EDIT: Total Calories for today= 1692

Wednesday, June 16, 2010

I'm Off!

I can't really say that, because I'm still technically taking it easy, but it feels good to be on my own now. Mark's back at work and things are getting back to normal. I've got big plans today:) Not really, just doing the grocery shopping that I wasn't up for yesterday. I did a lot of laundry yesterday, because that isn't really a chore that requires a lot from you, ya know? Just go down some stairs, throw some clothes around, and then back up the stairs and relax til the buzzer goes off. Nice and slow and easy. I was chomping at the bit yesterday, but my family all harassed me and my facebook friends harassed me....so I did something I never do: I listened! I took it easy peasy lemon squeezy. I'm glad I did though.

My booboo is really itchy now. I know that's a good thing! Itchy means healing. Unfortunately, itchy also means "drive-me-crazy". Seriously. I want to scratch the hell out of it, but I'm sticking to the very edges. And it doesn't look too good, scratching your butt all the time. People start wondering about you. Really.

So I went through my raw cookbooks and picked out about 8 recipes. I'm looking forward to getting going. Yesterday was good, but could have been better. I didn't count any calories (I'll start today), but I had a nice beet juice thingy, a big salad with avocado and a homemade carrot ginger dressing (raw), and then I couldn't come up with something veggie-like and super healthy to make for dinner...so after checking the fridge and the cabinets like a gazillion times, I caved and made a grilled cheese. Granted, it was whole grain bread, but I used butter and regular cheese! *GASP* Oh no she didn't!!! Oh yes she did:)

I've been very slightly toying with the idea of giving up dairy. The thought of never having cheese again is really horrifying though, and the only thing holding me back. I don't really drink milk. I like yogurt and cottage cheese, but I could live without them, and they do have some good soy yogurts. But the cheese is what kills me. I frickin' love love love me some cheese. Although, I have made some raw vegan cheeses and they were good, but nothing to write home about. They say that your tastes change and you learn to like these flavors, but I have a hard time believing that I could ever love raw vegan cheese the way I love regular cheese. I'm just full of cheesy luv. But Kristen at Kristen's Raw had a post recently linking to an article about the horrible abuse of dairy cows. It was really sad to me. I certainly don't want to support that. Baby steps, I think. Baby steps.

Tuesday, June 15, 2010

Home

I'm home. I got here late afternoon yesterday. But get this....I have been having a little pain on my left side. The side I was laying on constantly because the booboo is on my right side. Well, I thought it was just some muscle cramping/straining from laying on that side all the time. So I got home and decided to check it out in the mirror. There are two red hard spots on that side!!! Just like how the other infection started, only on a much smaller scale. I'm thinking the lymph or something drained downward and caused it. I'm on very strong antibiotics for ten more days. I'm going to watch it very closely and monitor my temp every day. Mark and I are scared. What the hell could be happening in my body???? My bloodwork is coming back fine. I need to find someone who will dig in and find what is going on.

I'm feeling very worn out today. All I want to do is lay on the couch and sleep. Well, I don't actually want to do that, I want to be up and about, doing laundry and mommy-type activities. But everyone is telling me to take it easy, so I'm trying my best to listen. It's hard when you've been lying in a bed rotting for almost a week! The last thing I want to be doing on this gorgeous sunshiny day is lay down.

I'm drinking tons of filtered water. I'm looking through my raw cookbooks and getting some ideas and building a grocery list. Juicing is on the menu as well. I think this is really a time to get a handle on nutrition and give my fragile system the very best. It can only help, right?

Well, that's the latest and the greatest over in my little world. How about you?

Sunday, June 13, 2010

The LIght At the End of the Tunnel

It's looking like I'm going to be discharged tomorrow!! Woo-hoo!

The incision and drainage hurt like hell. I mean, like the worst pain in my life. And that was just the numbing part! The rest I didn't feel. So now, I'm not running a temp since I've been soaked in IV antibiotics for 5 days or so. It feels better, still some pain, but nothing like it was before.

So anyways, I'm hoping to get back on track once I get home. I need to find out when I can start exercising again. But the food is completely under my control. I think I may try to detox at home. I had IV contrast for the CAT scan of my abdomen, and I've been sucking down pain meds a lot. So I am going to go for a vegetarian, possibly high-raw diet for a week or so. I actually have a book by Elson Haas on detoxing, and I've done it a few times with pretty decent results. I find I get a horrible headache and need to lay on the couch for a day or two. But then my head clears and I feel better.

