This weekend has been so busy I haven't had a chance to earn APs.  I had planned on going on a walk Monday, but I got too involved in cleaning out our office and organizing stuff.  Nothing like having your own business and having stacks of papers all over the desk and no filing system.  My poor husband is organizationally challenged.  I have to step in every so often and then he's good for a few months.  Anyway, I cleaned the bathrooms, vacuumed, went through ALL our past files and resorted them and threw tons of stuff away.  THEN went grocery shopping.  Felt very good to get that done.  Unfortunately I wrecked my back in the process.  It's my own fault.  Thankfully I see the chiropractor this evening.  

Ficsher goes to school in 30 mins and I'm having a friend over for a playdate this morning.  Then later I plan on going to the YMCA to get some cardio in.  

I got a ton of stuff at the grocery.  Do you ever have grocery runs where you start out reasonable and then end up putting all kinds of things in your cart? It's like you're totally rational and ubber healthy in the produce section, then the middle isles pull you in and you're frantically throwing boxed, processed yumminess into your cart faster than you can think.  Somehow I ended up with reduced fat vanilla wafers and oreos.  I guess the 'reduced fat' was my last bit of rational left. I have not broken into them yet.  I cannot tell you the gravitational pull milkshakes have on me lately.  I bought the oreos and some vanilla icecream to make a mini milkshake.  As opposed to driving to Chick-fil-A and dropping 15 pts on one.  I think the intense heartburn I have at night makes me want a milkshake..... Or at least that's my theory. Anyway, in my rational thinking I did buy some stir-fry beef and veggies.  That's on the menu tonight for dinner.  

I've seemed to have leveled out on my weight gain and just the way my tummy looks.  It seemed like I was just growing and growing every day there for a while.  Now I feel a bit of a plateau.  I'm still pulling my size small maternity capris on.  They are tight, but damn it I'm in them!  Everything else is now medium.  I remember in my last pregnancy I was already in XL at this point.    

Next week I'll be 27 wks pregnant.  Wow.  In some ways it's gone by slow and in other ways- really, really fast.  Now I'm really focusing on balanced nutrition and exercise.  Both of which I cared nothing of my previous pregnancies.  I'm also really loving my daily ritual of drinking the Red Raspberry Leaf tea.  I've never been a tea drinker, so this is a big deal for me.  If I wasn't drinking a big cup of coffee, it was a big glass of wine.  Ha ha.  I put two bags of the tea in a big coffee mug at night.  Cream and sugar, of course.  I'm enjoying the ritual.

I'll post my tracker later if I have time.  So far I've had a whole wheat bagel with cream cheese and coffee.  

It's Saturday morning and I'm still in my bed with my lap top.  The kids are downstairs with Ed who is kindly making them breakfast and allowing me the luxury of just "sitting" before being thrown into the mix.  

The plan today is yard work.  I won't be able to do much of it, but I can instruct.  LOL Our renovations from the tree debacle starts Tuesday.  We're trying to clean up the yard a bit.  I need to divide all my day lilies on one side of the house and find a sunny place to transplant the divisions.  Good thing my entire front yard is sunny now...

I went to the chiropractor yesterday.  My god that man did a miracle on my hip and lower back!  I had no idea I could be out of that pain.  I've had it constantly since 3 months and just settled myself into "this is pregnancy," and decided to just deal with it.  I'm planning to give him all my money and go a couple times a week until I deliver.  Ironically it doesn't hurt at all when I workout.  He did say I need arch supports.  Good thing I got those new shoes.  I'm sure the old ones were killing my back.   I gotta see a Pediatrist now.  The Chiropractor said insurance would pay if I got custom made arch supports from the Pediatrist.  So now I've got to set that up.  Good to know.  Maybe I can avoid some unnecessary pain the rest of this pregnancy.  Especially since I have no plans to stop working out.   I don't care if I'm wearing those hideous corrective shoes on the elliptical- I'm not quitting!!!  :)

Day of rest for me.  I may clean some.  The dust in my house is getting a bit ridiculous. 

Quick post....

Very busy day yesterday.  I managed to get in a cardio workout in the afternoon.  And weights.  Felt good.  I earned 4 APs!!  

Today I'm off to the chiropractor to try and alleviate some pelvic pain on my left side.  My friend Margo and husband Ed spoke some sense into me and told me to go.  For some reason I just hate spending money on stuff like that.  Ed's logic was: "Yeah, but if they sold a bottle of magic vitamins or pills that were $100 a bottle and would relieve your back pain- you'd do it in a heartbeat. "  True.  Weird logic.  So that's where I'm headed.

I have carpool duties this afternoon and then I'll be home with the kiddies through bedtime.  No workout today.  I thought about going on a walk this morning, but I've already worked out 4 days this week and I like the idea of being "dressed" with make up on more than being sweaty and having to take a shower again.  LOL  Lazy I suppose.  I'm hoping for some family outdoor time tomorrow.  Possibly yard work.  Getting everyone involved.  :)

Ed made me Eggs Benedict today.  YUM!!  I swear that meal never gets old.  I'm planning a taco salad for lunch and then we'll grill out or something tonight.  Possibly porkchops since that's what I have in the freezer.  There could be Oreo's involved.  Maybe.  I promise I'll count them. 

Keep on moving....

A note on exercise in pregnancy.... I keep getting comments about how impressed people are with my exercise regime and being pregnant. First off, don't be too impressed.  If you could see me you'd swear I was a whale, huffing and puffing in slow motion.  Secondly, it's not like I'm running 5 miles at a time or anything. I just move for 30 mins to an hour 3-4 times a week. And I was in the habit long before I got pregnant, so I think that's why it's second nature now. I used to workout 5-6 days a week. Now it's 3-4, so I've cut back on frequency and intensity level. I look at it like I do my prenatal vitamins. Its good for me. I'm not trying to prove anything by it- it just feels good. I wrote an essay on prenatal exercise if you want to read it. Makes me want to go to the Y more. It helps me get out and go the days when I'm really not feeling it. I'm banking that it will pay off in labor. Sometimes when I've been doing cardio for 20 mins and I'm just feeling like I want to quit, I think about labor and how to press on. Of course, I'd stop if I thought something was actually not right. But most of the time I just want to be done for the sake of being done. LOL

I had my prenatal visit and had to down that horribly sugary glucose drink. Blech. I weighed in. 178. Ahem. According to *my* scale I was only 174. I'll take *my* reading thank you very much! Still, that was the weight I was at 8 weeks pregnant with Amelia so I'm happy.


Here's my not so OP tracker for today:

Breakfast:
1/2 Kashi granola bar: 2 pts
English muffin with peanut butter and jelly: 4 pts

Snack:
Glucose drink: 3 pts (guess it's the same as a coke)

Lunch:
Chips/Salsa: 4 pts
Cheese dip: 5 pts
Warm tortillas: 6 pts
House salad: 5 pts

Snack: (at mall)
1/2 mocha: 1.5 pts
Chocolate glazed doughnut (major craving): 5 pts

Dinner: (Ed' grilling)
Steak filet: 6 pts
green veggies: 0 pts

No APs :(

Total: 42 pts!!!

Today started off with Tornado warnings and a peaceful house. Fischer had school and Amelia and I had a slow morning of coffee and Playhouse Disney. Around 11am I decide I want a mocha. I back out of my driveway and accidentally bump a plumbing truck parked directly behind my drive way, across the street. At best a "ding." I get out, say I'm sorry and look at his car first. Nothing, nada, zilch. I can't even tell where I bumped him. My car had a scratch. No biggie. I assumed I'd get back in my car and go on. Oh no. This man insists on call the cops to file a report. 2 hours later a cop apologetically issues me a citation. He even apologized because he thought it was stupid, but had to issue it since I admitted to backing up. Sweet. So if I had done the WRONG thing and kept going and lied, I would have been fine.

