What I Learned in Year One Part 5

I am not perfect.

This was the biggest shock of all! I was so determined last August, I was so dedicated to sticking to a budget and a diet and I wrote everything down and I worked out every day, but I stumbled, a lot.

I figured out this year that life gets in the way of our plans. I knew this, of course, but it is more apparent when you are so focused on those plans.

I try not to beat myself up about my imperfections, some of them are kind of charming, but I am also trying to not blow them off and learn from them. I have found patterns in my imperfections (my penchant for cheating on my diet on Wednesday night for example) and am trying to mitigate the damage (planning a healthier splurge for Wednesday).

I don't imagine I will get any more perfect in year 2, I just hope when my imperfections show themselves they are adorable and quirky.

What I Learned in Year One Part 4

I have to work out, no excuses.

As soon as I get busy the gym is the first thing that gets chopped from the schedule. I try to reason with myself that I will eat fewer calories to compensate, but I am certain my body does not work that way.

I know it is simple calories in vs. calories out and that we should be able to lose weight simply by cutting calories, but when I stop working out I stop losing weight.

Also, I find that when I work out I eat better overall. It is a truly symbiotic relationship for me. I am jealous of those who can just cut a few calories and drop a few pounds or who can work out and eat whatever they want. I am not one of those people.

It may be that I am getting old and my natural metabolism is stagnating, but I must find a way to get to the gym at least 4 times a week.

What I Learned in Year One Part 3

Retail therapy is not actually therapeutic.

I used to shop for pleasure, but I now realize it was the same kind of instantaneous pleasure I got from eating an entire bag on mini Reese's Peanut Butter Cups. It felt euphoric for a bit and I loved everything I bought, but then the guilt would settle in and I would start to worry about the debt I had added to my credit cards and wonder how I was going to pay the bills.

A whole year with no credit cards and I never once had that feeling (about shopping, the peanut butter cups are still an issue). Everything I bought over the year (and believe me I still shopped) I paid for with cash, either budgeted or gift money, and I did not once feel guilty about anything.

Also, shopping is now a real treat. I plan for my shopping outings and try to make the most out of them. They are no longer binge shopping trips.

It is hard to isolate the things that happened this past year that have lead to my overall better sense of contentment, but this is definitely one of them.

What I Learned in Year One Part 2

I cannot eliminate entire foods from my diet, no matter how bad they are for me.


I went over 5 months without eating anything deep-fried, and I was disappointed in myself for falling off the fried wagon, but it is truly unreasonable to imagine not eating certain things ever again.

I wish I could give up candy as there are many more delicious dessert delicacies I would rather waste my calories on, but I just cannot seem to do it.

I did succeed in finding a few dessert-type items that were less destructive than others (fat free pudding, York peppermint patties and ginger snaps) to satisfy an every day need.

Any successes in cutting out a bad diet staple out there?

What I Learned in Year One Part 1

I learned a lot about myself this past year, this week I will revisit a few of the big things in hopes of reviving my success.

I made some big changes in my life last year, but I learned in the past couple of months that all those changes are useless if I am not faithful in writing it all down.

Starting today I am back to a food and budget journal and will attempt to log all calories and spending. It will definitely be harder this time around as my life is so much busier than it was at this time last year.

Last year I used Fit Day online for my food journal and did all budget recording on an Excel spreadsheet. If anyone has any cool new user-friendly websites or apps please send them along!

Year 2: Electric Boogaloo

I know, I know, I promised to blog more often back in June and it is now nearly September, I am terrible. For years I have wanted a new job, those of you that know me are well aware of that.

I got an incredibly challenging new job in May and while I love it, it has completely taken over my life and messed with my diet and my budget.

I am working 16 hour days and traveling a ton, so I eat whatever I want and have $800 in expenses due in reimbursement which is messing with my carefully balanced budget.

I do not see this schedule slowing down, so now the challenge is how to find time to work out and how best to plan for healthy eating options instead of constant take out and frozen meals. I also have to cut back so I can save a little extra to make these business expenses less of a burden.

It has been just over a year since I started this blog, time really does fly. Year 2 will be a re-visioning of the plan, fitting it to my new life and trying not to run myself into the ground at every level. Hang on, it is going to be a bumpy ride!

I'm Alive and So Sorry

I cannot believe how negligent I have been to my blog and my diet and my budget for the past 3 or 4 weeks. Life gets in the way some times and I am currently enthralled in a new job. It is the busiest I have ever been in any job I have ever had, but I am incredibly happy with it.

What is interesting is that being happy leads me to overeat just as much as being sad does, clearly I am an emotional eater and not a stress eater, any emotion produces a desire to eat in me.

I have managed not to gain any weight by working my butt (literally) off at the gym and an upcoming high school reunion has spurred me into high gear in hopes of shedding a pound or two in the next 3 weeks.

When I started this blog, nearly a year ago (yikes), it was all about focus and that is my priority right now. I need to find focus amidst the madness, get back on track and take the time I need to keep my blog and my budget and my diet a priority.

I will be back on a regular basis very soon!

Girl Meets Grill

In a couple weeks I am going to be house-sitting for my parents while they drive around Atlantic Canada. This means having a huge house and yard (with garden) to myself for 10 days.

One of the things I am most looking forward to is grilling. While I have attempted the grill pan here in the city nothing beats cooking outside over an open flame.

Grilling is a very healthy way to cook as most of the fat cooks off and drips off so it is not reabsorbed in the food.

With the holiday weekend just passed a lot of articles on grilling were floating around. I liked this one which talked about grilling diversity. While I love a good hamburger or sausage on the grill I am always looking for something unique and healthy.

What do you grill that you think is pretty special?

I'm No Yogi, And I Think I Have a Boo-Boo

So last night was yoga class number 1. Now I realize there are lots of different kinds of yoga, the class I chose was taught by someone who practices contortionist yoga. I have pain in places I didn't know existed before.

