Mmmm Chocolate

So we are now firmly entrenched in the holiday season and with it comes temptation at every turn. I am trying to compile a list of treats that feel bad for me, but really aren't. Things that are satisfying without being bad for me or fake plastic food full of artificial sweeteners.

In my email yesterday was this recipe for homemade hot cocoa, it sounds simple and delicious. Although I was disappointed that their idea of spicing it up involved spices and not, you know, booze.

Chocolate keeps popping up in nutrition news as a good thing (in moderation of course) and I drink so little milk that making mine with skim milk would be a tasty treat full of calcium and protein.

If you have any other holiday favorites that are naturally not terrible for you, please send them along!

A New Size

So, in the midst of shopping for others, my mother made me try on some clothes so she could get me a few things to put under the tree. Also, my one Christmas gift request was for a new winter coat to replace my current bedraggled and much-too-big one.

As I may have mentioned I tried on a pair of jeans a couple weeks ago a size smaller than I was wearing and they fit. They were the stretchier denim though and I had no hope that I was really that size.

Let's start with the coat. The Macy's near my parents is not huge and their coat department rather small. They do not carry many sizes and I realized quickly I was likely going to have to buy a coat in a Misses size not a Women's size (guys out there don't try to figure out female sizing, it will just give you a headache).

I found a coat, it fits, my mother even agreed it did not appear too tight any where. It is red. I love it.

Then we moved on to clothes. I grabbed a pair of the new hip jeans, not the comfy stretchy ones I tried a couple weeks ago, in the smaller size. Not only did they fit, but they looked really good.

I found a cute shirt to go with them (also a size smaller) and a couple other items. Mom bought them and the coat.

Now, I can't gain the weight back or these things won't fit and mom will have wasted all that money. I am now using guilt to convince myself not to eat too much. Also, my budget cannot sustain buying another coat to replace the one that will be too small and it is cold here in the winter.

Sunday Recap Week 15

So it's the first major holiday week since I began my journey, the verdict on my self-control: so-so.

Diet: I will see what the scale says tomorrow. I imagine it will hover around where it was within a pound or two. I definitely veered off my eating plan, but I never really over did it. I ate a piece of pie a day, which is not really a good habit, but it was homemade delicious pie and I really enjoyed it. A couple days I failed to eat breakfast, which is always a recipe for disaster. I didn't eat out at all though, so no temptations for fried, still deep fried-free after 15 weeks!

Budget: I set a budget for shopping on Friday and exceeded it by about $50, not terrible. I am very nearly done shopping :)

Mood: I am officially in the holiday spirit. It was a very stress-free holiday, which is nice and with another day of festivities ahead of me I am heading in to the work week rested and happy.

I did not set foot on my parents' treadmill, which was a little disappointing, but I did chase my nieces around a lot and did 7 hours worth of shopping Friday!

The holidays will need to be managed for the rest of my life. I am happy to find little treats I can indulge in without busting the plan wide open. Delicious flavored coffees (no added sugar, just spices and since I only use skim milk a nice treat) and fat free peppermints that are creamy and delicious, pistachios (which in moderation are good for you) and more!

Owww....

So I seem to have sustained a Black Friday shopping-related injury. I have had an ongoing issue with my heels for the past year or so. I believe I injured them when I was overseas running to catch the subway in Moscow.

Recently I have had no pain whatsoever and I credited my daily workouts for strengthening them or something (I'm not a doctor, they hurt and then they didn't, that's progress to me). But after 8 hours of shopping my left heel, all the way up into the back of my calf is really sore.

I hope I just overused it, like I did my wallet and it will be back to normal Monday when gym time is set to resume.

Black Friday

So today is for the budget what yesterday was for the diet.

In the same way I approached Thanksgiving with cautious optimism and a loosely structured plan I will now head to the mall.

This will be the first Black Friday without credit cards. I used to play the credit card game, fanning them out like a Vegas Blackjack dealer. I would pay down certain ones in advance of this shopping day and run them right back up.

Not this year, I have a limited amount of cash at my disposal and a list of "must gets" and off I go.