After that ordeal I promptly skipped Starbucks and began lunch. I made Eggs Benedict which is my all time fav. First time I made hollandaise sauce from scratch. Simple, really. Two egg yolks, a squirt of mustard and some lemon juice. Wisk that in a bowl set in boiling water until thick. Then put it over a low burner and add some butter (2 tbsp). I made enough for one person. I'd double it for two. Very tangy like I like. Very fatty like I like too.

I 100% did not want to work out today. I told myself I wouldn't and played the pregnancy card to the max in my head. Then I decided I might as well get a good workout in. I'm not going to let a bad day ruin my mojo. So I loaded the kids up in the car and headed to the Y. I thought about doing Total Body since the class started half an hour after I got there. But I think my Total Body days are over until this baby is born. I just can't keep up. It's too much cardio. So, to the machines I go! I'm a big believer in changing up your workout so your body doesn't get used to one thing. I tried the Arc Trainer. Phew! It was hard. It's sort of like the elliptical, but your legs just go front to back. Reminds me of that Gazelle things that the crazy guy with the pony tail sold on that infomercial. Anyhoo, I did 30 mins of that and then 30 mins of strength training.

Here's my tracker:

Breakfast:
Brand Flakes with trail mix nuts on top w/ skim: 5 pt

Snack:
Plum: 1 pt

Lunch:
Eggs Benedict: 13 pts

Snack:
Planter's NUT-rition individual packs (need protein): 5 pts
Mocha: 3 pts
Peach: 1 pt

Dinner:
Whole Wheat cous cous topped with lean ground beef and veggie stirfry (zucchini, fresh spinach, broccoli, water chestnuts, onions): 7 pts
Salad with romaine, spinach, tomatoes, carrots, croutons and yogurt ranch dressing: 3 pts

APs:
Cardio/strength: +3 pts

Total: 35 pts

Still raining....

I woke up to rain and carpool duties. Nonetheless, I laced up my shoes and got dressed to sweat. My 9 month pregnant friend called me on the way to taking kids to school to see if I wanted to meet her to walk. Sure enough the rain let up and we got a good 2 mile walk in! I love exercising with other people because it goes by faster and doesn't feel like work.

Tracker:

Breakfast:
Bran Flakes with sliced banana and raisins: 4 pts
Mocha: 3 pts

Lunch:
Fish Taco: 5 pts
Chips:4 pts
Cheese dip: 4 pts
Iced tea (half sweet/half unsweet): 2 pts

Snack:
Red Raspberry Leaf tea with cream and sugar: 2 pts
Plum: 1 pt

Dinner:
Left over chili over rice: 5 ts
Salads with carrots, celery, tomatoes and yogurt ranch dressing: 3 pts

Snack:
Nectarine: 1 pts

APs:
Walked 2 miles: +2 pts

Total: 32 pts


Tomorrow I plan to go to a class at the Y. If nothing is happening in the morning, I'll do the elliptical. I'll skip wednesday's workout because I've got midwife appt and then lunch with my grandma!



Off topic: Is it bad that I kinda want to watch the new 90210 show?

25 weeks

Awwwww...it's Friday....

Got lots done today. I ran to the post office to send off my Happiest Baby on the Block educator certification stuff. Hopefully in a few weeks I'll be "official" in how to swaddle the hell out of a baby and "Shhhhsh" them to pieces. Then I hit the park and walked 2 miles. Felt good. I expected my back to hurt, but I focused on tucking my tailbone under and my abs in and it seemed to help, though it looks kinda funny. Then I ran to the grocery for some stuff.

The weather here has brought me back to life. The heat has let up some and the air is circulating again. I was so grateful to get outside and exercise. The breeze just made my day. Can't wait for Fall and all the time we'll be able to spend outside again...without water involved.

I've been on a chocolate kick lately. I'm trying to combat it with healthier alternative. So I bought some Yoplait Whips- Chocolate Mousse and some Bryer's yogurt with Oreo topping. I'm know it's not idea, but at least it's portioned out and I can get a little of the stuff I'm craving. As opposed to buying Oreos and eating 10 at a time.


Here's my tracker:

Breakfast:
Cheerios with skim: 4 pts

Snack:
Mocha: 3 pts
Cinnamon bagel chips: 4 pts (I opened them in the store cause I was having a melt down in blood sugar)

Lunch:
Chicken salad sandwich on wheat: 7 pts
2 Sweet pickles: 1 pts

Snack:

????

Dinner:
Crockpot BBQ chicken courtesy of Kelle: 4 pts
Onion roll: 3 pts
Baked beans: 4 pts
Cheddar Biscuit (courtesy of Lindsey): 4 pts

APs:
Walked 2 miles: +2 pts

Total Goal: 35 pts

Don't move!

Fischer is off to school already. Amelia is still asleep. It's 9:15am and I'm drinking coffee in silence. No one move or I swear I'll kill ya! :)

Two things that may have solved my back woes.

1. New shoes. My mom was sweet enough to buy me a new pair of training shoes at an outlet mall last weekend in Boone. Originally $79 and marked down to $29 thank you very much! They have made a huge difference in how my back feels after a workout. My nasty New Balance (which I'm not a fan of NB shoes, but they were free samples) weren't doing anything for me. For running I prefer Mizuno. For walking and aerobics I prefer Nike trainers. Anyway, I'm loving the shoes and my back.

2. No more treadmill. I'm afraid all this time the treadmill has been the culprit with my back. I've been doing the Elliptical and machine weights and have had no issues at all. I think I'm hitting the phase in pregnancy where I need minimal impact. So looks like I need to stick with swimming and the elliptical. I hope I can still do step at least once a week....

Anyway, no workout today. Amelia and I have playgroup at 10am and then the days is ours to make. I've got a pot roast already in the slow cooker so that's my dinner plans. I'll update with tracker later.

Yawn...

I've been up and in my car since 7am this morning running around and I'm tired. Quick post to give you my tracker. I made it to the gym this afternoon. 3 miles on Elliptical (whatever that means) and weights. The looks at the gym are getting more and more frequent the bigger my belly looks.

Tracker:

Breakfast:
Trail mix: 3 pts

Snack:
Mocha: 4 pts
RF coffee cake: 7pts

Lunch:
1 fish taco: 4 pts
Chips/cheese dip: 8 pts

Snack:
Apple: 1pt
1 slice salami: 2 pts

Dinner:
2 slices pizza: 12 pts
Salad: 5 pts

Aps:
Elliptical/weights: +3 pts

Total: 43 pts!!!!

Heavy points day. Good thing Flex are still in play.

Not a good start, but honest nonetheless...

I got up early before Fischer's school and ran to Starbuck since we were out of coffee. I spontaneously bought 2 chocolate glazed donuts (one for me, one for Ed). I figured, 5 pts, I can do that. Then on the way home I ended up eating both of them. I was starving, but felt sick by the time I was done. WTH? That was part of my old self creeping up. 10 pts wasted on empty sugar. Sweet. Or rather sour....

Anyway, moving on! It is what it is and now I need to make the rest of the day healthy. I'm making some chili for dinner. I always make my chili with lean ground beef. Cuts out a ton of unnecessary fat. I don't really have a recipe, I just throw in what I have. :)

Here's my recipe:

Chili:
Lean ground beef
1 large onion
3 cloves of garlic (crushed)
1 can light red kidney beans
1 can dark red kidney beans
1 can chili beans
1 big can crush tomatoes
A little marinara sauce
1 can spicy V-8 juice
1 bottle of beer
Any green veggies, dice up really small (zucchini, green pepper)
Chili powder
Cayenne pepper
Cumin
Salt and Pepper

I'm going to make the chili around lunch so that it's been stewing for a while come dinner time. I'll serve it with brown rice instead of crackers.

