June 3, 2008

Just Do It

Posted by winningfriendswithsalad under Dinner | Tags: , , , , |
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That’s been the theme of today: just do it. Lately there’s been alot of stuff in my personal life, work life, weight loss that I’ve been putting off and putting off – to my own detriment! When I just suck it up and do the things I don’t want to, I’m always so much happier for it! In the years since I’ve graduated college I think that’s the biggest lesson I’ve learned. I’m not going to wake up tomorrow with the perfect life. If I want to be 135 lbs, have a great job, big family, etc, etc then I have to make it happen. Perfect example: when I came back from the gym today, I realized I still hadn’t cleaned the refrigerator. I almost didn’t do it, reasoning I was too tired. And then I thought, ‘Kate, JUST DO IT!’ So I did! Since I still had my HRM on, I tracked my heart rate too, and I burned an extra 200 calories easy! Now. not only do I have a clean and ready for CSA goodness refrigerator (see for yourself):

But I also have a mopped kitchen floor, clean sink and counters, clean dishes, and Horseshoe has a washed and fresh ladies room. Everyone’s happy! I’m really going to keep that as my mantra: JUST DO IT. I know I’ll be alot happier if I do.

Anyway, when I got home from work today, I goofed around for a while and then had a slice of Ezekiel Cinnamon Raisin Bread with a tbsp Almond Butter:

Pre Workout Snack was 174 calories, 21g carbs, 8g fat, and 7g protein.

Cardio Smorgas at the gym: treadmill with weights, Cardio Wave, step mill, elliptical. I also did some mat work. Towards the end of my workout, I heard this song, which always makes me dream of being on DTV with the poor man’s version of Joey Lawrence. Swoon. Totally fitting, seeing as though I’m seeing SJP in Sex and the City tomorrow night!! Anyway, Cardio Smorgas=562 calories burned.

As I said, I came home an did an crazy clean of the apt, woohoo! After that, I had a small dinner of the last serving of Goddess Garbanzos.

Dinner was 195 calories, 28g carbs, 8g fat, and 5g protein. Even though I could have more dinner/dessert, I don’t think I will. Just because I can, doesn’t mean I should. Night guys! :)

 

June 1, 2008

Simple Dinner

Posted by winningfriendswithsalad under Dinner, Snack | Tags: , , |
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P bought a bunch of deli meats and cheeses last week, and I need to start using them up!  Expect to see alot of sandwiches in the future.  I’m exhausted from this weekend’s activities – so is P. I had some scheduling communication problems with my friend Eva regarding tonight’s event, and we ended up missing it!  Definitely a shame, but we both needed a rest.  This afternoon I had a new flavor of Luna bar, Iced Oatmeal Raisin:

This was good.  I usually don’t like to eat bars while I’m in the house – they’re more for an on-the-go thing.  But again, – exhausted, so I just grabbed what was around.  Snack was 170 calories, 27g carbs, 4g fat, and 10g protein.

For dinner, I made a honey turkey sandwich with American cheese, mustard, and spinach on an Ezekiel bun.  Served with some strawberries on the side.

This totally hit the spot.  Lots of fresh, hearty foods.  I totally could have eaten more.  Dinner was 338 calories, 10g fat, and 22g protein.

When I went to finish up my calorie count for the day, I saw that I was way under.  So I needed a snack.  I made a berry crisp, following Kath’s recipe, which I basically followed using half blackberries and half raspberries except for adding a tbsp of sugar instead of Splenda.  I also added a tbsp of almond butter for a little extra protein.

So good.  I might have let it cook for an additional 5 min to get a golden brown crust, but it was good.  I really also dug the almond butter on the side – like a fancy PB&J!  Snack was 347 calories, 60g carbs, 9g fat, and 10g protein.

Low calorie count today, but I’m too tired to eat more.  Plus, with such a caloricly-laden weekend, I don’t think that’s such a bad thing.  Have a great night everyone!