Despite these restrictions I still did not feel the need to be up at 3:00 a.m. Perhaps I value my sanity over pleasing my loved ones, but there is nothing out there at 3:00 a.m. that is a good enough deal for me to wander out in the cold and dark with certifiably crazy people. If you are one of those folks, more power to you, you clearly love your family more than I do :)

Everyday Thanks

I try to be thankful year round, but it is nice to have a day devoted to the concept. While words cannot express how thankful I am for the love and well being of those around me, I can express thanks for a few more mundane items in life.

Here is a short list of everyday thanks.

1. My Job: I know I like to bitcha bout it, but I am very grateful to have one and to be able to manage and support myself on my own.

2. Treadmills With TVs: I have the attention span of a 5 year old at the gym, I can do 40 minutes easy though while watching an episode of Dr. Oz.

3. York Peppermint Patties: I'm kind of addicted.

4. Boston: Living in a city gives me so much joy, extra exercise from not having a car and an endless source of entertainment.

5. Yarn: Learning to knit was one of the great joys of the past couple of years, it gives me a useful productive way to relax and is a portable affordable hobby I hav brought all over the world with me.

6. The Library: The source for all of my books and DVDs, the library is a warm welcome light in my life, saving me money and providing me an endless source of information and entertainment.

7. Ramler Park: This tiny little gem of a park down the street from my apartment is the perfect respite when city living is too much. Grass, benches and water fountains make it an ideal spot to read, meet friends, picnic or just watch the clouds.

8. The Internet: Al Gore knew what he was doing when he connected the whole world together. Recipes, budget advice, celebrity gossip and more help fill my mind.

So while today is about the big concept, try to find something in your regular day for which to be thankful. It makes life a little sweeter.

Blog, Blog, Blog

So one of my readers asked me to address what it was like to blog every day. As part of "You Asked For It" week here is a blog about blogging (how very meta of me).

I am a lucky blogger as I happen to work from home and my day allows me the time to devote to a blog post a day (sometimes two if I have content for my knitting blog too). How much time I have can vary based on my work or extenuating circumstances like being away from home, but in general I am lucky in regards to access to a computer and enough time to gather my thoughts.

In the beginnng I had a well thought out message calendar and tried to intersperse my topics from diet to budget to organization and back, but I found that blogging about the diet sort of took over. This happened for a couple of reasons: the budget situation is pretty static right now (which is a good thing) and it seems that food and food-related topics are on my mind and in the news a lot. There was just more fodder with food.

I try to have at least a post a week with links to other articles and source material, to have recommendations for websites or books to encourage those who want to play along at home. I look for recipes and shopping tips on line and try to pass them along.

My fear with blogging in general is slipping in to a solipsistic navel-gazing universe of me, me and only me all the time. I am well aware that I am not the only person facing my particular journey and it would be insensitive at best to write like that. Of course, that doesn't stop me from the occassional reflective post on me, but I try to keep that to a minimum.

I do feel tied to the blog and get a little anxious when circumstances prevent me from blogging in the morning. Like working out, the later in your day it gets the less likely you are to do it. On Sunday I did not have time to blog before I left the house for the day. I did not get home until 11:00 p.m. and had had a few glasses of wine, but I snuck in a post to make my daily quota. In a couple weeks I am traveling for work and will face my first few days "on the road" with the blog.

90% of the time though blogging is just something I do now, like going to the gym and writing out my meal plan. It is part of my process for achieving these goals and if it is slightly self-indulgant I am OK with that for the time being. That there are people interested enough to read is a wonderful bonus!

100 Posts in 100 Days

Well, the day is here... 100 posts in 100 days, woo hoo! And while I did have 1 guest-written post, that is still 99 posts written by me in as many days.

I got a tiny bit of reader feedback and I promise I will address your requests in the next few posts.

This blog started as a tool for me to use to keep my goals in sight and to make me accountable, at least to the handful of you reading. It was a means for me to research and report on diet and budget issues that might be useful, not only to me, but you as well.