I've discovered that Mark and I are psychologically/emotionally attached at the hip. We must have spoken on our cellys every two hours:) He was particularly suffering. He kept saying how much it sucked not having me at home yelling at him or bossing him around and how much he missed me. It was touching, but kind of disturbing how interdependent we are on each other! But he was also doing all the mommy work, and that is tough for any amateur, I believe. He's not a very good multi-tasker, a fundamental skill of mommyhood. But he's a great provider, taking on the cruel outside world to bring home the bacon each week:) We complement each other nicely. We each have what the other lacks. It's awesome!

Friday, June 11, 2010

Jersey Shore

I'm indulging in all those trashy VH1 shows that I used to love when we had cable. Where am I doing this, you may ask? Well, I'm currently in a private room on the 12th floor of Stonybrook University Medical Center:) Yep. My fever came back with a vengeance Wednesday, so we packed up the baby, drove Jackson to his father's, and Mark drove me to the ER of Stonybrook. This is a far better hospital than the one I went to before, I just went there because it's so close to my house.

I'm currently on IV antibiotics and major pain meds. I mean, they take me out. Mark can be visiting and I'm nodding out like a junkie. It sucks. I hate feeling so fuzzy and 'not there'. And so far, I have no idea what plan B is. I'm having serious flashbacks. I'm terrified. I know my body and it loves an infection and will do anything to hang on to it. Last time I was here the fever got up to 105! Everyone was scared. They had to put an electric cooling blanket on me. I'm just picturing more surgery to excise the infected tissue. It's been three days now, and the area is not looking any better. It's even gotten a little more red.

So, here I sit, watching bad tv, eating bad food, and sleeping. That's pretty much the extent of it. I have had no appetite. Food looks really good to me and I want to eat it, but I get one or two bites in me, and it loses its appeal. Which, in terms of healing, is not a good thing. They want me having my fruits and veggies and especially protein. I'm drinking tons of water and diet ginger ale, though. This place is scary for me as far as food/weight goes. This is where I put on about 25 pounds when I spent two months here. I was very lonely, depressed, bored, and bedridden, so eating was one thing that brought pleasure. It was one of the only things to do besides watch tv, and that gets old after a while. At least this time I have my trusty laptop so I can reach out and be social-like:)

I just wanted to update and let everyone (ok, my 9 followers, lol) know what is going on over in my section of the world. Any advice on any topic would be greatly appreciated, and I love reading your comments!

Wednesday, June 9, 2010

Side-lined

Yep. I've officially been put on the disabled list. It all started when I fell on my stairs here at home on Memorial Day weekend. My socks were all stretched out and loose on my feet, and I just hit the step wrong and my foot slid in the sock and down I went. Hard. I bruise very easily and was not surprised by the 6"x4" bruise on my right cheek. And I don't mean the cheek on my face:) It was huge! Well, fast forward to yesterday. The area was increasingly painful, affecting how I sat and drove and moved. At one point, my little Ivan came up behind me and playfully swatted my rear and brought me to tears it was so painful. Then I felt lethargic and hot, so I took my temp and there it was, 99.6F. Not much, but my history with infection causes me to spook with any fever. Back when I came home from the hospital after my emergency c-section, the site looked great, I felt fine, but started running a low-grade fever. That was the only symptom. And that ended up a nightmare of surgeries and a combined total of two months in isolation at the hospital. SO....with my temp eventually up to 101.4F in a short period of time, I drove myself in to the ER. Mark wanted to come with me, but it was already 7pm, and Ivan's bedtime is 8, so I didn't want to put him through that just so I could have company.

I waited for 2 hours in the stupid waiting room. Luckily I brought my Nintendo DS (pink of course). Played some Final Fantasy. The doctor checked it out and diagnosed it as cellulitis, an infection under the skin. So I was given one major dose of oral antibiotics and sent home with antibiotics and pain meds. I also had to go to the drugstore and pick up something called ichthammal salve, it's a drawing salve to pull the pus or fluid to the surface. Gross. I know. I have to put a hot compress on it for 20 minutes, then put the salve on a gauze pad and tape it to my ass for 6 hours, then wash, rinse, and repeat. I also have to see my doctor for a follow up today. Why it has to be today, I don't know. I would think I could wait a few days. The doc also said that sometimes you may need to be hospitalized and have it taken care of via IV antibiotics and maybe a minor 'procedure'. Ugh. I'm just thinking, great, with my history, this could suck big-time. But I'm trying to stay positive.