It was interesting because it was physically challenging in a different way. I am getting fitter by the day, I can run for short periods of time now, I am strong. Balance and flexibility are low on my fitness chart though, which is why I decided on yoga.

One of the things I like about yoga is it is easy to track your progress: this week I could not get my foot behind my head, but maybe next week!

I also spent so much time worried I would hurt and/or embarrass myself that I don't think I was tuned in to the spiritual side of the yoga. I totally accept the spiritual side, I do think we are one with the elements, but I was much more concerned about sliding out of Downward Facing Dog and breaking my face.

I bought a Bloomspot coupon for 10 classes for $30, which is a great deal. I used gift money for it so it was a treat and not a huge investment in trying something challenging and new. I will go back next week, maybe it won't hurt so much...

Mini Size Me

The basic principal of capitalist economics is supply and demand. If people want it, they will pay for it. And while the country is struggling to recover economically I am not the only person who is willing to pay more for less.

This article was on the financial page of Yahoo yesterday. It is a financial analysis of the mini size trend in restaurants.

I have said this before: I am more than willing to spend more money to help control my eating. If the Super Size portion costs less per ounce I cannot get it and just eat a Mini Size amount, I will eat it all.

I love the mini size trend, particularly in desserts. Restaurant desserts have always been over sized and over priced. I am willing to pay half as much for something a quarter of the original size. I know that might seem like a rip-off, but technically I am still spending less.

There is no way I am going to become someone who doesn't eat dessert. Having options like mini Blizzards and cupcakes make this much easier. I can have my cake and eat it to without massive regret.

Farmer's Markets Opening

I saw a sign last night that the Farmer's Market at the Prudential is open. Thursdays from 11 - 6 on the Boylston St. side for you Bostonians. It is a fairly small market, but the vendors are nice and it usually isn't too crowded.

There is a bigger one just down the street in Copley Square on Tuesdays and Fridays. That one has already been open a week.

Cambridge/Somerville Folks: both Central and Davis Square markets open this week.

Here is a cool website with info. Use the Find button to search by region, town or days of the week.

I am so excited for fresh produce as I really need to up my veggie intake. Bring on tender locally grown lettuce!

Feeling Secure

I apologize for the brief hiatus, but sometimes life gets in the way of blogging and the past 10 days have been chock full of life, some good and some bad. The good involved a business trip that resulted in a new sense of financial security.

Those of you that know me understand how insecure my financial life has been the past few years. Like way too many people in this country my job has been in jeopardy and my salary cut significantly and threatened again and again. I know I am not alone in this, but as a single person with barely any savings it led to huge anxiety.

I left my business meeting on Thursday with a solid position and salary commensurate to what I make now. While there was no raise there is much better guarantee that the money will not be cut in the future. This allows me to maintain the budget that I have established this year and that is working quite well for me.

Also, since this is straight salary and not a commission-based salary there is room for merit raises in the future.

I had not realized how much of my life I was suspending in fear of another pay cut (or worse). I have spent the past few days wondering which of the adult ed classes I am going to take and stopped worrying about my lease renewal. I feel free in a way I haven't in years but I have to work very hard to rein in that freedom to not overspend out of relief. I need to channel all the good feelings into focus for the diet...

Blog Hiatus

Hello All! Life has gotten in the way of blogging again. I am taking a short break and will be back with all new blog posts on Monday 5/23. Take Care!

Did You Eat Your Wheaties?

Breakfast is the most important meal of the day. This age old lesson passed down from grandma is actually pretty true. What you eat for breakfast jump starts your day, gives you the energy to be active and turns on your metabolism.

Studies show that people who skip breakfast eat more calories in the day than those who eat a healthy nourishing breakfast.

So this piece from my pal David Zincenko of Eat This, Not That caught my eye. Some of the items on this list are no-brainers (Chocolate Chip Pop Tarts, um even I know that isn't a good choice), but others are more deceptive. Take a look and see if you are falling into marketing traps?

It is easy to fall in a breakfast rut and realize you have been eating Cheerios for 47 days in a row. I try to switch it up at least every 2 weeks. What do you eat for breakfast? Can I steal your ideas?

Creative Recycling

I get a lot of budgeting newsletters and many of them have clever ideas that I have incorporated into my life. Last Tuesday I hinted at a few creative recycling ideas in an article on reusing containers from the grocery store.

I only got one response (SSG your Starbucks card will be in tomorrow's mail!) and perhaps my parameters were too vague so next contest will be more clear. In the meantime here are some of my favorite suggestions from my newsletter article (written by Tricia Goss):

1. Grated Parmesan Cheese containers usually have a flip top with 2 different sized openings (holes and a larger single opening). Use for powdered sugar to dust baked goods or fill with baking soda to use as a bathroom cleaner. Also good for homemade spice blends that you can shake out or spoon out as needed.

2. Many condiments, such as mayo jelly and ketchup, come in squeezable bottles. Clean and use for homemade pancake or waffle batter making breakfast a snap. Also, wash and reuse so you can buy larger less novelty containers of these condiments and just refill.

3. Small plastic containers, such as yogurt or pudding cups, are just the right size for homemade popsicles. Fill 2/3 of the way with juice of your choice cover with wax paper or plastic and insert a wooden stick. This is a great diet tip too as you can control your frozen treats!

4. Glue the lids to small glass jars under the cabinet of a garage or work room and fill the glass jars with hardware or craft items. Screw the jars back to the lids for out of the way storage and easy identification of supplies.

The lesson here is, the next time you are about to throw something away look at it in a different light. I am sure there are helpful uses for most containers (heck there are whole stores devoted to buying new and expensive ones) that will keep them out of the landfill for awhile. If you think of a great reuse for an everyday item please let me know, I am always looking for new ideas!

Scene of the Crime

My parents have lived in the same house for 33 years. I was 3 1/2 when they built the house and I have considered it "home" since then (despite only really using it as my residence until age 16).

I love this house, it is full of amazing memories. There is no place in the world I feel more comfortable.