It takes a good deal of structure and discipline to blog every day (and this past Sunday I got my post in 30 minutes before the day was over, but I did it). It is this kind of discipline I am trying to impose on myself in other ways and it has been a learning curve.

So thank you all for indulging my needs, I hope you have gotten something out of the endeavor. I have every intention of blogging for the next 100 days, so stick around!

Gobble, Gobble

So it is Thanksgiving week. I love Thanksgiving. Perhaps it is growing up on the South Shore of Massachusetts, mere moments from Plymouth. Perhaps it is gathering together my loved ones. Perhaps it is the parade, who doesn't love a parade. Perhaps it is the pie. And the stuffing. And the gravy.

Thanksgiving is a food holiday (most holidays are food holidays to me, but this is a food holiday to nearly everyone). There are no gifts, unless you include the cheese platter.

In an unforeseen turn of events we are celebrating Thanksgiving at a restaurant this year for the first time in my life. I am totally fine with this for multiple reasons, not the least of which is keeping the peace. And in many ways this will help keep Thanksgiving under control.

The biggest problem with Thanksgiving at my house was not the meal. My mother always made a fairly healthy Thanksgiving, the stuffing and pie were the worst items nutritionally. My problem was portion control. It is very easy to have another scoop of potatoes while chatting about football or stuff another slice of pie in my mouth when someone mentions Sarah Palin.

At the restaurant I will only have as much food as is served to me, still likely more than I should eat, but those pesky seconds and thirds won't exist.

We will be making pie to have at home, but I will try to keep it to one or two (whether I mean slices or entire pies is between me and the pie).

I am thankful for many things, not the least of which is the love and support of those of you that have supported me these past few months. Wishing everyone a peaceful, safe and tasty holiday.

Sunday Recap Week 14

This was a challenging week for a couple reasons. Had a bit of a cold, but still worked out. Had a work conference, so ate a little bit too much and definitely had too much beer. Finances are a bit confused as I will get reimbursed for some of my outings from the work thing.

Diet: Definitely did not eat according to plan starting Thursday, but did get to the gym every day despite slight cold, so overall a win i say.

Budget: Spent quite a bit on eating out the last few days of the week, but mostly work related and will be reimbursed.

Mood: Slipping into holiday spirit, definitely cheerier than I have been.

In 0ther news have started blogging like Bridget Jones, hmmm...

Snack on This

Pita Bread! When I was a kid pita bread was considered "ethnic" food, nowadays it is incredibly common and affordable and good for you. With many whole grain varieties you can have a healthy option for sandwiches or snacks.

Pita bread is low in fat and lower in carbohydrates than many other breads, it isn't as filling and goes well with many fillings.

I like to cut mine up into little wedges and toast it with a little sea salt or cinnamon sugar as a snack. These pita chips hold up well to hummus or guacamole and make a great accompaniment to soups, stews or chili.

In a pinch pre-packaged pita chips work well too, but you cannot control the sodium or toppings that way. If you have the time make your own, it is cheaper too!

The Gift of Giving

Financial times are hard for so many right now. The holidays are a wonderful time to give to those less fortunate. No matter how tight cash has been in the past I have always tried to buy some gifts for families in need of support at the holidays. It is easy to find a giving tree at local stores, churches, community centers and more.

Cash donations are always appreciated, but I really love to take one of those little ornaments with a child's age and wish on them. I love to buy and wrap the gifts and leave them knowing this child is going to get something they really want for Christmas.

In the past few years my assistant and I have agreed to not buy gifts for one another and instead to use that money for charitable gifts. It is a win win for both of us and does not put a crimp in our gift budget.

I have always been spoiled rotten at Christmas, it is just common sense to want to pay that forward.

Engaging

No one will mistake me for a swimsuit model any time soon, but after 3+ months of solid workouts, I have muscles I didn't know I had.

I can tell now, when I do strength moves, which muscles are being engaged and I can feel them doing more of the work. This is blessed news to my back and joints which used to do all of the work.

I am also able to engage my ab muscles when doing non-ab-related tasks, like walking on the treadmill. This helps strengthen my back and core and will prevent injury and pain, as well as eventually make me look better.