I have no plan for food yet today, and I don't know that I'll do it. I just feel all ookey from being up all night from sleeping poorly and just not feeling hungry from these hardcore pain meds.

So send me your bestest fast-healing, feel-good vibes today!!! I need 'em:)

Monday, June 7, 2010

Rest Day, Thank God

Today is my rest day for the week. I asked DF (dear fiance) what I should do. First, he had to pick his jaw up off the floor, as I rarely ask for his advice on how to do something:) Then, he told me to rest today since I was so sore from boxing and will be going again tomorrow. So I'll be working out Wednesday. Probably good ol' JM 30DS (Jillian Michael's 30 Day Shred). I tell ya, since I have been boxing, working out at home has been so darn boring! But, alas, I have only two options here: Either go boxing 6 days a week, which will be difficult although not impossible, or supplement my exercise at home *yawn*. I could do more boxing, but there are two days with a certain trainer who I've heard is really old-school and does things that could potentially injure you. He's an older man, and my friend went to college for fitness, and she told me he does some dangerous stuff. So DF wants me nowhere near that class.

I must say, I will thoroughly enjoy my day of rest. I am so sore. My biceps are screaming. We did so much ab work. Yesterday I bent over in the bathroom to put a tissue in the wastebasket, and my lower abs felt like they were cramping up. That's how sore I am. I can't even bend over! It's very funny, and good in a "I-worked-my-ass-off" way, but seriously, I couldn't take more than a day or two of this.

Chow details:
-Avocado wrap (some avo and veggies in a wrap)
-Salad (red leaf lettuce, cucumber, homemade dressing)
-Cheese Pasties (from a Moosewood cookbook, cheese and veggies in a crust like a turnover), only one since they're high in fat even with low fat cheese
-1 c pineapple
-1 c frozen wild blueberries
-1 c organic "farmy" strawberries
-Yogurt, apple butter, flax "snack"
-2 glasses red wine

Total= 1656, and a lot of those calories are from fat today, in the avocado, dressing, and cheese pasties....oh well, the calories are on so I'll take it. But I may try to even it out for the week, and see if I can do a few lower fat days.

Sunday, June 6, 2010

Feelin' Groovy....

Feeling good today. Can't explain it. Just a good day.

I went boxing again this morning. I didn't want to go. I'm still so damn sore from yesterday! However, I was following my "just show up" policy, and I'm really glad I did. It was a new trainer for me. The other trainer was on vacation. Tough stuff. Lots and lots of heavy bag work, and I'm going to guess at least 6 or 7 minutes straight of ab work. But that's the area that I need to work on the most. The fiance and I were discussing how I'm pretty much the epitome of apple-shaped. In fact, I don't know if I blogged about this or not, but the woman across the street asked in her broken English, "Baby coming??" I just laughed and said, "No. Just fat." I thought that was just awful. We all know that unless a woman tells you she's preggers, you DO NOT ASK!! It was really awkward. And depressing.....I carry every single extra pound of fat right in my upper abs, so it really does look like I'm expecting. But this is my shape, and I deal with it. I refuse to be one of those women who complains about this body part or that lump. I'm not happy with this body right now, but I don't hate on it. It's given me two babies and is very strong. And it will change. I have to keep the faith and keep on keepin' on.

I haven't discussed weight lately and that's for a reason. The scale hasn't budged. But I know that if I just keep up doing the best CRON I can and kick up the exercise, it will move eventually. I must admit though, it is tough to keep my chin up sometimes. Sometimes I wanna just say, "Screw it, nothing's happening anyway, might as well scarf down some pizza." But I don't, usually. I say usually cuz I'm not perfect, nor do I know anyone who is:) I also suspect that I may be gaining muscle as I lose fat, because I can see that my stomach is down a little. I do tend towards being very strong, even if I don't look "cut". That's my story and I'm sticking to it!