For lunch I'm going to eat the same salad I had yesterday that I posted. My friend Jenny made that salad for me when I went to her house and I loved it. :)

Today was the first day of school for the kids. We did our pictures, kissed them good bye and I was FREE! I swung by Starbucks and headed to the Y. I did the elliptical for 30 mins and then weights. I focused on my legs. I did squats and inner and outer thighs until my legs were shaking. I want to strengthen those muscles for the end of pregnancy and labor.

I then headed home, took a bath and then BAM I was off to pick the kids up already. We got home and I put myself and Amelia down for a nap. Ed hung out with Fischer while he finished work. I didn't wake up until 5pm!!!! And when I did I woke to this wonderful smell of asian food in my kitchen. Ed made this great veggie stir fry with asian noodles. Mmmmmm.....

So today was nice, relaxing day.

Here's my tracker:

Breakfast:
FF yogurt: 2 pts
Trail Mix: 3 pts

Snack:
Mocha: 3 pts
Banana: 2 pts

Lunch:
Bed of romaine with a little ww pasta, cannellini beans, sundried tomatoes, feta cheese, artichokes and red wine vinagerette.: 12 pts

Snack
Alternative bagel with cream cheese and homemade blueberry jam: 3 pts

Dinner:
Asian noodle stir fry: 8 pts (estimating)

FF chocolate pudding cup: 2 pts

APs:
Elliptical and weight: +3 pts

Total: 32 pts

Weekend in the mountains...

Trail running.. (or walking)

There's a great trail about 4 miles from the mountain house. It's 1 mile for the while loop. We went around twice. It's very peaceful. So peaceful that sometimes you wonder if a mountain cougar is going to sneak up and snatch you!

And they say black is slimming.....

My sister Lindsey and Ed running ahead of me (I was a walker)

Every time I've gone on this trail there are horseback riders. The horses are beautiful. Their poop all over the trails....not so much.

Just some ducks

As I looped around I climbed a hill and at the top I looked up and saw this deer staring straight at me. Not very far at all. We both froze and I slowly lifted my camera to capture the moment.

Me and my man...

Me and my beautiful sis...

Me and my mom (handling the rope that pulls the kids on the tire swings)

Weekend in the Mountains...

We picked blackberries right out of my mom's back yard. Unfortunately I forgot my camera and was too lazy to hike back up the hill to get it. So here are some pics of us enjoying our blackberries:

Amelia is intent on showing us her blackberries in her mouth...


We hit the outlet mall and the kids just about flipped when they saw this..

These are the coolest tire swings evah! They are shaped like horsies and the kids woke up every morning and rode them while we drank coffee.

6 months (kinda)

23 weeks! And you can see my new dark color on my hair...

Hump Day....

Sorry, my elementary teacher always called it that every single wednesday so now I say "hump day" in my head on wednesdays.

Still busy. We're leaving town this weekend to retreat to my parent's mountain house. I'm trying to get my doula stuff done (recertification is a bitch) and mailed in and get the kid's supplies for school. Since we won't be back until Sunday afternoon and school starts Monday- I gotta have my ducks in a row.

*deep breaths*

It's 3:30pm and Ameila has not had a nap today. We had a play date this morning and didn't get back until 2 ish. In order to survive the remainder of the day I've convinced myself she'd be in better hands at the YMCA, so I'm going there to work out. Though what I really want to do is nap. On the way there I have to mail my thick doula paperwork, pick up a prescription, and then swing by Pet Smart for a turtle filter. Blue Bell and Gary (the turtles) are pissed off. Their filter is dirty and stinky.

So combined with rushing around, some incline walking and weights- I should earn around 20 APs, right? Okay, max 3. Did I mention I have 6 loads of laundry to do as well??

Here's my tracker for today:

Breakfast:
Raisin Bran with skim: 4 pts

Snack:
Mocha: 3 pts

Lunch:(Courtesy of my friend Jenny)
Salad of romaine, sundried tomatoes, canelli beans, artichokes, lil' pasta, feta cheese, and dijon vinegarette: Guessing 9 pts
1 slice of salami: 1 pt
1 coke: 3 pts

Snack: (late afternoon before workout)
Homemade hashbrowns: 6 pts
Peach: 1 pt

Dinner: (Picking something up since we're leaving town and don't want to cook)
10 pt range

APs:
Treadmil walking and weights: +3 pts
Total: 34 pts

Been busy

Sorry faithful readers of my lil' old blog, I've been a bad blogger. We've had lots going on and I've been using any free time to finish a paper I'm working on for my doula stuff. If I write the words 'water immersion' or 'hydrokinetic effect' again I think I'll shoot myself! I hate papers. I'm a test taker. I'm a master of memorization and suck balls (did I just say that?) at formulating ideas into a nice, neat paper. Don't get me wrong, I got lots of ideas- I just don't want to spell correctly, come up with a thesis statement or note my sources. I want to make sweeping statements without having to give any sort of backing behind it. :)

Anyhoo, in the midst of all this I've been eating like college kid. The main victim has been the tub of Nestle Tollhouse ready to bake cookie dough in my frig. Why in the world do I buy stuff like this? It's like dangling crack in front of a crack addict. Cookies are not the enemy, it's the *amount* of cookies (and spoonfuls of cookie dough) that I mindlessly ingest at any given moment.

Today is a new day. And it's conveniently Monday, so I'm off to a good start! The kids are I are going to the YMCA this morning. I'm getting on the treadmil! There aren't any cardio classes this morning, just Body Sculpt. And I've been doing more strength than cardio lately, so I need to work in some cardio. I plan on doing at least 30 mins of brisk walking on a slight incline. I've found the incline helps my back. Then I'll do some weight on the machines.

I really want to go to the grocery, but truth is there is stuff in my frig and pantry that needs to be used. Does that ever happen to you? I just want *new* stuff in my frig. Not the same old stuff. That same can of black beans keeps staring me in the face every time I open the cabinets. What I really want is to open my cabinet and have a perfectly made Willy's burrito sitting there ready to eat.

Zoo day

Took the kids to the Zoo today. My pics are on Ed's camera, which means they are on his computer, which means he needs to upload them on his flikr account before I can share them with you. :) Hint Hint Ed.

Anyway, it was HOT. My mother in law Susan and myself took the kids and planned on getting in right when it opened to avoid as much heat as possible. I cannot imagine how hot it would have been if we waited until later, cause it was already ridiculously scorching. My brain stopped working at some point. I think I sweat 5 APs just existed in the heat.

The kids, nonetheless, enjoyed it. We saw everything on their list of "to see" and enjoyed a train ride around the park.

I also got my hair colored this evening. I decided to go back all natural and nix the highlites. Too much up keep. Now my hair is one solid color- dark brown. :) I'll post pics soon.

I'm tired. Here's my tracker:

Breakfast:
WW muffin: 3 pts
Mocha: 2 pts (didn't finish it)

Snack:
Trail mix: 4 pts
Water, water, water

Lunch:
1 slice of pizza at the zoo cafe: 8 pts
1 kiddie size coke: 2 pts (I was craving coke)

Snack: (planning a late dinner)
Raisen brand cereal with skim: 4 pts
Nectarine: 1pt
Red raspberry leaf tea with cream and sugar: 2pts

Dinner:
Taco Bell beef taco: 5 pts
Taco Bell Fresco chicken taco: 4 pts (not very good)

Total: 35 pts

At Ed's request....

see more pwn and owned pictures

Feeling better...

I came to the conclusion (at the suggestion of a nice Cammer) that my blood pressure dropped yesterday. The only way I distinguished it from a blood sugar drop is that a dip in blood pressure can be triggered by coughing, sneezing or urinating. Guess what I was doing? Urinating. Anyway, I'm feeling better and loading up on Gatorade today because the heat is just out of control.