According to Fitness Magazine, one month of solid exercise will make you noticeably stronger. I definitely felt that difference at month one, now in the midst of month four I am doing things I didn't think I could do.

I still can't to do dips, but maybe in a couple months.

Setting Boundaries

Financially, unless you are Bill Gates, you will find there are times you feel less broke than others. Over the years there will be times of greater income and less bills for various reasons and times when it all catches up to you and you are strapped.

It is good to remember that the lean times may reappear when you have some extra cash. Spending habits you get in to when you are flush may be hard to maintain when you are broke. Getting those highlights every 8 weeks become less vital when you are counting your pennies.

This is true when it comes to Christmas too. When money is flowing it is easy to go crazy at Christmas and precedent gets set that may be hard to meet in the coming years. This is tricky where kids are involved, Santa doesn't often hit a financial speed bump, but amongst adults it can be nipped in the bud.

A friend and I sat down over breakfast last weekend and came up with a budget for Christmas gifts for one another. Now we have been friends for a loooooonnnngggg time and are more than comfortable having such a talk. It was honest, brief and to the point. You should enter such a conversation only if you are certain the other person understands and will not be hurt by your desire to dial back on Christmas.

Certainly friends and loved ones should love you for you and not the presents you buy, but we have so hyped up Christmas that it can be a touchy subject.

If you are having one of those financial up years also be cautious of adding people to your gift giving list. If you didn't buy someone a gift in the lean years starting now sets a precedent for future years. Instead consider going out for a nice dinner, spending time with a person can be a lot more fulfilling than a gift.

There is so much to be stressed out about at the holidays, addressing any budget concerns now can alleviate some of that stress early, leaving you plenty of time to fret over Aunt Polly's unwavering allegiance to Sarah Palin.

Can I Work Out With the Sniffles?

So I have a little cold, emphasis on the "little". I really have an aggravated case of the sniffles. I did succomb to the mercy of cold medicine yesterday, but I had no cough and no fever. So I went to the gym.

I did a normal work out, but was certain to hydrate very well as the cold medicine dries you out normally. I disinfected all the machines when I left and I felt great. Exercise is a natural immune system booster, so if you are a little sick, a workout might do you good!

Never work out if you have any stomach flu symptoms (in fact try not to leave your house those germs are nasty) or a fever, your body has to work really hard to fight these types of illness and a workout will certainly not help. Don't work out if your head cold is causing dizziness or imbalance as you do not want to injure yourself (although a few miles on the recumbent bike might be OK).

Keep yourself hydrated and be sure to wipe down any machines you use with disinfectant.

I am so afraid of something derailing my workout regimen, I was happy this cold appears to be just a slight hiccup.

Food Industry Secrets

Unfortunately food is big business and can fall victim to all the pitfalls of anything that revolves around money. There is greed and corruption and misrepresentation in the food world as much as any stock portfolio or pharmaceutical company.

It's a shame since food is so vitally important to health and well being and while corporate megastars play games the average consumer suffers at their mercy.

Yahoo published this article a couple weeks ago with what they call "shocking food industry secrets". I was not shocked by any of them, but they do bear some study.

I find #10 fascinating. Finally, someone is doing some research on the addictive nature of junk food. I often joke that certain unhealthy treats are laced with crack, thus making me crave them even after one bite. The old Lays potato chip slogan was "You can't eat just one" and it is true. Your body craves what it knows and that is true for healthy food too, but it reacts faster and more quickly to salt and sugar so junk food cravings are more volatile and more severe. People who criticize junk food eaters for being uninformed or lazy don't understand how hard it can be to break that habit.

Items #11 and 12 are also of great interest to me. The mark up on food is pretty high and a lot of that goes towards advertising costs and grocery store stocking fees. The politically correct answer to this is buy organic and local, but that is not always feasible for most people, but you can shop the grocery store smarter. Taste test some generic or lesser known brands of certain items (cereals, crackers, yogurt and the like) and save some money in the process.

Food anthropologist Michael Pollan states in his little tome Food Rules, never eat anything you see advertised on television. If this subject matter interests you I point you toward Mr. Pollan, he can be a little preachy, but he is well-informed and writes in an interesting and compelling fashion.

