Traveling is the most difficult thing to do while on a diet

So I finally got to go to the Craft and Hobby Association Conference in Chicago (semi-vacation). However, let me tell you. That was the roughest I've ever had thus far on this diet- all the food at the airport was either A) bad for you  or B) expensive  or C) both.  Then while at the conference, their food was the same way. I think I ate soup and salads 90% of the time! My mom and I (she is also on Weight Watchers) actually walked to the Aldi's down the street from our hotel JUST so we could pick up some fruit, jello, and fruit frozen bars- so we would have at least SOMETHING on our diet.

 (I drank water the entire trip- except one time I did get a margarita, but other than that, water with lemon please!)

 (3 bean soup. It was good, but after having soup and/or salad all trip, I was glad to get some more sustenance by the end of it).

 (Somehow managed to enjoy vegs and chicken (stuffed with spinach and feta))

By the 4th day of my trip, I was so tired of salads that I broke down and ate pesto tortellini with chicken in cream sauce at this italian restaurant that we got invited to go to with 2 ladies we met while at the conference (they were so sweet to take us! They don't know how much it ment to us). It was so delicious, I didn't care how many weekly points I was wasting on that dish, because it was so good.

 (most amazing pesto pasta!)

Surprisingly enough, when I got home, I weighed in on Friday (my weigh ins are normally on Tuesdays, so I was a few days late) and I had only gained 0.4 lbs. *phew* I'll take less than a 1/2 a pound gained during my trip. I can deal with that. I was fearing it would be worse. Since I dropped down to 26 points plus, I've had such a difficult time having just that- I usually can eat and feel full at 28 points plus. I guess that means I gotta do some more exercise.

(Lunch today: quiche and soup.)

(Co-worker gave me HUGE zucchini from his garden- time to make some yummy foods from it!)

 Hopefully I'll be getting plenty of exercise with practices for our show ramping up in full speed. We open August 9th, so we are dancing pretty much every practice now. (and boy do my calves feel it after dancing in character shoes all day). Here is the promo for the musical. I'm Marian the Librarian (pink top, black skirt).

Stay tuned for another promo (featuring just me singing a part of "Goodnight my Someone". Hopefully this show keeps me in check by exercise, since packing lunches/dinners is very hard with the theater group- we all like to go out to eat after practices and shows. *crossing fingers* for a better week. However I already was bad today- tortellini got me again! Eek!

 (bad bad bad)

Here's to hoping I have a better weight loss week.
later.
-M

trucking along

Ok. So on tuesday (my 2nd weigh in at weight watchers after our initial start) I lost another 2 pounds. So far I'm down 4.6 lbs in 2 weeks. I'm hoping this week I keep up the weight loss (as of right now, Saturday evening/Sunday early morning) I have only used 2 of my weekly points thus far. So hopefully it all goes well *crossing fingers*
Anyways, today I'm going to breakdown what Smart Ones meals are good, and what, not so good. I hope to do some mini reviews on things that help my weight loss journey, so others can learn from my help (I know I love when people tell me if something tastes horrible, but then again it is all relative- to some people certain foods taste great and others they stink).

So, here it goes- Smart ones.

We'll start with Breakfast-
I don't often eat pre-packaged breakfasts, but I thought I'd try their egg, cheese and muffin sandwiches. Not horrible, but not wonderful either. My complaint- the cheese melts pretty much completely (desinigrates basically) when the rest is done.

That's the only breakfast item I've tried, so we'll move on to the entries.

Pasta with Ricotta and Spinach- probably one of my more favorites. I recommend this one. It probably tastes the best out of the majority of Smart Ones.

Mini Rigatoni in Vodka Cream Sauce- This is ok. not the greatest, but I'd eat it again. Now I LOVE vodka rigatoni, so maybe my standards were very high.

Three Cheese Ziti Marinara- It's ok...one of the lower on the totem pole as far as their food. You'd be much better getting the bigger one with the meatballs.

Chicken Fettucini- decent, one of the better ones. I tend to add some extra pepper to it for it to work for me.

Fiesta Quesadilla- not very good quite frankly. Very dry and most of it just kind of tastes over cooked, no matter how long you nuke it for.

Macaroni & cheese- A good homestyle favorite. Not like how grandma used to make it (or homestyle tasting for that matter) but ok. Once again, I tend to add some pepper to add a hint more flavor, because it is a little bland alone.

Ravioli Florentine- not very good. Yuck: very small and boring tasting. Wouldn't do it again.

Swedish meatballs- not great, but ok. A little bland and the meatballs never seem to get done completely when the rest is done, and I'm not a fan of mushrooms, and there is few in this.

Thai Style Chicken & rice noodles- This used to be my favorites, however somewhere along the line I must of had it too much, because I didn't like it as much anymore. It does smell wonderful in the microwave however.

Traditional Lasagna with meat sauce- bleh. Too small, and boring tasting really.

Cheese pizza minis- Ok, I would take these ANY day over bagel bites. These at least taste good. The cheese I think make it taste great, personally. However, forwarning, it is VERY hard to just eat 1 serving (1 tray, and there is 2 trays in a box). I tend to eat both trays- its a full meal, so I just deal with having the 14 points for it, because I cannot have just one tray.

Ziti with meatballs & cheese satisfying selections- this was more filling than the others. I just had this tonight, so its fresh on my mind. Everything was decently heated and good sized. It's a little bit more points, but much more filling. I liked it, I'd get it again. It tastes a lot better than the boxed version of ziti.

Ok, so that's all I've tried of the Smart Ones. I have a turkey one in the freezer, so maybe I'll go back and add that one if the future.