I made it to a Body Sculpt class today. I arrived 20 mins early and did some walking on an incline on the treadmill before hand. Felt good. I was so hydrated, I felt like I could go on and on.... LOL Stopped by the grocery to pick up some milk and eggs and a sub for lunch. Ate lunch and ended up sweeping and mopping my floors. 2 dogs and a cat require lots of upkeep multiple times during the week. It had been at least a full week since I had swept or vacuumed. So you can imagine the fur balls fluttering all over the floor. Drives me mad. Felt good to get it all cleaned up and tidy.

Now I'm running the bath and will hopefully catch a snooze. Amelia is down for a nap and Fischer is having quiet time in his room.

Here's my rough tracker. Not totally sure what we're having for dinner yet.

Breakfast:
Luna bar: 4 pts
WW muffin:3 pts
Mocha: 3 pts

Lunch:
Publix turkey sub on wheat: 9 pts
Salt and Vinegar chips: 4 pts
Gatorade: 3 pts

APs:
Treadmill: + 1 pt
Body Sculpt: +2 pts

Afternoon snack:
Nectarine: 1 pt
Raspberry Leaf Tea with milk and sugar: 2 pts

Total so far: 26 pts (including APs)

I'll figure out something for dinner. Maybe a veggie stir-fry with whole grain rice. Or maybe an omelet with goatcheese (Ed's been talking about making that) We'll see...

After our tree debacle this weekend I've been trying to get back into the swing of things and it seems like everything is working against me. I made sure to go to bed early last night just get some rest. Sunday night we slept at Ed's parents house since the power was out and for some reason AMelia decided she would wake up all night long. So I was ready for bed at 8:45pm last night. Thankfully the kids slept until 8am this morning, which is nothing short of a miracle. Ed made them breakfast and I rose slowly. I packed us all up, ran to the bank, then to the Y. Planned to get on the treadmill and just read my book for book club. 5 mins into my workout the childcare workers come get me and say she's had an accident. I couldn't figure out why she had an accident as she had a diaper on and I opted not to bring her in training pants today. (She's potty training and I had to leave my workout last time because she popped in her pants.) Well apparently she asked to go potty (Yah Amelia!), but no one helped her on to the toilet, so she didn't pull her dress up and just peed all over it. Ugh. I had no change of clothes, so I had to leave. So my carefully planned workout failed.

Next plan of action is to get on the treadmill here. Mark my word, at SOME point today I will get on that treadmill and walk at least 30 mins. I cannot do outside walks due to the heat, so the treadmill will have to be it. I usually go to Total Body on Tuesdays, but I think my body is not keep up with the class. Last two classes I felt some cramping. That's my cue to back off. Walking will be my bff during this last trimester. :)

Here's my tracker for today. I'm breaking it down into calories for some of my "special" blog readers that don't "get" points and think I'm eating too little and malnourishing my child. (Read the comments from my post last Friday : "climbing back on the wagon...") LOL How can I be malnourishing my child if I've already gained 28 lbs??!!! Does this mean I get to eat more???!!! Chick-fil-A milkshake: Here I come!

Tracker:

Breakfast: (5 pts/320 cals)
Bowl of grapes, blueberries, and pears (courtesy of Ed- thank you): 1 pts (100 calories)
1 piece of toast: 0 pts (40 calories)
Luna Bar: 4 pts (180 calories)

Snack:
Mocha: 3 pts (174 calories)

Lunch: (10 pts/ 600 cals)
Salsa Salad with romaine, cucumber, tomatoes, red pepper (all veggies-100 cals), black beans (1 pt/110 cal), salsa, 1 oz shredded cheddar (3 pts/110 cal):4 pts
Ranch dressing: 4 pts(148 calories)
1 wedge of kid's leftover quesadilla: 2 pts (120 cals)

Snack:
2 Nestle Tollhouse cookies: 4pts (120 calories)
grapes: (1 pts/100 cals

Dinner: (16 pts/588 cals)
Hamburgers made with lean ground beef (4 pts/230 cals), slice of cheddar (3 pt/110 cals) and a Sara Lee ww bun (3 pts/120 cals):
Sweet potato fries: 3 pts/150 cals
Glass of wine: 3 pts/88 cals


39 pts (went over 9 pts)
Looky there- 2500 calories!

My baby is so malnourished...

****update****

I have to go back on my word and tell you that I am not working out today. Right before dinner I got really ill and nearly passed out. I don't know what it was but I got really hot, broke out in a sweat and felt like I was about to fall over. I screamed for Ed (who was outside grilling burgers) to come in and help me. He got me on the couch to lay down. It took about 15 mins to feel good enough to walk upstairs and get in my bed. I've been lying down ever since. Weird and scary.

I'm currently gulping water and hoping *that* doesn't happen again. I feel totally fine now thank God.

Pics of our fallen tree...

Trees that fall...

Popping in to say our beautiful, 100 year old tree fell on our house and neighbor's cars during a storm last night. :( Thank God no one was hurt and the only damage was our porch roof, fence and dents in the cars. I'm actually more sad that the tree is gone. Our poor front yard was so shaded and beautiful. All my hastas and hydrangea's will now need new homes. We are now a desert oasis.

I'm at my sweet in law's with the kids while our power is out and the tree experts untangle power lines from the tree. Good times!

Today was NOT a good OP day. :( Feeling pitiful.

Climbing on hands and knees back ON the wagon...

Folks, it has NOT been pretty the past week. Remember my post about Tuesday being "one of those days?" Well that day turned into Wednesday and Thursday. And now I'm sitting here feeling yucky. That's the truth about eating crap all the time, you feel awful. It's not even worth it.

Luckily I also made it to the grocery store. I loaded up on fresh food and OP staples. Today is the beginning of getting back on the wagon! I do not want to load on any more weight than I have to for this pregnancy. I remember how awful I felt when I tipped the scales at 230 lbs at 9 months pregnant. I could barely move. Right now I'm 168 lbs (deep breaths) and half way through. I have control over whether I pack it on. Now I just have to walk it out. It's weird how you feel so in control and then one day can throw you back into that spiral. And the truth is, I think those of us who struggle with our weight will always be susceptible to that downward spiral in any given moment. I think what protects us from going that route is a solid habit. Strengthening the discipline muscles. Being able to resist something and it not feel like the end of the world. One thing that works for me is when I tell myself that *that* particular food will be there tomorrow and I can have it if I want it. Because if I make that food the" forbidden fruit of the day," then I will want two tons of if here and NOW.

Good news is that I made it to a Step class yesterday. I'm really beginning to love Step. It's 60 minutes of cardio that leaves me feeling energized, despite how depleted I feel beforehand. I'm going to the Y again today to walk on the treadmill. I normally HATE going to gym just to walk on the treadmill. I think that's what make people pay gym memberships and never go. It's boring. I'm huge class fan. But today there are no classes I can take (can you imagine a pregnancy woman doing pilates?), so I'm going to get some cardio in without having to deal with the heat outside.

Here's my tracker:
***updated from the course of the day***

Breakfast:
3 Kashi Go Lean waffles: 4 pts
Syrup: 2 pts
Butter: 1 pt (out of ICBINB)
1/2 banana: 1 pt

Snack:
Mocha: 3 pts

Lunch:
Chicken sandwich on french bread with cheese, raw spinach and lite mayo: 8 pts

Snack:
White peach: 1 pt
Another peach LOL: 1 pt

Dinner:
Whole Wheat Spaghetti with ground chicken and vodka sauce: 8 pts
Ceasar salad with croutons: 3 pts
2 slices garlic bread: 5 pts (it had buttah)

APs:
3 miles on Treadmill: +3 pts

Total: 37 pt minus 3 APs=34 pts

Earning some APs....

Converting a toddler bed back into a crib can earn you some serious APs. And possibly some curse worthy moments....