What we eat is so vital to our health and how much we need to spend to put good food in our body is so crucial to our budget, knowledge is your best source of power in this ongoing fight. What do you think? Were you shocked by any of these revelations?

Sunday Recap Week 13

Due to some scheduling and IT conflicts, this is a little late today, but still getting in by midnight on the Eastern Seaboard!

So as I mentioned this week I felt a little more back on track this week:

Diet: Upped the intensity and length of my cardio again this month and have added strength training on all 5 days, up from 3. Definitely a better food week despite eating out 4 times.

Budget: Made some holiday plans in an effort to save some money, while still enjoying the season, so that feels good.

Mood: Early week was a whirlwind with new niece arriving amidst terrible depressing fall dark wet weather. Despite some peripheral stress, I realized today that compared to this same time last year I am much happier over all and that is so comforting.

This week ends with a work conference, need to do some planning to bring my lunch so I don't end up eating take out too much!

Readers' Poll: Take Two

So last week I asked for some ideas for my 100th post week in regards to re-visiting topics previously discussed here on 4 to 40. I got a couple, but not enough to do a whole week's worth of posts.

So this week I ask: Is there anything I haven't covered yet that you are hoping to read about? Anything about me specifically on my journey or topics you think will appeal to this audience.

I'm hoping for a whole week of "You Asked For It Posts".

Thanks!

Back on Track

So, if you have been reading you know the past few weeks have been kind of rocky on the scale. Well, I am happy to report that I appear to be back on track, hitting my November 1st goal today just 12 days late, not too terribly bad.

What gives me great hope, amidst the fear of constantly having to count every calorie that goes in my mouth, is that I did not give up. I did not have a few bad weeks and say "Screw this, bring on the pie!" I didn't sit resignedly, with a pint of Ben & Jerry's, and mumble about being this way forever around mouthfuls of Chubby Hubby.

Instead I got back to tracking my food, upped my workouts at the gym and pushed through a plateau. Our bodies are strange and wonderous things and I won't know if the past two weeks were a plateau or the result of eating some extra calories, but for now I am at 25% of my goal. I only have to do what I have done over the past 14 weeks three more times and I will have acheived my big goal.

On the budget side I am saving an additional amount of money equal to the pounds I have lost thus far in my vacation fund. My next goal is on December 1 and that will be something what with Thanksgiving coming, but for now, I am more than happy with myself.

Eating Out

'tis the season for visiting with friends and family, holiday shopping and celebrations that lead to many meals outside of the house. I have already had 3 this week and am heading down to my parents' this weekend where there will likely be another.

It won't surprise you to learn that my advice for these outings is to plan ahead. Here are a couple of tips to help save money and calories:

1. Don't Wait Too Long: If you are out shopping, stop and have lunch or dinner before you are too hungry. If you are totally famished you will eat way more than you would otherwise and likely make poor choices. So plan your day to include meal stops at regular times, not lunch at 4:00.

2. Chart a Course: If you are heading out for a whole day of shopping plan to be near restaurants you know are safe, hit the mall that has a Panera or Au Bon Pain where you can get healthier quick options. If you are with a group, make it known early in the day that you would prefer one of these places to burgers or pizza. This will also help with #1, if you have a destination and an agreed upon plan you are less likely to wander aimlessly until you are too hungry to think right.

3. Do Your Research: Going out for a nice dinner? Look up the menu online in advance. This will help you plan a budget for the evening and make some healthy choices, be firm so that even if you arrive a little harried and over-hungry you stick to your original choices.

4. Save Money on the Liquids: Downgrade your drinks. If you normally drink $10 fancy cocktails, have 1 and switch to less expensive wine. If you normally drink wine and others do too try to plan ahead and order a bottle for the table to save some money. If you are a beer drinker try spacing out your beers with a glass of water in between. If you don't drink alcohol, stick to water, soda is over priced and full of empty calories.