It is also full of many bad habits. It was in this house that I became overweight. Here is where I snuck food and hid food, where I developed incredibly destructive habits. All these years later, despite all I know about nutrition and all I have come to terms with about my own behaviors I often revert back to childlike mistakes about food when I am at my parents' house.

Not all the food memories there are bad, there are 33 years of holidays, birthdays and celebrations. I can vividly remember every cake and cookie we so lovingly crafted in the ever-evolving kitchen (now beautifully modern). I have recently learned that "emotional eating" does not just apply when the emotions are negative, relating food to happy times is just as psychological.

I am trying to break these connections to food and still hold on to the security and innocence of my childhood when I visit my parents. There is something so comforting about falling asleep under the roof that protected me at 3. I am trying to extricate my best self from the many versions of me that have walked those halls.

Working Through the Pain

I'm getting old. In fact, as of the writing of this post I am the oldest I have ever been. I find myself succumbing to the aches and pains of aging. I can feel the humidity in my knees and the cold in my shoulder.

Each work out brings different pains. Some of them good, the twinge of muscle pain that proves I did something productive. Some of them are bad, the Achilles pain that is the remnant of an old injury. Luckily none of them have kept me out of commission.

In fact, when I work out the pain seems to be somewhat relieved. Every time I think I should skip a work out to rest and then convince myself to work through the pain I inevitably feel better.

This is good as I hope that these workouts in my 30's will get me strong and fit for my truly older years.

An Ode to Peanut Butter

Oh peanut butter with your protein and heart healthy mono-unsaturated fats, who I love thee!

Peanut butter is an affordable and delicious form of protein and good fat. It fills you up and gives you energy while doing your body good.

Obviously there are tons of people who cannot eat peanut butter due to allergies and there are good options (not quite as affordable) like soy butter, almond butter (if you only have a peanut allergy and not a tree nut allergy), sunflower seed butter and more.

My issue with peanut butter is portion size. I can easily over eat peanut butter and I always measure it out so I know exactly how much fat and how many calories I am adding to my meal.

Try to avoid low fat peanut butter, generally the fat is replaced with added sugar or chemicals and since the fat in peanut butter is of the good variety try to cut your fat in other areas.

Currently a favorite breakfast of mine is 2 low fat whole grain waffles with 1 Tablespoon of natural peanut butter, delicious and filling.

Contest: Creative Recycling

So I am hosting my first contest here at 4 to 40! I am looking for the most creative reuse of a grocery item container (i.e. a mayo jar or toothpaste tube).

I read an article today with some really clever reuses for items which save money and keep things out of landfills.

I will post a bunch of these ideas next week, but in the meantime show me what you got! The winning idea gets a $5 Starbucks card for the summery coffee treat of your choice. Deadline is Friday at 5:00 p.m. so get thinking...

This Week's New Workout

As I get stronger I find myself looking to shake up my workouts. I can do more things at the gym now and like to push myself more than I ever have before.

This week I am trying this workout from Fitness Magazine. It is just 5 moves, but done in the same day as a good cardio workout it will really round out the day.

I like this workout for its all-over body aspects. It combines upper and lower body work as well as abs and shouldn't take more than 15 or 20 minutes!

Tonight's Dinner

After a 13 1/2 hour day, what does the single city gal have for dinner? A Lean Cuisine and freshly steamed broccoli!

While out on a work errand I grabbed a crown of fresh broccoli and steamed it while the LC cooked, resulting in an easy meal with some fresh green. Not the best thing I could eat, but it smells pretty good and it is ready in 6 minutes!

Big Failures

So yesterday I wrote about my small victory and today it is all about the big failure. If you were to put these two items on a bar graph they would likely come out equal, but in my mind the victories re always tiny and the failures monumental.

Last night I ate a lot of junk. For the first time in a while I just binged on junk, hardly any of it had any nutritional value and while it tasted good in the moment I feel terrible today, both physically and mentally.

Why? Why would I do something like that? After months of trying to curb my binge eating and feeling so good about my smaller clothes. That old Weight Watcher slogan "Nothing tastes as good as thin feels" is a load of crap, that food tasted delicious last night.

I did not have a particularly bad day at work. I wasn't bored or stressed over anything. I was hungry when I made the decision to purchase the junk and perhaps if I had eaten slightly more during the day I wouldn't have been so easily tempted, but I can't figure it out.

Today is all about righting the ship. I can't fast today as that will just confuse my body and mess with my metabolism, but I am going to try to eat healthy whole foods today, nothing sweet or processed and try to train myself back to normal.

Luckily I had a great work out yesterday and hopefully mitigated some of the damage.

Small Victories

If you are female you know the mind games involved in ladies' clothing sizes. You really need an engineering degree from MIT to understand why some size 14 pants fit and some don't, shouldn't they all fit the same?

Because women are not uniformly shaped like men, we cannot measure our clothing in inches with any real precision leading to a sliding scale of sizes that sometimes empower and often discourage the larger woman.

Women's clothes are segregated in to Misses and Women's, with the latter being for the bigger gals.

I had an encouraging moment this weekend. After the bathing suit stress I went in search of a pair of khaki capris. I did not see anything I liked in the Women's Dept. Bolstered by my mother I grabbed a pair from the Misses Department and sure enough, they fit! I also got a couple of shirts in Misses.

It is a small victory in a bigger battle, but it gave me hope. It also inspired me to keep off the weight I lost, I do not want to end up back in the Women's Department.

Dressing Room Drama

I got a bathing suit for Easter. Seems a little odd, right? Here is how it happened: my mother and I made a "no candy" pledge for Easter. In the past we have made little baskets for one another with gift cards and candy and bath stuff and candy and candles and candy. You get the picture. This year, no candy!

In lieu of a basket of any kind my mother offered to buy me a new bathing suit. So off we went in the pouring rain and 40 degree New England spring day to find a decent bathing suit before they are all back ordered and the winter coats are out.