So, that's my opinions. Now I'm off to go get some frozen mangoes- that's my favorite fruit and way to eat fruit these days.
Laters!
-M

Coughs and better steps

So I've been battling this sickness that has hit me recently. Coughing, sinus junk, ears hurt, sore throat and all that jazz. But maybe because I'm feeling cruddy, I'm eating in better calories. lol
Had practice for the show today, so I danced all morning. (burnin' burnin'!)
Anyways, this is what I had to eat yesterday and today. I think I did pretty good for me. :D

April 1st, 2011 calories

Breakfast:

• 1 bowl of dry Special K Vanilla Almond cereal: (220 calories)

Lunch:

• 2 turkey dogs with ketchup (light amount)  on wheat buns: (280 calories total)
• 3 apple slices: (30 calories)
• 1 handful of veggie straws (roughly 12 straws): (56 calories)
• 4 popcorn kernals: (5? calories)

Snack:

• 1 bottle of white grape juice Crystal Light: (10 calories)
• 16 shelled peanuts: (97 calories)

Dinner:

• 4 pulled pork sandwiches (4 white rolls, 2 slices cheese total and 1 cup total of pulled pork): (920 calories)

Total Calories for the day: 1613 calories!

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April 2, 2011 calories

Breakfast:

• 1 oatmeal cream pie: (330 calories)

Lunch:

• 3 french dip sliders: (532 calories)
• 1 cup of tortilla soup: (180 calories)
• 1/3 of a 32 oz sprite: (94 calories)
• 5 french fries and 2 chips with spinach dip: (roughly 90 calories?)

Dinner:

• 1 pulled pork sandwich, on wheat bun with 1/3 slice of cheese: (260 calories)

Total Calories for the day: 1486 calories

(so I still have room to have something small, but other than that I did good the past two days. Not the most entirely healthy, but I stuck to my calories...slowly but surely. I didn't have time this morning to eat much, and that oatmeal cream pie...ugh...so many calories! Anyways, luckily my large lunch keep me going. That plus being sick, equals not a huge appetite.
Anyways...off to bed soon. Netti pot clearing, nyquil then sleeping in for Sunday! I can't wait for that. :D
Adios.
-M

Another step, another setback

Ok. So I admit it. I suck at this whole, keeping up with what I eat thing. I am the first to admit I am horrible at it. But after getting another rejection with a show I auditioned for, I realized, that I really need to get my act together. Luckily the show I'm currently in is a lot of high-energy dancing, so that helps, since my gym time has been cut short because of all the practices.
I ate slightly healthier this past weekend while on a crafting weekend retreat for Autism. I haven't had soda since last Thursday (which is a big step for me, except for a single root beer drink on Sunday...but other than that, it has been Water like no other, diet iced tea, and juice). This right here is a big step. I've also been trying to eat more meats, fruits and "good carbs" and stay away from the pastas. I haven't had much pasta at all this week, and had more carbs like potatoes and rice. I know these small changes aren't huge, but they are in the right direction. Considering 3 out of 4 of the regular castmates that go out to dinner after practice with Wren and I are on a diet, shows that we all are starting to feel the pressure of loosing weight.
Sadly today I woke up battling a sickness that has seemed so familiar...ear pressure/pain, slight runny nose, glands in the neck swollen and sore throat. I had a feeling I was going to get sick today, as last night I went to bed with a sore throat. If this ends up mutating into ANOTHER sinus infection, I think its time to say to the doctor...there is a problem. This would be the 3rd time in a row (every 2 months or so) that I've gotten a sinus infection. Same feeling, same symptoms...yes, they might all be stress related, but boy are they not fun.
Today I haven't done totally horrible, thus far (as of 6pm) I've had the following:

March 30th, 2011 menu

Lunch (didn't get up for breakfast):

• Medium Wawa Chicken Noodle Soup and 1 package of Premium Saltine crackers (150 +24 calories)
• 1 spicy southwest beef Wawa wrap (420 calories)
• 32 fl. oz. of Orange Juice (yes I drank that much OJ...I am trying to beat this sickness) (360 calories)

Snack:

• Apple slices, Mango chucks bowl from Wawa (roughly 70-170 calories...no one is really clear on this)
• Diet Raspberry Iced Tea (10 calories)

So thus far I've had 1034 to 1134 calories, leaving me with just the right amount for a small dinner.

I gotta get this diet rolling, and once this show is over, I plan on getting my gym time to really be stepped up a notch. Anyways...I gotta get through this all!
-M

Falling off the horse...

Ok, I'm going to own up now. The reason I've been neglecting the blog-o here...well...I haven't been the best in my exercise and diet. I have had an absolutely horrible week (diet and exercise wise). I ordered out, I had foods that aren't very good for me, I didn't make it to the gym, and I had a single soda this week (gasp!). I did however make it to dance class, and auditioned for a musical today (which there was about 20 minutes of dancing) so it hasn't been a total loss. I havn't lost any weight this week (I actually think I might of gained a pound). But let me show you my biggest thing to overcome:

Yes...buffalo chicken cheesesteaks. They are my kriptonite, so to speak. With all the snow we've been having, me not having time to make it to the grocery store, I kind of had to order out at work...which is never a good thing, since all the places people order from are HORRIBLELY tempting.
So, ok...I'm gonna try to do better starting later today, so sorry everyone. Not only am I cursing myself for having no confidence to say NO, but I also am cursing Mother Nature in giving us all this snow!
Anyways, back on the horse I go. We all fall sometimes, we just got to get back up and continue trying!
Laters.
M