Here's my nursery....whatcha think?



My plan is to paint a giant, antique style star on the wall above the crib. In brown.

I used this bedding with Amelia. Thank God I didn't go pink or else I couldn't recycle it.

My dad and step mom bought this changing table-dresser combo for baby Shepherd and I love it!

So last evening my husband went and picked me up Pizza Hut and he surprised me with a slice of birthday cake from the grocery store. Thank God it was an individual slice and not a whole cake. Can you imagine?

And of course last night I stayed up until 11:45pm instead of going to be early. Why do I do this every night? Anyway, I'm feeling good now and the kids are watching cartoons. We're homebound today. My van is getting an oil change and Ed has meetings. So we're stuck! I hate not having the option of leaving. LOL It would be nice to make it to a class at the Y. Oh well. We have a friend coming to stay with us for a few days from out of town so I need to clean up anyway.

Here's my tracker plan:

Breakfast:
WW muffin: 3 pts
Coffee: 1 pts

Snack:
Apple: 1 pt
String cheese: 2 pts

Lunch:
Balogna Sandwich:4 pts
Chips: 1 pt

Snack:
Luna bar: 4 pts

Dinner: ??????
Not sure yet. Something within the 10 pt range

So tired....

Man, last week I was full of energy. This week I'm so exhausted. It's Tuesday, which means I'm usually pumped to go to Total Body. But I gotta tell ya...there is no way in hell I'm going to be able to do it today. I had a prenatal appt this morning that lasted 2 hours. The office was busy and Amelia was off the charts in 2 year old behavior. It wore me so completely out that I got home and just couldn't move. And of course she's in bed and refuses to sleep. So, she's locked in there for a while. LOL Sorry, I don't do cranky 2 year old with no naps. She'll have a quiet time whether she likes it or not.

So now I'm on my computer, feeling like a sloth. Can you earn APs getting stressed and feeling pooped?

I'm drinking water like crazy. I've been really thirsty all day. I can tell though that it's going to be one of those shitty OP days. I already had Chick-fil-A for lunch (sandwich and fries) and now I'm craving Pizza Hut for dinner. Oh well. I got some flex, guess I'll just use them up today. I certainly don't have the energy to cook.

Aren't I so inspiring? Just a gem of a Weight Watcher huh? :) The good news is everyone has days like this. This is my day. I just won't let tomorrow be "that day" too.

Okay.....maybe I can convinced Ed to pick up some birthday cake too..

I've got a serious craving

Typical birthday cake. Chocolate cake with white icing. It's 7:30pm and I've still got my bathing suite on from the pool with a cover up dress and I'm actually contemplating driving to the grocery store to get some.

God help me.....

*yawn*

Was out late last night at a friend's birth. A chunky monkey weighing in at 9 lbs 13 oz! Beautiful waterbirth, no tear! Hooray for the benefits of birthing in water! Anyhoo, Ed let me sleep in until 9:30 so I was not totally sleep deprived.

The kids and I went grocery shopping- one task I've been avoiding for a week now out of shear laziness and boredom. Boredom with food that is. I'm so sick of thinking about what to eat. If I were a rich woman I would hire a 24/7 chef over a 24/7 maid ANYDAY. Anyway, I picked up some staples and some lean meats. My poor rugrats finally have something to snack on beside popcorn and apples. lol

Today I plan to take it easy on the fitness front. With Step class, painting a room and a birth last night- I'm pooped! I might take Penny for a walk with my friend after the kids are in bed tonight. Walking sounds pleasant. Seems like every night this week I've been solo doing bedtime. Ed has been slammed at work and then meetings in the evening all week. I don't know what it is about bedtime, but it completely drains me. I'm hoping I can just get out and walk the dog tonight and NOT deal with bedtime. (Can I Ed? Can I?) Hee hee

I'm planning on making Dirty Rice tonight with ground turkey instead of ground beef. I'm using Zatarain's Low Sodium mix instead of the regular. I don't need any more bloating thank you very much! Then I picked up some pork chops for tomorrow night. I'm going to try this recipe.

Got on the scale this morning. 165lbs. I was pleased. Just about what I expected.

Here's my tracker:

Breakfast:
Whole grain bagel with reduced fat cream cheese and little grape jelly on top: 5 pts

Snack:
Mocha: 3 pts

Lunch:
Whole wheat sandwich with cheddar and lite beef bologna: 6 pts
Lite Lay chips: 1 pt
Sliced peach: 1 pt

Snack:
Yogrut: 4 pts
Grapes: 1 pt

Dinner:
Dirty Rice: 6 pts
Broccoli: 0 pts

Possible APs:
Light walking: +1 pt

After dinner snack:
WW icecream: 2 pts

Total: 28 pts

Made it to a Step class this morning at the Y. I really, REALLY, did not want to go. In fact, on the way there I almost nixed the idea and just headed straight to Starbucks. But I just remembered my instructor saying that when she was pregnant she would force herself to come even when she didn't feel like it. Then she was always glad she went. So I just drove my car there and figured that would mean I'd have to get out eventually. lol

I'm glad I went. Good cardio. I think I'm finally catching on to all the moves in Step. I can hear the instructor say what moves are next and I can actually coordinate myself to do it. :) I'm guessing I earned 3 APs. I was soaked in sweat.

Now we're home and I've got to come up with a plan today. Yesterday felt like the longest day ever. I was so wiped and all I wanted to do was sit on the couch and watch TV. I'm having a lazy week. Maybe it was all that manual labor I did last week. The kids are watching Barney (hurl) and I'm about to warm up some left over Veggie Lasagna for lunch. Then nap time. I'm hoping I can somehow convince Fischer to have a quiet time so I can get a nap in. I'm hitting that zone in pregnancy where a nap is becoming crucial. I keep trying to snap out of it, but I can't. I need sleep like I need water. I hate that feeling. I much more prefer feeling energetic and having a lone time instead of sleep time. Oh well.

**update***

Well, I decided to paint Fischer's room. ANd now one of my best friends called to say she's possibly in early labor. So looks like I'll have a busy day/night after all! LOL

Tonight I might try to make Dirty Rice for dinner. I think I have all the ingredients.

Here's my loose tracker for today (loosely planning dinner):

Breakfast:
WW muffin: 3 pts
Banana: 2 pts

Snack:
Mocha: 3 pts

Lunch:
Veggie Lasagna: 5 pts
Salad: 2 pts

Snack:
Yogurt: 4 pts
Fruit: 1 pts

DInner:
Dirty Rice: 7 pts???
green beans: 0 pts

Snack:
WW icecream: 2 pts

APs:
Step: +3 pts

Total: 26 pts

Ouch!

So, like I mentioned yesterday, I went to Total Body. My old Heat instructor (haven't made it to a Heat class since I was 8 weeks along) was subbing. It was good to see her. She commented on how long it had been and how good I looked. (I'm sure she thought I was 7 months or so-LOL) Anyway, when I saw her, I knew the class would be harder than normal. Oh my! It sure was! There was so much more intense cardio. I had to take breaks, which I usually don't do. It was essentially a Heat class. When I left the class I felt like I was huffing and puffing for another hour. Phew! I think baby liked it though. Last night after my bath he was moving more than I ever felt him. Just spring boarding from side to side. All that oxygenated blood to the placenta I suppose.

I tell you what: after Shepherd decides to come out, mommy is going to go to Heat classes at least 3 days a week. That'll get me back in my 4's rather quickly! Hell, after one of those classes, you don't have energy to even over eat!

Today's agenda is a lighter one. We're headed to the library and then an errand. I may get in a walk with Penny later. But I'm not holding myself to it.