We went to Sears to get a Lands End suit, pricey but worth it. I had the Lands End bathing suit catalog and figured I could try some on and if I didn't like the styles in the store I would at least know what size to order (and you can order right at Sears, get free shipping to your house and if the catalog price is less than the store price and you buy it in the store they will price match to the lower price, woo hoo!)

I grabbed no less than 10 bathing suits in 2 different sizes and trudged into the dressing room. It was painful, there were tears involved, but in the end I selected a bathing suit and my mother bought it for me.

I have never let my feelings about my body keep me out of a bathing suit. I love the beach, I love to swim and I love the sun so I generally get over it, but the harsh lighting and full length mirrors illustrated how much further I still have to go.

There was some good dressing room news though, more on that tomorrow....

Friday Recap: Week 16

Let's just say I am ready for the weekend...

Diet: Great work outs and bad food choices led to a stalemate on the scale. I feel so good at the gym, wish I could carry over those good feelings to my meals.

Budget: Had some gifts and charitable donations this week that sucked some money, but were well worth it. Put a little bit of money in savings as well!

Mood: Kind of blah...

I need some sort of boost, likely from t e weather, to get me motivated in all areas of life.

Up in Arms

Despite recent temperatures in the Boston area we are approaching sleeveless season. For many women this means time to think about our arms. Hidden beneath warm bulky sweaters for the past few months and not yet tanned by the sun my arms are a little scary right now.

This article caught my eye this week, it is just 4 simple moves and you can increase the difficulty by increasing the weight or number of reps.

I did these 4 moves yesterday and added some push-ups (often touted as the best move to tone your arms) and I can feel it today, in a good way. I will add this mini work out to my repertoire and hope to see some definition in my arms by the time I hit the beach.

Refueling

There is a lot of buzz about chocolate milk as the new sports drink. A study showed that cyclists who cycled for a really long time and then drank low-fat chocolate milk were able to continue 46 minutes longer than cyclists who drank traditional sports drinks like Gatorade and the like.

This makes some nutritional sense as calcium and Vitamin D help with absorption of protein into muscle mass, but why chocolate milk and not regular milk?

Don't get me wrong, I love chocolate milk and have a really hard time drinking regular milk straight so this is good news, but do I really need it?

While this tidbit is getting a lot of press, what isn't being said is this is really for high performance athletes, marathoners and Tour De France types. Most regular gym rats like myself do not need even the Gatorade. Simple water and a high fiber snack will replace anything you lose in a 1 hour work out.

The calcium benefits of the chocolate milk would be good for me as I have very little calcium in my diet, but I must count those calories, I cannot chug a big glass of chocolate milk like water and call it a replacement.

All sports drinks have calories (and if they don't they either don't work or are full of chemicals), that is the point as calories are fuel. The only time I have used sports drinks is during the Breast Cancer 3 Day. When I walked that event I trained with them and used them on event and as a Crew member I do use them to supplement my water during the height of a hot sunny day of work. They definitely have their place, but I don't think I need them just yet on a regular basis.

What about you? Do you use them when you work out?

Why am I Not Skinny?

I love articles like this one that give easy-to-do tips for creating an environment of weight loss.

I do all of these things. I'm not sure my Britta pitcher would be called enticing, but I always have water handy. I only own 1 kind of vinegar, although I love all kinds. I attempt to banish junk food every week, although some seems to sneak in nonetheless.

I was happy to see #12 on the list, as I really want a blender and this gives me a good excuse to buy one. I already have a food processor, but I can't make smoothies in my food processor. What I would really like is an immersion blender with a smoothie cup attached, but I digress.

I am also a firm believer in #13 from both a weight loss and budget stand point. You should always have a meal or 2 in the freezer and while it should be healthy it does not have to be left overs, a couple Lean Cuisines do the trick and save you the money and calories of take out.

So, I do all of these things. Why am I not skinny?

Oh Carbs How I Love Thee

Let me count the ways: bread, muffins, crackers, cookies, pancakes, rice, pasta and more!

I love carbs, there is no doubt about it and while I have successfully lost weight with low-carb diets in the past it is not a sustainable lifestyle for me.

I have done a good job of enriching my carbs with whole grain options, brown rice instead of white, whole grain breads, but I cannot seem to cut back significantly. Yesterday I made pancakes from scratch and they were so delicious.

Of course part of the problem with carbs is the butter and or cheese and or heavy sauces that often accompany them. I didn't just eat 3 pancakes, I ate 3 pancakes with butter and syrup.

I will continue to struggle with carbs no doubt, but hope to find a balance so I can enjoy my favorites without binging.

Friday Recap: Week 15

Rough week for me over all. Kind of glad to see it come to an end. After a really rejuvenating weekend life just decided to throw me a couple curve balls this week.

Diet: Minor slide back to the Easter candy demons. Not a full Cream Egg breakdown, but more than I had had the previous week (which was none). Good work outs though, increased Zumba with free weights, ran on the treadmill for 5 minutes. Feeling strong, except when it comes to food then I am weak weak weak....

Budget: Good week! Had a very low key weekend so the spending was well curbed.

Mood: Started so good, but went down hill fast with life and work problems. Trying to embrace the joys of spring.

Tonight I hope to work off my pizza with very vigorous fun & games with the girls! More on that next week...

Spring Into Shape -- for Free

If the gym is not in your budget and you are looking to work off some winter weight, check out this article.

All of the calorie burning suggestions in this article can be achieved for free. You can dance at home to the radio (and trust me I should only dance at home, in the dark). Now that it is light later you can take a walk after work. Your local library likely has yoga and Tai Chi DVDs for free and depending on where you live there may be community groups that offer sessions of one or the other for free or at a low cost.

I love my gym workouts and do not consider them a chore, but rather a blessed break from my day. I know not everyone feels the same way about the gym. Despite my love of the gym, the increasingly nice weather inspires me to get out and try new things and as my fitness level improves I am always on the look out for a new challenge.