Anyways, the food for the day looks like this:
-hummus wrap
-romaine with feta, cucumber and homemade dressing
-turkey sausages on the grill....mmmm
-spinach....haven't figure out how yet, but something with minimal fat
-pineapple
-strawberries (from the farm!!)
-yogurt, apple butter, flax seed "snack"
-2 c watermelon
-Iced green tea with stevia...did I mention it's supposed to be 85 degrees today?
-coffee with half and half and stevia

Total so far: 1486

Saturday, June 5, 2010

Edit

Update: I found stevia at the local grocery! So that will bring my calories down a little, which is good, cuz I'm super extra hungry today for some reason. AND...I'm having those rum and cokes with coke Zero, so no extra sugar or calories there either. Ha! I can do this. I see a hummus wrap in my very near future....

Oh Love!!!

As in, OMG shrimp tacos are the bomb diggety! We all inhaled them. They were so fresh and light and yummy. I could see this becoming a habit! They were super quick and easy, the hardest and most time-consuming part was making the pico de gallo and guacamole. Everything came together very fast. And they're pretty CRON-friendly, for a taco.

We hit the farm yesterday. I was obsessed. I was counting down the hours til pick up time. Then, we were waiting for Jackson (older son) to finish his homework, and man, he was takin' forevah! He didn't want to go, so I suspect he was stalling. So we go there, and it is a new greenhouse where we pick up because a few months ago the red barn that was used burned down. And the woman taking payment and in charge of everything had a little girl that was a little younger than Ivan. Her name was Ramona (how cute). Well, they were checking each other out and smiling and being little flirts. He even said in his cute little 3 yr old voice, "Bye bye Wamona!" Anyway, I let Jackson help me with picking the produce. We got a head of red leaf lettuce, spinach, turnips, pea shoots, strawberries, and a couple of garlic scapes. These are the baby garlic I think. They look like a curly scallion kind of. They have a very mild garlic flavor, and I'm actually using them in tonight's dinner, veggie stir-fry over brown rice. Can I just say the farm is the highlight of my week during the season?! How sad is that....*sigh*....

Foodie Goodness:
-Coffee w/ sugar and half and half
-Green tea w/ little sugar (straight up if I can take it)
-Banana/Blueberry smoothie
-Salad w/ red leaf lettuce, cucumber, feta, and homemade dressing (italian type)
-3 cups stir fry veggies, 3 TB teriyaki sauce, 1 c brown rice
-1 c pineapple, 1 c strawberries, 1 c plain organic yogurt blended up into a lovely smoothie
-The guilty pleasure on this smoldering hot day.....2 Rum and Cokes:) (Hey, I added them in!)

Total= 1693

I'm boxing this morning too. I'm looking forward to it, since I pretty much missed last week due to Ivan's presurgical stuff and subsequent surgery. Boxing makes me realize how out of shape I am. I push myself so hard there though. Nothing like going through the motions at home. I'm one of the heaviest girls there, and on the lower end of the stamina/fitness spectrum. I just know that if I just keep showing up, even when I don't 'feel' like it, I'll reap the benefits. But I usually feel like it:)

There is a "Wild Mustang Day" at the local ecology center today. We're thinking of taking the boys. They have baby mustangs and are going to learn why they are disappearing, and they'll do face-painting and stuff. All for free! But that's if we can actually make ourselves get out the door. We're all pretty much homebodies, and all of us going somewhere is a feat of epic proportions. Stay tuned.....

Friday, June 4, 2010

Too Young

I just got some sad news last night. Friends that lived near my ex's house (where I used to live), lost their 19 yr old daughter in a motorcycle accident. They had two girls, and this was the older daughter. She apparently was newly engaged and had just found out she was pregnant. Her fiance was trying to outrun police and lost control of the motorcycle with her on it. I'm still shocked. I can't stop thinking about it. I remember her and her mother coming to see Jackson when he was first brought home from the hospital. She even babysat for us a few times. We always chitchatted with the parents at the bus stop too. It got me thinking about something happening to my boys. You just never know, you know? And that poor younger sister now has to live as an only child after growing up with her sister her whole life. Just so much to take in. I just keep thinking about all these "what if" scenarios in my head. Her fiance survived. Now he has to live with the fact that he killed his bride and unborn child.

So I've been a little distracted this morning and haven't yet worked out my food for the day. I should have done it last night like I usually do, but I wasn't in the mood.