Here's my rough tracker plan:

*updated tracker*

Breakfast:
WW's muffin: 3 pts
Banana: 2 pts

Snack:
Mocha: 4 pts

Lunch:
Morning Star Spicy Black Bean patty on a lite english muffin with monteray jack cheese, leftover roasted peppers and a smear of guacamoli. =5 pts
Fresh pineapple: 1 pts

Snack:
Yoplait Whips- Chocolate Mouse: 4 pts
A few almonds: 1pt

Dinner:
Veggie Lasagna: 5 pts
Salad: 2 pts

Total: 27 pts (room for extras)

Good Morning..or Afternoon

For once I didn't get up and head out the door. Last night Fischer and I spent some one on one time together and he ended up sleeping in my bed with me all night. Poor Ed was banished to the couch. This morning he woke up and looked at me for a second and then said: "Oh!" lol

Slow morning of coffee, oatmeal, bagels, Playhouse Disney and CNN. Kids played in the backyard while I sat on the couch in the den and drank an entire cup of coffee without interruption. Luckily our deck is right off our den- so I can watch them without having to be in the heat.

After a while I got productive and decided to make use of the veggies in my frig that needed to be used this week for meals. I decided to make a Veggie Lasagna. I had whole wheat lasagna noodles, part skim ricotta and sauce. I ended up sauteing some red onion, garlice, halved cherry tomatoes, sliced carrots and asparagus finely chopped. I layered it all up and stuck it in the frig for a meal this week. Tonight we are making Fajitas. We're marinated some flank steak in oil/vinegar, cilantro, onion, garlic, salt and pepper and lime juice. Then grilling it! We're going to put everything else on the grill too: sliced red pepper, red onion and tortillas. We should have some steak left for some other meals the rest of the week. For some reason I'm craving a salad with steak and a horseraddish dressing.

I'm a bottomless pit lately. I truly have hunger even just one hour after I ate. It's so weird. Yet, I also have annoying heartburn, which makes me not want to eat. Last night at 10pm I was starving. I had dinner at 7pm AND a ww's icecream cup too. Instead I just went to bed. Then today I woke up starving and had 1 and 1/2 bagels with reduced fat cream cheese. I felt like a piggie, but I was so hungry. Maybe I'm hitting a "growth spurt."

Anyhoo, here's my tracker. Planning on Total Body this afternoon. :)

Breakfast:
1 and 1/2 bagels with RF cream cheese: 9 pts :(
Coffee: 1 pt

Lunch:
Left over Jumbalaya with turkey sausage: 4 pts
RF sour cream: 2 pts

Snack:
WW muffin: 3 pts
grapes: 1 pts

Dinner:
Steak Fajitas (2): 10 pts

Snack:
WW icecream: 2 pts

APs: Total Body: +4 pts

Total: 28 pts

Sunday was a nice, slow day. I woke up and decided to skip church like a good Christian. I threw a shower for a friend on Saturday and was so pooped that all I wanted to do was hang out Sunday. SO that's what I did! The kids and I woke up and I got a couple loads of laundry done. Drank some coffee, made some breakfast, and watch some CNN. For lunch we all wanted some BBQ and Amelia and drove to Sonny's (THEY HAVE A DRIVE THRU!). After appropriately stuffing myself with pulled pork, I decided to get in the kiddie pool with Fischer. Ha! It was hot and poor guy really wanted me to play with him outside. So I planted myself like a beached whale in this kiddie pool and he splashed me and we played games.

After Small Fry's nap, we headed to the river to walk and feed the ducks. After concocting many bread balls and throwing them to lure them in, we concluded that the ducks did not want to be fed. We were all perplexed. So we decided to go on the "wildlife" trail that juts off the main trail. It was fun. Fischer and Amelia both found their own walking stick and we "hiked" the trail. There were so many trees that it blocked out the sky and Fischer got a little scared. But then he found a tree to pee on and all fearless manhood was restored. After 3 miles we got back to our car. Phew!

You'd think after getting the kids to bed that I'd just tucker out and go to bed myself. No. I decided to finish painting the nursery! To be honest, it didn't take that long. There's bead board all around the room, so I was only doing the tops. OH it felt so good to get it done! I'll post pics soon!

And now it's Monday and I'm sitting in my baby's nursery with Amelia (she's properly diapering and putting her own baby doll night night over and over again). I'm on the glider and would prefer not to move the rest of the day. lol But that's not possible with 2 kids, 2 dogs, 1 cat and 2 turtles. So I guess I need to get moving.....

Friday...

I'm sitting here in my bed with Amelia. I've got my laptop and she's got Little Einsteins going on the TV. Ed already made my day by bringing me a cup of coffee in bed.

I'm going to go to a Body Sculpt class this morning. I really want to get some cardio in beforehand, but I don't think I'll have time. I really feel like I've finally found my groove with exercise and pregnancy. I've found the right balance of modification and challenge. I'm focusing a lot on my arms and legs. I need those to be strong to support the rest of my pregnancy. Squatting down to pick up Amelia requires much more effort than before.

I had to cave and buy some maternity yoga capris for my workouts. My other ones are cutting me in the gut now and I was really uncomfortable. I have my new ones on now and they feel great! I was boxing up all my running shorts the other day to store for after baby and I was shocked how small they were. And you know the funny thing? I didn't feel bad about it. Instead, my first thought was: "Wow, I can't believe I'm going to be that small again!" That's right, I actually felt genuinely positive about my body after baby! LOL I truly cannot wait to run again. I miss the 6-8 milers where I got into my zone and took in the surroundings. Runny really is addictive once you push through the awkward beginning phase.

I got on the scale yesterday. 163 lbs. Initially the idea of already having gained 23 lbs is discouraging. But then I think about what I weighed when I got pregnant with Amelia: 165 lbs. So I'm still not even at that weight yet! That's encouraging. :)

Okay, off to start my day!

Had my ultrasound this morning!

Shepherd it is! :)

20 weeks

It just keeps growing and growing...


I had a small victory last night with a food craving. I went to Target after the kids went to bed to pick up some stuff for a shower I'm throwing for a friend and when I got home I was craving something BAD. I didn't know what it was, but I knew it would not be good if I gave in. I wasn't hungry per say, just wanting *something.* I walked in the kitchen twice, opened the frig and cabinets twice and then just fled upstairs to just go to sleep. I won! I didn't cave! Small victory, but a big deal if repeated day in and day out ya know?

I'm still wiped out from yard work yesterday. But for some reason that didn't stop me from cleaning out my closet and my bathroom drawers this morning. I'm like a machine. Except I've got some loose parts and I tend to putter out mid way through task. So, I guess I'm not so much like a machine.

Anyhoo, my plan is to go to Total Body this afternoon. I'm looking forward to it. It felt good last week.

Here's my tracker so far:

Breakfast:
WW muffin: 3 pts
Coffee w/ whipped cream: 2 pts

Lunch:
Homemade pizza: 12 pts
Caffeine free coke: 3 pts

APs:
Total Body: +4 pts

Dinner:
Spaghetti: 5 pts


That's the plan.

FYI- We have our big ultrasound this Thursday! This will be the first time we've even had an ultrasound and seen the baby. And hopefully we'll be able to tell if it's a boy or girl. :)

Yard work day!

I never know my limits. Especially when I'm pregnant. I'm that neighbor you see that is pregnant and mowing her lawn and pulling weeds NOT because she has a deadbeat husband, but because I actually get a bug in me and really want to do it. So that's what I did today. Well, I didn't mow the lawn. Just cleaned out the big plant bed in the front of the house, pulled weeds, laid down newspaper, wet it and then mulched it. It was out of control and I've been wanting to do it for SO LONG. Needless to say my pregnant ass was tired. I gave myself 3 APs for that bad boy. Oh, and I even lifted a rock and was greeted by a snake! No harm done, but I put the rock back on it and decided I was done gardening today.