 

May 30, 2008

Boyfriend Made Breakfast

Posted by winningfriendswithsalad under Breakfast | Tags: |
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Well, I woke up at 7 AM this morning feeling absolutely miserable: just nauseous and awful.  I woke up two hours later feeling better, but I decided to stay home from work and rest anyway.  If I get sick before the surgery, they’ll cancel it – so I have to be extra careful.  Peter had a hard night too (first of many alumni events), so he decided to stay home as well.  I took full advantage of this by requesting breakfast in bed!  Peter very skillfully made waffles sandwiches for us.  Mine contained two flax waffles, two tbsp almond butter, and a banana:

Yum.  He did an excellent job.  Breakfast was 495 calories, 65g carbs, 25g fat, and 14g protein.

I’m loving the comments on the blog, guys!  Keep up the great discussions!

 

May 27, 2008

The Quintessential Dinner

Posted by winningfriendswithsalad under Dinner, Snack | Tags: , , , , , |
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Hey guys! My sunburn kicked in full force this afternoon, and I could barely move, let alone go to the gym. :( Two days in a row without the gym is unheard of for me, so I’m a little bummed. Although I feel that I’m at a place with my lifestyle where two days sans gym doesn’t equal ‘falling off the wagon’ or a huge failure on my part. I’m secure enough in myself and my dedication to my health that I know two days don’t define me. I hope I’m feeling better tomorrow – I’m definitely ready to be back in the workout groove!
Peter slept the day away, with an early early early morning flight and no sleep last night. So I cleaned the apartment and caught up on magazines – definitely a restful holiday. At some point in the afternoon I went out and got some snacks for us. I had a Luna bar:

And then a bit later I had a whole wheat tortilla with a tbsp almond butter:

Snacks were 450 calories, 57g carbs, 20g fat, and 19g protein.

For Peter’s welcome back dinner, we went to a reader-recommended restaurant, Quintessence.  Many thanks to Margherita for the thoughtful recommendation!  (Hi Margherita!)  Quintessence is located in the east village in a tiny little space on a tiny little street.  Very sweet.  To start, P and I split the chip and dip platter:

This was ’spicy tomato-cilantro salsa, dairy-free sour cream and guacamole served with home-made corn chips and flax crackers’. The crackers were good, and the guacamole was great!  For an entree, I had the Scallion Roll:

I had two of the four rolls.  These were ‘light yet satisfying nori rolls filled with scalion creme cheese, avocado, bell pepper, cucumber, caramelized onion, tomato and sprouts.’ These were really tasty – I’m going to have the other two rolls for lunch tomorrow.  And for dessert, P and I split the dessert platter:

From top left, clockwise: Chocolate Pecan Pudding Cake, Coconut Banana Creme Pie, Chia Seed Pudding, and Lemon Yam Cake.  They all sounded delicious, but both P and I were really disappointed – none of them were that good!  The best one was the Lemon Yam Cake, and even that wasn’t great.  P was so disappointed that he stopped for a Cookies and Cream milkshake on the way home (which I stole a few sips from). :)

I’m estimating dinner at 600 calories. Well, I’ve certainly had a restful holiday – I hope you have too!  Night!

 

May 25, 2008

Snickety Snack Dinner

Posted by winningfriendswithsalad under Dinner | Tags: , , |
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I really couldn’t decide on anything for dinner.  I think I was in the sun too much today because I’m feeling totally wiped out tonight.  The past two nights I haven’t felt in the mood for dinner, but I knew I had to eat because I was feeling weak and because I count calories, I knew my count for the day was low.  That’s the nice thing about calorie counting – it’s easy to make sure you’re getting what you need.

Anyway, because I knew I needed food, I just snacked on whatever.  I had 1/4c Country Pumpkin Spice Granola and 1/4c Ezekiel Cinnamon Raisin Cereal and 1/2c Nonfat Vanilla Yogurt.

Sorry, it’s a little blurry for some reason.  A little bit later I had a slice of Ezekiel 4:9 Bread with a tbsp almond butter and a tbsp blueberry jam:

Dinner was 494 calories, 80g carbs, 15g fat, and 20g protein. I’m headed to bed soon.  Night guys.