5. One Dessert, Two Forks Please: Restaurant desserts are notoriously huge and expensive and during this season of the many baked goods it seems as American as apple pie to have dessert with every meal (for a list of my favorite breakfast desserts, email me :) ). Cut cost and share the calories by splitting dessert, even if you aren't cozy enough with your companion to eat off the same plate, chop the sucker in half and take your piece.

I won't avoid going out over the next couple of festive months and I would certainly not ask my friends to forgo holiday merriment either, I will just have to make my plan and try my hardest to stick to it. Between that and keeping up my gym time I hope to come out of the holidays unscathed.

Being a Cheapskate

So one of the big crossover issues in the diet/budget continuum is grocery bills. How to buy the best and healthiest food for less.

On a talk show yesterday I saw the mother and father of America's Cheapest Family. This family of 7 (although only 3 kids still live at home) live on $350 a month in groceries.

It was a talk show segment so there wasn't a ton of info. They gave some tips that I have given before like meal planning and list making, not buying individually portioned things, shopping the sales, etc.

They only shop once a month, which I cannot quite bring myself to do for numerous logistical and psychological reasons.

They do not rely heavily on coupons, which is nice (side note a saw a woman on local news that saves hundreds of dollars a month by clipping coupons, but it is like her full time job and I do not have that kind of free time).

One really clever idea, which they admitted they got from a reader of their website, is to put a hand basket in the seat of your grocery cart and anything you pick up and consider buying that is not on your list goes in the basket. Before oyu check out you decide if it goes back on the shelf or if you are really willing to pay for it. They sited a statistic that grocery stores expect you to by 6 impulse items for every 10 scheduled items, that's a crazy amount!

They have a new book out about cutting your grocery bill. My library does not have a copy yet, but you can order it on their website. Which brings me to their website...

I only spent a few minutes clicking around, found some interesting tips from readers, etc. I was put off though by the marketing of their products. I realize this is their business now, but it seemed odd to be asking readers to spend so much money in the name of saving money. Maybe that is just me. In any case I am sure there are some helpful ideas for everyone there, so check it out and let me know if oyu have any money saving tips for the grocery store!

The Future's So Bright

A couple weeks ago a friend who reads the blog said: "The blog is great, but I don't understand why you want to change yourself so much." I was touched that loves me for me and doesn't understand the need for any improvement.

And to be honest, I am trying not to change too much. I am just trying to improve upon myself a little. I do not want to become self righteous and bossy. I do not want to be one of those people that others are afraid to talk to about food or money because they fear they will be judged. I just want to be me, slightly smaller and not in too much debt.

Last night I met my newest niece and it was love at first sight. I have 3 nieces and I want to be able to do lots of fun cool things with them and for them as they get bigger. It is easy now, story time and some stickers go a long way towards securing Cool Auntie ratings. I can run around the yard with them, but would love to play soccer with them when they are bigger, teach them to swim and the proper way to dive.

Soon stickers will be replaced with concert tickets for some teeny bopper I won't know and ultimately there will be college education and weddings or travel that I would love to help them enjoy.

So while this endeavor seems incredibly solipsistic, I am always thinking of them and the mythical children I could still possibly have myself. I want to be a part of the future, so that means I need to make some changes in my present.

The Biggest Loser: Inspiration or Not

I love to check Facebook when The Biggest Loser is airing. Inevitably there is a status update that reads: "Watching Biggest Loser and eating an entire tub of ice cream".

Over the many seasons of Biggest Loser I have been torn between being inspired by the contestants and exhausted at the thought of having to do so much work to lose so much weight.

As the show has progressed, the contestants have gotten much larger. I would be considered "tiny" at the BL ranch and unable to pull these unbelievable 36 pound weight losses (in 1 week, 36 pounds!). I wouldn't make good television, although I would certainly cry two or three times a day which would get me some screen time.

Like most reality television, this show does seem to focus on the drama more than the primary objective of losing weight. When it does focus on weight loss it is more about working out than eating well, often you have no idea what these contestants are eating. They do nutritional segments and food-related challenges and lessons, but day-to-day there is no indication of what they are eating to fuel these maniacal work outs.