I managed to get in a good walk at my favorite 3 mile trail on Saturday morning. I took our pup Penny with me. Poor gal has had some pent up energy and needed to get worn out. Little did I know that 1.5 miles into the walk that dog decided she was done with a capital D and sat down on the trail and refused to move. How is it that a puppy cannot keep up with a pregnant lady? So I had to sit with her and let her rest for 5 mins until she was ready to go on. LOL

The weekend was full of random housework and random eating. Chili dogs, Cape Cod Jalepeno potato chips, bologna sandwiches (craving), steak, and Chick- fil-A milkshakes to name a few. I was okay, but not really in control by Sunday. And even though I made better choices (opted for fat free chili dog, and lite bologna) that doesn't cover for the portion control. Though I do not advocate having the "I'll start Monday" mentality, I do love it when Monday comes around. It's like I receive a dose of "You can do this." Part of being successful in weight loss is forgiving yourself and moving on. Progress, not perfection.

Here's my tracker for today:

Breakfast:
WW muffin: 3 pts
Grande mocha: 4 pts

Lunch:
Egg and cheese sandwich on a roll: 8 pts
Chips: 4 pts

Snack:
Kashi Heart to Heart cereal with skim: 3 pts
grapes: 1 pts

Dinner:
Willy's chicken salad: 7 pts

APs: 2 hours of straight yard work: +3 pts

Total: 27 pts

Pregnancy crap

I used to laugh at all the crap you could buy for yourself in the name of pregnancy. With the exception of maternity clothing I just didn't get all the other stuff: underwear, pillow, special bras, support belts, hose.

Well, now that I'm on my third pregnancy and feel like my body is a lot more pregnant than it is... I've caved. I just purchased a pregnancy pillow for nighttime and I'll be sporting one of these loving contraptions during the heat of the summer.> Should I buy a pink "prego-tard" to wear UNDER it?? :)

I love exercise and don't want to stop, but I'm shot by the end of the day after I get in a good work out. I'm hoping the support belt will help me during my work outs and (if I can stomach it) during the day. The idea of wearing one in this heat makes me sick, but a girls gotta do what a girls gotta do. The pillow sounds fun. Just expensive.

I cleaned out the kid's room of old, broken toys. Then boxed up toys they never play with for my Good Will run. Then I decided to rearrange the room. Gee, I wonder why my back hurts? Needless to say, I feel no need to exercise. I got enough. I may walk Penny later, but that's it.

We're having some friends over tonight to grill hamburgers. Low key. I'm already looking forward to the wine. (One glass of course)

Tracker:

Breakfast:
2 fried eggs: 4 pts
2 pc whole wheat toast: 1 pts
1 slice turkey bacon: 1 pt
Blueberries: 1 pt

Lunch:
Quesadilla on low carb tortilla with low fat mozzerella,left over grilled chicken, green onions, tomato and salsa: 4 pts
Chips: 3 pts
RF sour cream: 2 pts

Snack:
Ff pudding: 2 pts

Snack:
Mocha: 3 pts

Dinner:
TJ's chicken lime burger: 4 pts
Chips: 5 pts

Wine: 3 pts

Total: 33 pts

3 Flex used!

Step aerobics always makes me think of the 80's when women wore the bright, florescent spandex and had their bright, florescent step in tow. But, there's a reason it's still a popular class. It works! I showed up to the 9:30 class this morning. I always feel apprehensive about Step class because of the lingo and all the moves. People that go seem to have been going forever and know it like the back of their hand. But, nonetheless, I went. My motto about exercise is "NO excuses!." I needed a class around that time and that was the only one. So Seniora Step I was! I have to say this was the first step class I didn't feel like I was going to trip and I kept up with the lingo and moves better. After a while it even became fun. I was drenched. DRENCHED! By the end. But felt good.

Afterwards the kids and I went to our Thursday play group at the park. Luckily the weather was nice and overcast. Not too hot. We got Chick-fil-A and played for 2 hours. I think the fact that I was soaked in sweat helped me not feel the heat. :)

Here's today's tracker:

Breakfast:
Special K bar: 2 pts
Mocha: 3 pts

Aps:
Step class: +3 pts

Lunch:
Chick-n-Strips salad with ff honey mustard: 10 pts
Little bit of the kids fries: 3 pts

Snack:
Chocolate covered almonds (just a few): 2 pts

Another snack:
Apple: 1 pts
Special K bar: 2 pts
Cup of decaf: 0 pts

Dinner:
Marinated, grilled chicken breasts: 4 pts
Left over cous cous: 3 pts
Sliced fresh tomatoes from the garden: 0 pts

Snack:
WW Latte bar: 1 pts

Total: 28 pts (including APs)

Proof you can eat out and stay OP

Here's my tracker (both lunch and dinner are ordered out)

Breakfast:
2 Kashi waffles with ICINB and SF syrup: 5 pts

Snack:
Apple: 1 pt
Mocha: 3 pts

Lunch:
Garden salad w/ creamy italian: 3 pts
Slice of Veggie Deluxe pizza: 7 pts

Snack:
FF pudding cup: 2 pt

Dinner:
Pad Thai: 12 pts (if I eat the entire thing, which is likely)

Total: 33 pts
3 Flex Used

DONE!

No APs today-wretched pregnancy headaches AGAIN!

Working it

Made it to Total Body yesterday. Oh my it was crowded! I remember the good old days where there was a small group of 15 at most. The whole room was packed! There was this young girl there that arrived early and started chatting with me. She said she's been at LA Fitness for years and was going on and on about how hard the classes were there (in a braggity way). This was her first class at the Y and she was worried how challenging it would be. So, being the competitive person I am I took note of how "challenging" the class was for her. I totally schooled her in weights and reps! She kept looking up in disbelief that we were doing more reps. LOL Hey, I'm 5 months pregnant. I need something to feel physically dominant over.

So, as you might guess I pushed myself harder. Phew! It wiped me out. I skipped the ab work. I have been doing ab work up until now, but the idea of it just totally repulsed me. Time to let the abs just flow.....

I stuck to my food plan yesterday. I was so tired. Too tired to want to snack after dinner. :) Got the kids in bed and I was in my bed, lights out at 9pm! Man it felt good to wake up this morning having had a full night's rest.

I'm working on water consumption lately. While in Boone last week I bought a Klean Kanteen. . I got the 27 oz one. I had a SIGG bottle last summer, but dropped it once and it dented the bottom and then it wouldn't stand up. Klean Kateens are supposedly more durable, so I grabbed one. Well wouldn't you know yesterday on the way out the door I dropped the bottle and dented the bottom!!! It still stands up, but wobbles. Ugh. So yesterday I ordered another and two kids sippy kanteens. I also ordered the protective covering to avoid denting. I figured I'd use the dented one too, just not all the time.

All that said, I think drinking a lot of water helped me yesterday avoid the pantry. I didn't have that hungry feeling too often. And when I did, I reached for fruit. Small efforts.....

Lots of posts today....

Here's my tracker. I exchanged walking on the treadmill to Total Body today at 4:30pm. :)

Tracker:

Breakfast:
Kashi Heart to Heart with skim milk: 5 pts

Snack:
Apple: 1 pt
Mocha: 3 pts

Lunch:
Publix sub with cheese, mustard, veggies and oil and vinegar: 8 pts
Baked Lays: 2 pts

Snack:
1/2 banana: 1 pts

Dinner:
Lean ground beef stirfy with red pepper, green onions and chopped zucchini: 3
Whole wheat cous cous: 3 pts

Late night snack:
WW mint chocolate chip icecream: 2 pts

APs:
Total Body: +4 pts

Total: 24 pts (using my APs)

So I have 4 pts to spare on seconds for dinner or extra snack tonight.