I can't wait to see what I am capable of by the end of the summer.

My Own Personal Jillian

If you have ever watched The Biggest Loser you have likely seen Jillian work someone until they puke. I had never thought that possible for me. This goes back to my Monday post about not working out as hard as I could.

Today, Franklin my Zumba instructor, asked if we wanted to be pushed a little harder. He added free weights to the routine and did not let up for the entire 60 minutes. The breaks between sets were shorter and the added weights really intensified everything.

I came incredibly close to passing out at one point, but I soldiered on and did everything he asked.

When it was over he said he was inspired to push harder because we were keeping up with him. It felt incredibly good.

That Box in the Closet

After my fabulous workout this Sunday I dug out the box in my closet with the smaller clothes in it. It was a little trip down memory lane, some of the items had not seen the light of day in 7 years (and as a result some were down right out of fashion).

I tried everything on and was pleased that some of it fits already. Some of it is close and I put that in a pile marked "Memorial Day". Other things are quite a bit too small (and still have tags on them) so they went in a pile marked "Cruise" in hopes of making it on to my body by the end of July.

It was great though to see what I have for spring/summer clothes and know that I am not going to have to do much shopping. I tried on a pair of capris with the tags still on them that fit nicely and are now hanging in the closet ready to wear. I also have a bathing suit that is in the Memorial Day pile and that is great as I threw my old one away at the end of last summer. I intend to buy a new swimsuit, but this one will be a good back up.

With the budget reigned in it feels good to put some of these purchases from the past to good use in the present and get some new outfits in return.

A&E's Heavy

Earlier this year I blogged about Heavy, the new show on A&E. I had not watched it at the time, but was looking forward to it. This weekend I sat down and watched several episodes in a row and a few things hit me:

1. Many of the people profiled had serious traumas in their lives: sexual abuse, parents who had died suddenly or committed suicide, drug problems of their own, etc. It ramped up the drama for the show, but left me wondering why someone like me with such a charmed existence ends up fat.

2. Most of the people on the 7 episodes I watched were severely obese, at least 100 pounds heavier than me at my heaviest and some twice my weight or more. Since the show only covers 6 months of transformation a lot of these folks were just getting to my weight when the show ended. The one woman who started at a weight close to my heaviest looked really amazing at the end and made me very optimistic.

3. It did motivate me in one simple way: if these people can work out as hard as they were at their size I am being awfully lazy.

At the end of that blog post in January I said I didn't think watching other people lose weight on TV would motivate me, well I was wrong. On Sunday I added a whole workout to my week. In addition to a 35 minute outdoor walk I did 25 minutes on the treadmill where I actually ran, ran! for 5 minutes. I then did push ups (I have not done push ups since I was forced by Ronald Reagan and Arnold Schwarzenegger in Junior High) and sit ups. I felt great when I was done, thanks Heavy for the extra push!

Friday Recap: Week 14

Work was an overwhelming whirlwind this week, but I am excited for a slight warm-up over the weekend.

Diet: Made it to Zumba both days this week after a few weeks of conflicts on Thursday. Going to add a great workout this afternoon and a long walk in the nice weather tomorrow to round out a good week. Food wise I was pretty good over all and expect the scale to move again at next week's weigh in. Also, if I can resist today I made it a whole week with no Cadbury Cream Eggs!

Budget: I was quite thrifty this past week after my spending frenzy the week before. I hope the slide into warmer weather will result in less expensive ways to fill my free time.

Mood: Pretty good. Although I would really like the Sox to win today!

Next week is a nice mix of crazy work and a few fun outings!

When People Start to Notice

A woman in my class at the gym today loudly announced to the whole room that it really looked like I had lost weight. And, I have. I just shrugged and mumbled feeling very vulnerable and exposed.

How do you gracefully handle people noticing? It is a good thing, right? Shouldn't I be proud? Instead I just want to shrink into my smaller frame and skulk away.

Seasonally Super

Saw this article yesterday on the Super Foods of Spring! In an effort to eat more seasonally and thus more sustainably I was excited by the piece (although it did not mention where these items are seasonally available in spring -- we certainly don't have anything growing in the ground in New England yet).

I was excited to see that these 10 items are all foods I enjoy (in fact I ate an entire pound of asparagus last week) and eat regularly.

I would love some tasty recipes for artichokes and fava beans though. Which of these 10 is your favorite and how do you prepare it?

Source Material

The internet is full of diet info, but like everything on the internet there is always the question of reliability and accuracy. I subscribe to Shape and Fitness , but find that lately these magazines are more about fashion and make-up than diet and exercise. I have read a few good books, but now I am on the hunt for new source material.

What do you read? Books, magazines, blogs, websites: any media is acceptable. I am hungry for new recipes and exercise ideas!

Friday Recap: Week 13

Hello April! I could have done without the snow, but the Red Sox start playing for real today, so spring is here. March had its ups and downs and I am looking forward to warmer weather and leaves on the trees.

Diet: March was definitely an improvement over February and January, although still not perfect in many ways. I did note a 4 lb drop on the scale over the last 2 weeks which is a respectable weight loss, so I will remain positive going into the spring.

Budget: I was below my household budget for March, still overspending on food and entertainment. I am considering combining my household item and grocery budget as I never use all of my household budget, but I often buy household items at the grocery store and don't itemize the receipts.

Mood: Lots 'o stress this month, work is quite literally killing me. The spring will be worse.

I have a lovely weekend ahead of me though and I intend to relax and enjoy it!

Ch-Ch-Ch-Chia

So while watching Extra or Access Holywood or something with Mario Lopez or possibly Billy Bush there was a story on "Super Foods", the buzz word for foods packed with nutrients giving you the most bang for the calorie. Note: I do not generally get my nutritional information from Access/Extra/Hollywood/Gossip.

The list was typical: salmon, blueberries, pumpkin seeds. I was tuning out when I heard "chia seeds" and thought to myself "There must be something else called chia seeds, they can't mean the seeds you put on your terracotta bust of President Obama or Homer Simpson.