The workout segments are all cut together for maximum drama, so even that is hard to piece together as any kind of real-life regiment. I did see something in an episode I was watching last night that I am going to try at the gym today. They were holding a medicine ball above their heads while on the treadmill. This is genius and clever multi-tasking.

I had thought about free weights on the treadmill, but there is no where to put them if you need your hands to alter the controls or the volume on the TV. A single medicine ball can easily be held in one hand, or tucked under an arm. I will be doing this today!

In the meantime I personally find the show inspirational (although I have been known to eat dessert while watching) and the theme song always makes me a little teary. What have you done today to make you feel proud?

Sunday Recap -- Month 3

So, 3 months is a significant milestone. One quarter of the way through a year of living on a diet and a budget is something to stop and consider. I intend to spend some time today reflecting on the past 3 months and try to steer myself back on to a better path moving forward into the holiday season.

Month #3 was a bit of a disaster, the wheels came off the wagon so-to-speak and both the diet and the budget suffered. Now I am not lounging around with the remnants of several packages of Keebler cookies strewn about, but the progress of months one and two were not as obvious in month 3.

I did do some work this morning to check on the cumulative success of 3 months though.

Diet

• I have lost 22% of my goal, which is slightly under-schedule, but nothing to sneeze at.
• I have lost 14.5 inches of myself in 3 months. The majority of that in the 3 primary areas for girls (chest, waist & hips)
• I have cooked many more meals at home than I was and discovered some healthy options I enjoy regularly
• I have developed a very good exercise habit and have continued to challenge myself from month-to-month
  

Let's focus on the 2nd bullet: Although I have always been larger than I should be, I am grateful that I have always been proportionate. I do not carry all of my weight in one half of my body. I am thrilled that I seem to be losing it in proportion as well.

Yesterday, for fun I tried on jeans that are 1 size smaller than normal and not only did they fit, I didn't buy them because they were practically too big.

Goal: To wear jeans 2 sizes smaller than starting size by Christmas!

Budget

• Completed enrollment in Debt Management Program and have settled all outstanding credit accounts. Simply maintaining monthly payments.
• Set household budget
• Over 3 months managed to stay (barely) under total household budget. Overspending greatest in Gifts/Entertainment.

Simply keeping track of my finances is a big enough accomplishment for me. After analyzing 3 months of spending I know where my problem areas are and will work to improve upon those (although the holiday months will be very difficult).

Mood

• Alleviated overall terror of insurmountable debt -- that must count for something.
• Feel more powerful and in control of my future.
• Am terrified at this past month and how easy it was to not lose any significant weight despite keeping up my workout regime.
• Am looking at holidays with mixture of joy and fear (that is pretty normal though).

I think that I have been happier over all these past 3 months. Channeling the fear and anxiety over these two issues into some productive gains has been really good.

The next time I do a 3 month recap it will be 6 months into the program, I am excited at the ways my life may have changed by then.

Reader Survey

So, in a couple weeks I am going to hit 100 blog posts! And to celebrate I thought I would devote a whole week to revisiting topics from the first 100 days of my journey.

So, if there was something I blogged about and you have been thinking: "Gee, I wish Annmarie would revisit x, y or z..." Now is your chance!

Email me at annmarie.faiella@yahoo.com with the topic you would like me to discuss again and I will happily address it during the 100th post extravaganza!

Kitchen Must Haves: Microplane Grater

I don't believe in spending a lot of money on gadgets, but there are a few must-haves for every healthy kitchen. One of my favorites is a Microplane Grater.

The one in the link is the one I own and I love it. It works on everything from ginger, to nutmeg to hard cheeses and citrus zesting.

With a couple swipes of the microplane you can infuse your food with a wonderfully deep flavor, making a boring healthy meal something delightful and exotic.

This one is not very expensive and I have had mine for over 5 years and it is sturdy and sharp as when I got it. I highly recommend one for your kitchen!

Fatties on TV

So a couple weeks ago I posted this in response to National Spirit Day in support of LGBT youth in America. It was just my own thoughts about how we treat people sometimes, the people we think we can get away with being mean to and not be ridiculed for it.