WW's points for pregnancy

I've had some inquiries about how many points is needed for pregnancy. This is how I figured it out:

Here's the target range for normal weight LOSS:

Weight Points
000 – 149 = 20
150 – 174 = 22
175 – 199 = 24
200 – 224 = 26
225 – 249 = 28
250 – 274 = 30
275 – 299 = 31
300 – 324 = 32
325 – 349 = 33
350 – 999 = 34

I took my weight when I found out I was pregnant which was 140 and started with those points (20) Then added another 4 pts as though I were on maintenance. THEN added 6 pts (roughly 300 calories) which is what doctors recommend adding to your daily calories when pregnant. So 20+6+4 pts=30 pts per day. I eat all my flex and activity points too. And if I'm out of points and still hungry- I eat. :)

There you have it!

Tuesday...

Well, I never made it to Body Sculpt yesterday. The kids ended up having a good time at our neighbors house playing in the pool (buck naked I should add) and by the time we left it was dinner time and I felt about 300 lbs, moving underwater. I suppose it was a bit of a stretch to try and get a good work out in the same day I drove back from North Carolina and had the kids alone that night. Didn't really consider that. :)

BUT, today I feel good and ready to get my heart rate up. We're in need of groceries so I'm going to do that first and then walk on the treadmill during Amelia's nap. For fun, I'll post my grocery list. I have plenty of chicken and meat in the freezer, so I just need accessories.

Produce:
peaches
blueberries
apples
bananas
tomatoes
corn
romaine
mushrooms
green onions
spinach

Dairy:
Laughing cow cheese
FF chocolate pudding
Yogurt
Eggs

Packaged:
Lite Raspberry Walnut Vinagerette
Le Croix

In lieu of healthy eating.....

Here's some pics of my garden....


Daughters make good waterers

Squash blossoms

Beginnings of a bell pepper

Tomatoes

4th of July in the mountains...

What is it about getting away that makes you so focused on food that its all you can think about? LOL Went to the mountains again with my family and had a great time. I was only able to walk on my favorite trail there once due to afternoon rain showers some of the days. I did eat a lot of grilled food, which is good and on the 4th I limited myself to one plate of small portions of everything. Unfortunately S'Mores ended up being my down fall. I had THREE that night. For some reason it really hit the spot. Then after the first night I really started to unravel and it was like food was my main focus. And I should probably add that my family is VERY food focused. Food is the entertainment and activity of gatherings. There is food offered and set out before and after meals. There are late night snacks offered, deserts made and tempting snacks EVERYWHERE. So looking back I should have prepared myself better for the long weekend with loving family, but food traps left and right.

After a few days of feeling like a stuffed turkey and seeing no end in site of shoving my pie hole full of food, I went into my room and just took a few deep breathes. I asked myself if I had said "no" to any food. No, I hadn't. I had not exercised any discipline. And when that muscle gets weak, it's not good. So I took in a cleansing breathe and told myself to exercise that self discipline and it would get easier. It worked! Instead of eating when I wasn't hungry, I drank water or had a coffee. Instead of that extra S'more, I had a bowl of deliciously fresh cherries. I waited to eat until I was hungry. I stopped when I was full. It was a good thing. Oh, AND I got two puzzles done while I was there. God I love puzzles....

So now I'm back in the city! We went to bed late last night and rose early this morning to begin our drive home. Luckily I got in a solid nap in the car during Ed's driving shift. And right when we switched and it was my turn to drive, a big sign with a Starbucks logo popped up. It was like manna from heaven! We got our Starbucks and zipped home. I resisted the temptation to get lunch through a driv thru somewhere and waited until I got home to make something more healthy and point friendly. Again, small efforts to make my discipline muscle stronger. So glad I did!

I checked out my YMCA schedule and I see a 5:30 Body Sculpt class I want to go to. I might get there early and try to do 20 mins on the elliptical beforehand. Ed's working late since we drove home this morning and I need something to do with the kids. This will be a nice way to waste time and fill in the whole of that lull between dinner and bedtime AND allow me to exercise!

Here's my tracker. Thank God my points renew today and I get to start fresh.

Breakfast:
Bojangles:
sausage biscuit: 9 pts
small hashbrowns: 5 pts

Snack:
Tall mocha: 3 pts
1 small reece's cup: 2 pts

Lunch:
Whole wheat broccoli and turkey Hot Pocket: 6 pts
Salad with cucumbers and lite Ceasar: 2 pts
La Croix: 0 pts

Dinner:
Loaded Baked Potato: 5 pt
Steamed Broccoli: 0pts

Total: 32 pts

Hoping to earn roughly 3 APs, which will bring my daily points down to 29 pt (right on track)!


Planning on cleaning out my frig of all the gazillion old condiments and dressing bottles and wiping the whole thing down! Getting my frig organized always helps me stay OP. So that's my small task today to get back on track. :)

160 lbs

Well folks, my body has officially denied my request for a perfect 25 lbs gain. Despite staying OP and exercising, I'm still gaining. So this leads me to one conclusion..... I think my body knows what it's doing. I think it knows that I just need to gain more than what *I* think is "perfect." Granted, I've given into some cravings and indulged a bit, but I did that on maintenance before I got pregnant and maintained easily. I've changed my ideal weight gain to 40 lbs. I figure that's appropriate and my midwife agrees. Now it's just a matter of embracing it mentally for me. I have these thoughts running through my head..

Here we go again....

You're gaining too much...

Will you lose it after you give birth?

And the fact of the matter is that I've made changes in my lifestyle that enable me to get back down to my 140 lb goal. I have to believe in myself. But it's hard when you're starting to feel the weight and see changes. One thing is for sure. I'm gaining differently that with the other pregnancies. My legs are remaining toned and slender for the most part. My arms are toned and thin. My butt and gut are taking the brunt of the blows. Which is normal I guess. I just keep telling myself: "Your body stores fat during pregnancy so that you can nurse it off after birth." And this is very true for me. I tend to lose A LOT right after birth. I think I came home from the hospital having lost 30 lbs with the other two. I tend to have a lot of amniotic fluid too. With both my pregnancies my caregiver told me that. And I swell like crazy the last few months. So I do think water weight plays a role.

Okay....talked myself down.

Here's my tracker for today:

Breakfast:
Lowfat yogurt: 2 pts
High Protein Granola: 2 pts
Cut up peaches and blueberries: 1 pts
Hardboiled egg: 2 pts

Snack:
Mocha: 3 pts

Lunch:
Whole wheat cous cous topped with ground beef stirfry with homegrown zucchini, onions, mushrooms, garlic and diced tomatoes. Very delish: 6 pts
Ceasar salad with croutons and lite dressing: 4 pts

Snack:
Bowl of Strawberries: 1 pts

Dinner:
Leftovers since we're leaving town tomorrow. More cous cous with corn on the cobb and some more salad: roughly 7 pts

Snack:
WW Latte icecream bar: 1 pt

Planning to earn around 3 APs this afternoon be it at a class or a long walk.

Total:29 pts
APs: -3

26 pts!

I need to avoid using the rest of my Flex and save it for this weekend.

Blasted pregnancy headaches...

Today I woke up with a dull headache behind my eyes. As the day progressed it got worse and then after a long nap (which I thought would help) it got worse. So there goes my Total Body class that I was ready to go to. I can't imagine working out like this. And the worst is that the headaches seemed to be unaffected by tylenol. Drives me mad!

Anyway, here's my tracker. Sort of a weird day. We're going out to eat with Ed's parents tonight. I'm going for a fish and veggies or a salad.

Breakfast:
Lite english muffin with ICBINB and jelly: 2 pts
Hardboiled egg: 2 pts

Snack:
Grande mocha: 4 pts

Lunch:
Chips/cheese dip: 9 pts
Salsa: 0 pts

Snack:
Monkey Munch (OY): 5 pts
Skim milk: 2 pts

Dinner:
Fish and veggies: 7 pts (or around there)

No APs :(

Total: 35 pts
Used 5 flex

22 Flex left for the week....