Yesterday was my older son's field day at school. I could only watch the first half, since we had to get back home to put the baby on the bus. Soooo cute. They did all these different stations and had to do various physical activities like crabwalking and freeze tag. He told me the night before that he really wanted me to go (I wasn't planning on going). So I HAD to. How could I deny him? Especially since he lost that tooth and now has that goofy little kid smile that makes me wanna smother him with luvin':) But I digress.....

Today is also the first pick up for the CSA!!!! I am so excited, I can't stand myself. We are all going as a family after school and will be picking the pick-your-own stuff (strawberries, chives, and mint) as well as our regular share. The website says we'll be getting head lettuce, spring mix, some harukei (sp??) turnips, radishes, peas (I think)....yum yum yum....nom nom nommy goodness! I think there's more but I forgot.

I do know what I'm making for dinner tonight. My first attempt at shrimp tacos!! I even made homemade pico de gallo and guacamole:) And I'm sure we'll have a fresh salad made from our organic local lettuce from the farm! Looking forward to it, as is the rest of my family.

Thursday, June 3, 2010

He's Fixed!

My little one's surgery was Tuesday morning. As in, the first surgery of the day at a hospital an hour away so we had to get up at 4:30 in the morning!! Ahhhh! But it all went very well. He was only in the operating room for about an hour. First, though, you get to go in while they put them out with the anesthesia (if you want to/can handle it). This is the hardest part for me (unfortunately I've done it a few times). You lay them down on the table. There's the team of surgeons and nurses and such all around with their masks on. You hold his hand and look into his eyes and tell him everything's alright and that you're there so he doesn't start freaking out. Sometimes they even sing a little song to them, like Eensy Weensy Spider. Then they put the little mask over his face and tell him to breath. Then he does, and he starts looking a little spacey. Then the worst part is when his eyes start to close. It honestly looks like he's dying. It's really creepy and you have to be strong not to flip out yourself. I was fine, I've done it. But there was a woman who came out into the waiting area who I assume had just done it, and she lost it. I felt bad for her.

So when I got to recovery he was still asleep. But he started to wake up a little later, and he was soooo good. He didn't cry or anything. There were kids all over the place screaming and crying but not my little man. Then once he was good and awake and holding down apple juice, we got sent up to our room. Then we just vegged and watched a LOT of Nick Jr. He's pulled out IVs before, but he left this one alone, thank goodness. He also had a drain pinned to his gown. Which he also left alone, surprisingly! He gradually started to eat soft stuff like yogurt, but they kept giving him stuff that he doesn't like, like these disgusting fruit cup/parfait gel things that I would never feed my kids, and jello. He was really hungry and kept telling me he was, but they wouldn't let me give him anything else! I was getting irritated. I mean, when I had surgery, they just wait a few hours to make sure you're tolerating the clear/soft stuff, then you can chow down. But I guess since the surgery was on his neck (to close his trach hole), they were concerned with irritation. Well, I started sneaking him some of the stuff I brought just in case. Some whole grain cheesy goldfish, a chocolate pudding, and an orange. He did fine and was very happy! We spent the night, him in blissful sleep in his very own crib, and me on the hard-as-a-rock chair with a leg piece thingy. My back was hurting the next day. We were discharged at about 8:30 yesterday morning. All is well. He doesn't even bother with it. He's got a bunch of steristrips covering the site.

So, onto the diet. Yes. What we are all waiting to hear about. Well....you see.....I haven't counted calories in a while. I kinda lost the flow over the Memorial Day weekend, we were grilling and drinking too much. Then Ivan had the surgery and I had to deal with cafeteria food and just quickly grabbing things when he was asleep. Sure, they offered fresh fruit, yogurt, and salads...but did I eat any of that??? Naaaah. But the scale has not suffered. I feel a little sluggish and bloated, but no worse for the wear. I've started afresh today. And here's the plan:

-Blueberry banana smoothie
-Romaine with tahini dressing
-Borscht w/ a dollop of plain yogurt
-Juice: romaine, apple, carrot, ginger, and lemon
-Green smoothie: apple, banana, spinach
-Pineapple
-3 c frozen stir fry veggies
-1 c brown rice
-1/4 c teriyaki sauce
-2 large eggs
-1 slice american cheese
-1/4 c salsa

TOTAL: 1608

Well, that's the scoop! On to my hectic day with my older son's field day at school:) Oh, and he lost a front tooth while I was gone. He looks sooooo adorable I just wanna kiss and hug him all the time. He won't let me though. Oh well.