 

May 24, 2008

My Kind of Saturday

Posted by winningfriendswithsalad under Brunch | Tags: , , , , , |
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Hey all! Sorry for the late post, I’ve been taking it easy this morning. Well, last night was both a success and not-a-success (’failure’ is too harsh). At the bar, I expected Jeff and I to have two rounds of drinks – standard, right? I cleverly (or so I thought) sat out the first round, opting for a club soda with lime, intending to get my vodka soda the next round. Well, the bar we were at was doing table service, and our server was SOOOOOO slow. After the first round Jeff ordered fried calamari, which I can take or leave, so no real sacrifice there – but since the server never came back for our second round of drinks, we decided just to call it a night. So when I got home I realized I had a good 150~ calories to spare. Well, I dug into the chocolate chip bag and ended up snacking on 1/2c. Grr. It was totally emotional – by the end of it, I didn’t want any more, but the bag was almost done and I just wanted it out of the house, so I kept eating. Midnight Snack was 431 calories, 50g carbs, 26g fat, and 6g protein. On the flip side, if I had the cocktail during the first round, I might have eaten the calamari, gone to the bar for a second drink, and eaten the chocolate chips when I got home. So I don’t know – what do you think I should have done?

Anyway, despite my late night slip up, I had a good weigh in this morning at the gym. Even though I’m still maintaining at 168 lbs, I lost an inch around my waist and an inch around my hips. I’ve only recently (within the past two months) started measuring myself. When I first started losing, I was losing a couple lbs a week, so it was a big difference. But now that I have less weight to lose and are incorporating weight training, measuring has become more integral to keeping me seeing results. As we all know, muscle weighs more than fat, so it’s important for me to see that even though the scale is the same, I am getting smaller. Anyway, today I worked with weights, did some matwork, walked the track, and did a Podfitness workout on the Elliptical. Before I got started I had a new flavor of Luna Bar: Chai Tea:

Kind of a weird flavor for a bar. It tasted exactly like Chai Tea – but not necessarily in a good way. Meh, it was okay. Pre Workout Snack was 180 calories, 25g carbs, 5g fat, and 10g protein.

Workout was good – not much to report there. I had planned to go swimming, but when I went to change I realized I forgot my goggles, and by that time it was 12:30 PM, so I just wanted to get started with the day. Elliptical and Weights = 501 calories burned.

On my walk home, I got myself a treat:

Swoon. (Obviously this was full when I got it.) When I got home I made myself a brunch of an Ezekiel Cinnamon Raisin English Muffin with 2 tbsp almond butter and a banana:

Yum. Brunch was 448 calories, 67g carbs, 18g fat, and 15g protein.

Not sure what the day holds – I have it all to myself! I may lay out and read a bunch of magazines. I also have a 20% off card for Banana Republic. Hmm…what decadent options! Have a great Saturday!

 

May 21, 2008

Del Posto Wrap Up and More Ezekiel

Posted by winningfriendswithsalad under Breakfast, Dinner | Tags: , , , , |
1 Comment 

Del Posto was A.MA.ZING!  It was such a special evening!  But first let me apologize for the lack of pictures on this post.  Yesterday afternoon got away from me, and Peter would have killed me if I pulled out my camera at the super fancy restaurant.  Sorry!

Yesterday afternoon, I grabbed two stressed induced handfuls of organic teddy grahams from the company stash.  I hate it when I do that – it’s completely mental – I was full from lunch and going to a great dinner…grr.  Ah well, weight loss has ups and downs.  Yesterday I read that weight loss is like tennis: even great tennis players lose points – that doesn’t matter.  It only matters whether you win more points than you lose.  I like that analogy – takes some of the pressure off. ~200 calories.

After work I went to Chelsea Piers - I’ve decided that Chelsea Piers is so amazing it deserves to be in pink. :)   On my way to the pool, I actually ran into my membership consultant – she was so nice – she knew me by name, asked if I needed anything, seemed genuinely concerned that I was happy.  Point, Chelsea Piers!  I swam for about 45 min, give or take.  First off, the pool is BEAUTIFUL.  Secondly, it felt soooo amazing to be in the water.  Now I remember why I loved it so much as a kid!  It was cool too, to see my pilates training impact my swimming technique and really take it to a whole new level.  I could feel my arms and legs stretching and lengthening with each stroke.  It was awesome!  I’m totally hooked.  I also got to use the whirlpool after my swim.  I put my hurty shin right up to the jet, and it felt so great.  Today, it doesn’t hurt nearly as much.  Point, Chelsea Piers!