But surely enough they were in fact referring to chia seeds. Being a child of the 80's I had many a chia pet and while the idea first seemed ridiculous to me, I soon realized that the green leafy results of successful chia pet gardening are sprouts and sprouts and their husks are generally full of fiber and nutrients.

So off to the interwebs I went and sure enough there are tons of articles (dating back a few years) about the nutritional benefits of chia seeds. Here is one that had some useful nutritional information.

Most interesting to me in the article are the benefits of chia over flax seed which I have tried to incorporate in my diet. As the article states flax is most beneficial when ground up, but chia is better when taken whole (which I prefer) and chia has a better shelf life than flax (which makes sense since they are still trying to sell Chia Jerry Seinfelds).

I am all for upping my Omega 3s, my fiber and my antioxidants so why not? I will check out the rejuvenating effects of chia. What is the worst that can happen, my hair gets unruly? Oh wait...

Quick Fixes

Sure, dieting is supposed to be all about whole foods and organic this and raw that, but sometimes that is not realistic. Say for example, when you are working 12 hour days and you only get about 30 minutes to eat.

Sometimes we need a quick fix meal to get us through our busy lives. I grew up on Kraft Mac & Cheese, but the powdered cheese doesn't cut it for me any more. Now my go to mac & cheese is the Velveeta 2%. I am not deluding myself into thinking it is healthy, the cheese is a color not found in nature and it is shelf-stable, but it is lower in fat than almost all of the other macs & cheeses on the market and it is ready in 10 minutes.

Frozen pizza is another go-to. I absolutely love all of Trader Joe's frozen pizzas and although their fat and calories rival any other on the market they are all-natural and actually made with cheese. They are also ready in 10 minutes.

I read this article today on the worst grocery store foods. I am a sucker for the Eat This, Not That phenomena and David Zincenko is pretty cute. This is a good cheat sheet on some of the quick fix meals out there that are scary bad and gives you some better options.

I cannot imagine a day when I will not have to rely on convenience food for a small portion of my diet. Should I win the lottery and never have to work again I promise to never eat anything freeze-dried, shrink wrapped or frozen, ever.

Shopping Hangover

I went shopping this weekend. I had had a rough week and I had a couple store coupons that were expiring at the end of the month and some money I had saved from holiday gifts that I could legitimately spend without touching my budget.

Now I feel hungover and guilty about the spending. Should I have saved that money in case something happens? Did I really need those things?

Altogether I spent $200 and about $50 of that was on gifts for others which I could actually work into my budget. I bought a few items of clothing to fit my smaller body and some yarn for future projects. I didn't do much damage, but I did it quickly and with a mindlessness akin to eating 4 Cadbury Cream Eggs in one sitting.

I clearly have impulse control issues. Why? How do I reverse this cycle of binging and guilt?

Write it All Down

As I have come to realize over the past 7 months, I have to live like this for the rest of my life. I am not able to let go of this focus on my diet or my budget ever or both will balloon back to where I started.

One of the tools I have got to learn to embrace is a food journal. Every eating plan in history will tell you to write down everything you eat and I have numerous times over my life. Many of those journals I still have and I will consult them when I am looking for meal or snack ideas.

This time around I started with an online food journal and there are tons of them out there for free on the interwebs, but I only stuck with it for a couple months and then faded.

I realized this weekend if I do not write down everything I eat I will continue to sneak in too many treats and blow the hard work I am doing at the gym. So today I dusted off a journal I got as a gift and am going to start afresh.

I am going back to pen and paper for a couple reasons. First, I can carry it with me and write down my food any time. Also, I spend all day in front of a computer, I need time in the evening away from the thing, so sitting here logging my food does not appeal. For many the online options are much better than the old fashioned journal, to each her own. Just write it all down!

Friday Recap Month 3

Technically this is supposed toy be Month 3's recap, but due to work scheduling nuttiness I have not been able to do my monthly calculating and really there is another week of March, so look for next week's recap to be much more thorough. In the meantime...

Diet: Need to force myself to the gym tonight after a day of standing on my feet at a conference and sneak in a Sunday walk and I will be happy with the exercise portion. I was doing good with food until last night. After a whole day of fighting the urge to eat conference baked goods and exhibit hall candy I caved and had a not very healthy dinner followed by more than one Cadbury Creme Egg. I hope to right my food course this weekend.

Budget: I worked too much this week to spend much money. Did have my indulgence of sushi on Tuesday, but it was worth it. I have some gift money I intend to spend on clothes this weekend, woo hoo!

Mood: Too busy to notice. Very high stress level over all but trying to manage it with as few Cadbury Creme Eggs as possible.

Next week is all about work, oh wait, so was this week, ugghh....

Skinny Does Not Equal Fit

During my class on Tuesday I looked around the room and realized the skinniest people in the room were having the hardest time. They were taking more breaks, they were not doing all the reps, they were clearly more winded than I was. It made me happy for a couple reasons...

First, it means I have definitely made fitness gains over the past 6 months. I have much greater strength and endurance.

Also, it shook up the notion that skinny equals fit. There are plenty of naturally skinny people who are not fit out there. Remember that the next time you see an overweight person and think they are lazy, maybe they are incredibly fit and just have a really hard time with food.

She Sells Sushi by the Seashore

Sushi! Last night I ventured out from the basic to the slightly more-than-basic world of sushi. It was an exciting experience with some old friends (Hawaiian Roll) and some adventurous new ones (surf clam!).

The nutritional value of sushi varies depending on what it contains and how it is prepared. This website has a lot of info on the different types and their calorie counts. The fancier the rolls the more calories and fat you will add up. Obviously, sticking to sashimi is your best bet for pure protein and lower fat counts, but a roll with seaweed and avocado adds a lot of great nutrients, so consider the menu carefully. Sushi can be your friend on a diet.