Shortly after that post I heard about the Marie Claire blogger, Maura Kelly, who is disgusted by the television show Mike & Molly because it depicts overweight people falling in love. If you are not up-to-speed on this topic you can catch up with this piece from the Huffington Post. It links to the original blog and many of the resulting comment lists, etc.

I have heard a lot of discussion of the topic and I suppose it is good that people are talking about it.

At the same time, aesthetics are different from person to person and while there is certainly an overwhelming media presence of beautiful people on television and in magazines there are people out there that do not enjoy seeing overly thin people on television either.

I was recently watching an episode of the new 90210 (go ahead judge, I don't mind) and a woman wearing a bathing suit was so thin you could see ever bone in her back and it truly revolted me. You cannot pick on skinny people though, they might be sick.

It bothers me that we treat anorexia as a disease and obesity as a problem.

In fact, Maura Kelly, admits to her own history of anorexia in her "apology" for her insensitive comments on Marie Claire's blog. And by apology I mean the "I'm sorry if anyone took offense to what I said" kind of apology that really blames the reader for being too touchy.

I have not watched Mike & Molly, not because I don't believe there should be fat people on television, but because I don't watch a lot of sitcoms. No one asked Maura Kelly to watch it either, certainly no one forces her or anyone to watch it if it makes them uncomfortable. It is one of CBS's top-rated shows this season though, so someone is watching it and enjoying it.

In a free society, isn't there room for everyone, even if some of us take up a little more space?

Clean Green

So for weeks now I have been telling myself I have to do my fall cleaning. I like to get everything spic 'n span and organized before the holidays. There is nothing worse than putting up the Christmas tree with cobwebs in the window.

I try to be greener in my cleaning these days, buying products that are more natural, but this year in an effort to eliminate chemicals all together and save some cash I am going to do my fall cleaning with common household items and see how it goes.

Here is a website with recipes for cleaning products using basic ingredients like baking soda, vinegar and lemon juice.

Another great cleaning agent: vodka! And I don't just mean drink some and the house will look less messy. A friend of mine saw this on Oprah and it is seriously awesome, use vodka in your bathroom/kitchen on the fixtures and they will shine like you won't believe. You don't have to spring for the good stuff either, finally a reason to buy $8 plastic jugs of vodka again.

All those chemical potions cost money and are ultimately not good for me or the planet, so I am going to try to go cheap and green and see if my apartment feels as clean when I am done.

If you have any natural cleaning suggestions please send them along, I would love to try them out.

Failure

I knew, going in to this endeavor, that there would be moments when I failed. I had hoped I would make some great gains (or losses as it were) before hand. I failed to reach my November 1st mini goal and in fact gained 1 pound over the past 2 weeks, which is truly upsetting to me.

It isn't the 1 pound that is that big a deal, it could just be water retention, it might be gone tomorrow. What is upsetting is that I really wasn't that bad the past 2 weeks. I had a few minor slips with snacks, but I kept my meals in check and worked out 5 days each week. What is upsetting is the realization that I am going to have to be this vigilant for the rest of my life or the weight will come right back like it has every other time.

Time to wallow in self pity...

Don't Drink Your Calories

'Tis the season for festive beverages! As I mentioned recently, there are lots of tasty beverages in the coffee shops this time of year. Coffee drinks are just one of the many liquid temptations these days though and some of them are disguised as healthy options.

Make sure you read the nutritional info on smoothies, they may seem super healthy and packed with nutrients, but they are often packed with fat and calories too (sometimes your whole day's worth).

Juices and sweetened teas are also calorie culprits, full of sugar (or chemicals mimicking sugar) and little actual nutrition.

Steve Zinczenko, creator of the Eat This, Not That craze had this to say onthe subject: "Today we hear of sweetened tea drinks brimming with anti-oxidants, 1,200 calorie smoothies that are 'all natural' (so are sharks and hurricanes, by the way) and vitamin drinks that can give you super human strength."

I think Steve's point is, don't be fooled by the advertising, these beverages contain tons of calories and probably not as much nutrition as you think.

They are also very pricey...