After swimming and some errands around the apt, Peter and I met at Del Posto.  He’s leaving today for a long weekend (coming back on Monday) and wanted to have a special dinner out.  I wanted to split an appetizer, get an entree, and split a dessert.  It’s easier to get more courses at fancier restaurants without overdoing your calories because the portions are so much smaller – you just have to be careful about what it is your ordering and how it’s prepared.  But Peter wanted to get the five course tasting menu to really experience the restaurant – PLUS, he wanted me NOT to calorie count.  Well, we went back and forth for a good 15 min, until I gave in.  Who knows if/when we’ll be back to this amazing restaurant – and he was right, I really did want to experience it.

Again, I’m sorry about the pictures, but here’s what I had (remember, these are all tiny portions):

  • INSALATA di Primavera, Ricotta Glassata & Perilla
  • ORECCHIETTE with Lamb Neck Sausage, Morels & Spring Onion
  • Sheep’s Milk Ricotta NUDI with Sweet Pea Puree, Preserved Lemon & Tellicherry
  • Tomato & Cerignola Braised TUNA with Chipotle & Avocado
  • Chocolate Ricotta TORTINO with Toasted Sicilian Pistachios & Extra Virgin Olive Oil Gelatto

I also had a glass of wine.  I can’t even describe how amazing these dishes were.  Just incredible.  Not to mention there were 20 billion waiters, 5 different table settings, complementary appetizers, complementary cookies served with dessert, and the amazing views.  Just an amazing and very special night.

Since our dinner reservation didn’t start until 9:15, we were home at midnight, so a morning workout was out, boo.  Peter needed help packing, so I did that until I was running late.  Then I realized I had no readily available fruit for my oatmeal, boo.  So I grabbed an Ezekiel Cinnamon Raisin muffin and headed out the door.  At work, I topped it with two tbsp almond butter.

I had it with about 3/4c of hemp milk:

Breakfast was 448 calories, 57g carbs, 19g fat, and 17g protein.

I’m trying to get lunch with P this afternoon before his flight, but we’ll see if it happens.  As much as I’ll miss him it will be nice to have some alone, quiet time this week/weekend.  Plus, I’ll be able to really focus on my eating and exercise.  He can be a distraction sometimes. :P   Have a great day!

 

May 17, 2008

Nero Brunch

Posted by winningfriendswithsalad under Brunch | Tags: , , , , |
[9] Comments 

Hey all! Brunch is my FAVORITE time of the week – I used to think there was nothing better than a good brunch. Now I know something better: a hard workout and THEN a great brunch! I woke up at 10 AM this morning to hit up the gym. I had some Ezekiel Cinnamon Raisin toast with a tbsp of Almond Butter before I left:

Pre Workout Snack is 175 calories, 21g carbs, 9g fat, and 7g protein.

At the gym I did the Cardio Smorgasboard again: Treadmill with weights, Cardio Wave, Stepmill and Elliptical. It was a really great workout – I’ve just incorporated weight training into my routine, and I’ve really seen a difference in my arm definition. However, I weigh in on Saturdays, and this is the second week in a row that I’ve maintained. I did have a splurge on Thursday, but Peter thinks that my building muscle is the cause of maintaining this week. I also take my measurements on Saturdays, so I know I’ve lost inches, but I’m ready to see the scale MOVE again. On a side note, I’m looking to work on my lower abs. Does anyone know any specific moves to work this area? Cardio smorgas = 493 calories burned.

P and I went to a new place for brunch called Nero’s. The only table available outside was on a slant, boo – so we ended up eating inside, next to the open front area. It was a really cool interior though, I had to take a picture:

None of these pictures are coming out too well, boo. There were stained glass windows right behind us that cast a blue light on everything.