We embarked on 4 different rolls, with lots of various ingredients, and then tried 2 different types of regular sushi (fluke and surf clam) and a scallop sashimi that tasted just like the sea. We were more than full at the end of the meal.

Like the calories the dollars add up too when you are ordering (especially when the menu has pictures). Sushi can be an affordable meal, but remember you can always order more if you are still hungry, so start easy and pace yourself. Sushi is not a meal to rush through, enjoy every bite!

I Want to Pump You Up

It isn't really breaking news that a balanced workout of cardio and strength-training is the way to go. Like a balanced diet, the combination of cardio and lifting works on different parts of your body, burning fat and sculpting muscle.

This article has 12 good reasons to pump some iron.

I am focused on my arms right now as that little dress my mother bought me hangs on the back of my closet door with its lack of sleeves mocking me. I am trying to get in 3 free weight sessions a week.

I also like the ideas of stress relief and increased memory as side effects, I could use a little of both!

Buying Smaller Clothes: Inspiration or Waste of Money

Last week while visiting my parents I saw a dress I really liked for spring/summer. It was sleeveless and would not be appropriate until at least the end of April (Easter) or later depending on the temps. I did not buy it as I wanted to wait and see what size I am at that point, vowing that if it was there and it fit me well at Easter I would buy it then.

Flash forward to this past Saturday when my mother came to visit me here in the city. She presented me with a bag containing the dress in a size smaller than I would ever have considered buying. I expressed my concern at successfully losing enough weight to wear this size (which I have not worn since high school) and my mother assured me that I could do it.

I am happy to report I can get the dress onto my body, but it will be much more comfortable and look much better when I lose some more weight. In the mean time I am choosing to consider this a motivating factor and not a waste of my mother's money.

In the past I have done this, bought myself things that don't quite fit yet and failed to ever wear them. I still have some of them and hope to get in to them this time around.

Friday Recap: Week 11

As I mentioned yesterday the clock changing tired me out this week, definitely sluggish over all, but so happy to have added daylight!

Diet: Overall pretty good. The last 2 nights I had small amounts of candy and not the best dinner choices, but overall in the right direction. Getting in my 4th good gym workout today and hoping for a nice long walk on Sunday.

Budget: Still overspending on food, already at the month's budget with 1 week left in the month.

Mood: Tired and kind of cranky, but excited for a nice weekend!

Next week I have a work conference. I do not have to travel, but will be off my normal routine, that is usually when chaos ensues.

Longer Days

We set our clocks ahead last weekend, one of my favorite events of the year! The older I get the harder that 1 hour switch is on my sensitive system though. I have been quite tired this week, but it is worth it to me to have the extra daylight at the end of the day.

With the temps increasing as well I am hoping to add to my cardio regimen with an extra walk or two each week. It is time to come out of hibernation mode and up the energy level. I want to push through this week's lethargy and start next week with extra enthusiasm at the gym.

Wait! Don't Buy That...

We live in a disposable society. We buy more than we need and we throw away the excess. When I am at my most frugal and environmentally-concerned I imagine the United States has already produced as many goods as we could use for many years and instead of buying new we should all have big yard sales and just recycle what we don't need or want any more.

This article on wisebread.com has 6 simple tips for helping your budget and a couple of them struck me as obvious, but surprising. The idea of a waiting period for a purchase was fascinating to me. We have all heard about waiting periods to purchase guns (although as Homer Simpson said "Waiting period? But I'm mad now!), but what if we used that same psychology before buying a new purse or a pair of boots? If after 30 days you still really want the item and you can afford it, go for it.

The last tip is also something I am trying to do more: assess your purchase after you have had it for awhile. Do you use the purse? Wear the boots? Are they comfortable? Good quality?

I did this with my e-reader. I bought my Nook and for the first month used it to play Sudoku. I was starting to think I had wasted $150 when I could buy a Sudoku book for $4 at CVS. Then I read my first book on it and fell in love with it. I saw the benefits to this trendy piece of technology and was thrilled I had used some of my Christmas money on this instead of candy and magazines.

For my whole life I have spent money when I had it, like this week after getting paid and paying all the bills I was so tempted to go out and buy something. I had nothing in mind, maybe some DVDs or a spring coat (neither of which I need). Reigning in the impulses and being more thoughtful in my purchases will take some time, but I hope I am on the road to recovery.

A Class Mentality

This was week 3 of Zumba (my how time flies when the weather is improving) and I really love it. Not just the exercise and the benefits of that, but the other women in my class and the guy who teaches it.

For so long I have worked out in anonymity, out of embarrassment or fear, but being in this class is breaking me out of my shell. The people in my class are so cool and nice and are so much more worried about how they look or which steps they miss to worry about me.

Being in a class also motivates me to try harder. I have always been good in a class setting, I excel at that, so I try harder than I might with a DVD in my living room. Also, my living room is on the 3rd floor and my neighbors might not like me jumping around for an hour, so the class gives me a chance to really let loose.

The next 3 weeks have me over scheduled on Thursdays, so I will only get my Tuesday Zumba fix and the class is not terribly well-attended (which I love as it gives us more room and more personalized attention) so I fear they may cancel it. Those of us that go are very vocal about how much we like it though. I am really making this a highlight of my workout week now!

Candy is Poison

My aunt works in a hospital. A drug rep or vendor of some kind brought a box of truffles and left them at the nurses station and a doctor threw them away announcing: "Candy is poison."

I was trying to keep that story in mind as I meandered the 4 aisles of Easter candy at the mega-drugstore chain the other day. Easter candy is, of all the seasonal candies, my favorite. There is something about chocolate shaped into eggs and bunnies and wrapped in pastel foil that makes it even more appealing to me than normal.

But, is the doctor's denunciation of candy over-the-top? There are studies that show dark chocolate has health benefits, but I'm talking Reese's Peanut Butter Cups here. Is it so bad for us that we should equate it to poison?

I think it is more in line with alcohol. Some people can handle candy in a responsible manner. These lucky people can have 1 piece and walk away from the bag. Others will binge until sick.