Anyway, even though this place had an all you can drink brunch (!), I decided to stick with my other brunch drink love, iced coffee. I’ve had too many poor decisions made under the influence of booze these days.

Peter and I split a fruit bowl to start:

I had half of this. This fruit was amazing! The most flavorful cantaloupe I’ve had in a long while. And then I had the blueberry pancakes. I was really craving these – so I had em!

I had a few forkfuls of syrup, but these really didn’t need anything. Breakfast was 600 calories, 89g carbs, 22g fat, and 15g protein.

And to close, here’s me with my new purse. Have a great day!

 

May 15, 2008

You’re never fully dressed without a smile!

Posted by winningfriendswithsalad under Breakfast | Tags: , , , , , |
[2] Comments 

I’ve had that song stuck in my head all morning! Normally, it would drive me crazy, but I’m in such a good mood today – I don’t mind! I made it to my Pilates class this morning, which was awesome because I had a great workout! The new location is closer to my house – so I don’t have to shower/get ready at the gym. Plus we have new people in the class, so it’s nice not to be the class dunce anymore. :) Pilates class and walk = 454 Calories Burned. I’ve missed my morning workouts! It felt awesome to be all stretched out and limber at 8 AM – and to know that I can come home and relax tonight without having to worry about making it to the gym.  Before I left I had my favorite slice of Cinnamon Raisin Ezekiel Bread with a tbsp Almond Butter:

Pre Workout Snack was 175 calories, 21g carbs, 9g fat, and 7g protein.

At work I had to jump into a meeting before I had a chance to eat, boo! But I did have an awesome meeting with my boss – PLUS, I finally received all the paperwork I needed and faxed it off to my insurance company. They’re reviewing my surgery today/tomorrow/next week, and I really really REALLY hope it’s approved! The operation is scheduled for June 9th, and I’ve already arranged for the time off, saved the money, and talked myself into deal with the pain – I’m ready!

After my meeting and faxing excitment, I had a bowl of Ezekiel Cinnamon Raisin Cereal with hemp milk, and banana:

This was great – definitely a good use of hemp milk, but surprisingly caloric! Breakfast was 571 calories, 120g carbs (this is mostly from the Ezekiel cereal – the Ezekiel bread has very little carbs, I wonder why this has so much?), 4g fat, and 20g protein.

Have an amazing day!

 

May 14, 2008

Sushi Samba

Posted by winningfriendswithsalad under Dinner | Tags: , , , , , , , , |
[4] Comments 

Hey guys, quick post because I have to get to bed early so I can wake up for my 7 AM pilates class. I got out of work really late tonight, and went to Modell’s to get a bathing suit and swim goggles. I’ve been thinking about adding swimming to my workouts for a while, and I think I’ll kick it off this weekend! I’m really pleased that I’ve been expanding my workout routines – it’s really been very satisfying! My lunch was definitely too small – before I left work I had an iced coffee and a new flavor of Luna Bar: Chocolate Raspberry.

It was good, but not great – I could definitely taste both the chocolate and the raspberry, which I wasn’t expecting. Still, it could have been better. Snack was 190 calories, 27g carbs, 5g fat, and 9g protein.

When I got finally got back, I only had time for one thing: cook dinner or go to the gym. P told me to go to the gym (he knows how I get minus gym time :) ) so he ordered in sushi while I worked out. I did the Cardio Smorgasboard again, and I had an amazing workout! Awesome calorie burn! Cardio Smorgas = 558 calories burned.

Before I worked out, I had an Ezekiel English Muffin Cinnamon Raisin with a tbsp Almond Butter:

Pre Workout Snack was 175 calories, 21g carbs, 9g fat, and 7g protein.

The blog has allowed me to analyze my eating, and I’ve realized how often we eat out! I feel like that might be a product of New York – there’s always a new, delicious restaurant to try! I feel like I make good choice 90% of the time, so it’s okay. Let me know your thoughts…

For dinner, I had a bowl of miso (a great starter to fill up on) plus 2 salmon rolls, 4 tuna rolls, and 4 spinach rolls, and edamame.

Dinner was 387 calories, 50g carbs, 8g fat, and 31g protein.

Night all!

 

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