I don't think I can realistically imagine a life without candy at all. I am trying desperately to cut back. With Easter so late in April this year the temptations of tiny festive marshmallow treats will haunt me for weeks yet to come.

Friday Recap: Week 10

This week was all about re-establishing focus in many aspects of my life.

Diet: Finally had a successful food week. The key is to not blow the weekend. I am visiting my parents so I will not be as likely to just mindlessly graze as I have the past few weekends. Week 2 of Zumba was great, really good workouts the other days too!

Budget: Because I stuck to my meal plan this week there was much less money spent on take out and the like. I imagine the budget for the week will be much more in line. I also poured some time and focus into a potential money-earning plan.

Mood: Despite how stressful work is, good. I felt strong and healthy all week. I must learn to harness that feeling and use it to fight off the urge for pie.

Next week gets a little hectic again, hope I can hold on to the focus!

Bring Out Your Leg Warmers

This is not a fashion blog and I am not a fashion maven by any stretch, but I saw this article on Wisebread.com and it inspired me. Spring is coming, it may not feel like it today, but it will be here soon.

While I will, luckily, need to buy some smaller clothes I am not in a position to replace my wardrobe. The concept of buying simple, easily interchangeable wardrobe pieces and dressing them up with accessories is very appealing to me.

Even more appealing, I own a lot of accessories already and don't put them to very good use. So next week's challenge is to dig through the closet and the drawers for the cute bracelets, scarves, purses and headbands and put them in an easy-to-find spot.

I have a couple friends that are pros at accessorizing and I try to take inspiration from them. It is a very budget-conscious way to spice up your look. Accessories do not have to be particularly well made, if you can pull of a $2 headband from CVS do it, your hair won't fall out if it is plastic.

Another budget-friendly idea: Accessory Swap Meet. One girl's gaudy is another girl's gorgeous.

Everyone has that broach that your mother's friend gave you for Christmas. You have it tucked in the back of your jewelry box, too guilty to throw it away since it was a gift.

Or better yet, you impulse buy this giant ring with a big red glass stone that you love, but you have elfin hands and it looks like some sort of strange dermatological problem on you, but your friend with the long lithe fingers carries it off beautifully. Clean out your stash and offer up the unwanted, odds are it will look fabulous on someone else!

Hump Day

So it is Wednesday. And historically Wednesday has been a tough day for me diet-wise. If I get off to a good start on Monday and Tuesday I often reach a level of boredom on Wednesday that is palpable. I want a treat, I have earned it by eating carrot sticks and yogurt for 2 days.

Wednesday is the fulcrum on which the whole week rests. If I hold steady, keep the week even and balanced odds are it will be a successful week, if I give in and let the week slip it can come crashing down on me.

I am off to a good start this week. I have stuck to my meal plan (including both carrots and yogurt by the way), worked out twice (Zumba week 2, woo hoo!) and feel good about it. In the back of my mind though is my fear that tonight I will just break down and order pizza.

I have to push through this mid week slump so I can see some positive results to jump start my efforts.

The Ideal Body

I don't hate my body. Sometimes I hate myself for not having the self-control to manage my body better, but my body has gone through a lot for me. It has taken me on trips and gotten me through 18 years of education, it has allowed me to play with my nieces and hug my mom. I have nothing against my body, it houses my heart and my mind which are more about who I am than what I appear to be on the outside.

Keeping that in mind, I often wish I had Jennifer Aniston's body.

This month's Shape Magazine is all about celebrities. Normally this magazine is very realistic, but they have succumbed to Us Weekly reporting for the month and are showing you the celebs with the best features, talking about how they work out and what they eat (um, they're rich fyi).

It is fun to fantasize though. Who would you like to be?

Count Down

As much as I joke about wanting winter to be over I generally do not wish my life away. I try to enjoy the journey as much as the arrival at the destination. In an effort to focus a couple of my life goals I am setting up countdown calendars in my apartment. Every day I will rip away a number from 2 different calendars counting down to specific goals and try to reflect on whether or not I did anything that day to help or hinder that goal.

I can't take credit for this idea, it came from the MTV show "I Used to be Fat" where the trainer hangs a countdown calendar the size of a desk blotter on the kids wall. Mine won't be quite that gaudy, but I do like the idea of quantifying what I want to accomplish.

The professional goal is 56 days away and the weight loss goal is 145 days away (Bermuda here I come!).

This might seem like a silly time wasting project, but I have clearly lost my focus these past couple months and these two goals are helping me sharpen my resolve, I want to buy into that as much as possible. So I will dig out my craft supplies and make myself some calendars!

Friday Recap: Week 9

A busy busy week ...

Diet: 2 Zumba classes this week and 2 regular workouts made for a good workout week. Zumba was awesome and fun and made me hurt in a good way. My food is still way off the mark though, I cannot seem to pull myself back to the healthy meal plan, way too much junk.

Budget: Several nights out, but nothing overly extravagant. I also have developed my new get rich quick scheme...stay tuned...

Mood: Work stress aside, I felt good! Happy to enjoy longer days, looking forward to warmer ones too.

Announcement: Look for a change in the blog Monday when I replace Tip of the Day with Goal of the Day, a small manageable goal to achieve that day.

Next week is less busy and I really need to get the meal plan back in action. I am going on a tropical beach vacation in late July and I want to be significantly smaller than last year.

Six Months Without Credit Cards

Time, while a universal invariant (as I learned from Dana Scully), seems relative in a lot of ways. The 31 days in January seem a lot longer than the 31 in July. So it was with confusion that I realized last night that it has been six months since I gave up my credit cards.

I am happy to report that life has been going just fine without them. I survived Christmas and have really learned to reign in my shopping impulses. I am not perfect, but I am a lot better.

A few things helped along the way. First, having a debit card with a credit card logo allows me to do all the credit card fun things, like shop online, without wracking up the debt. I do technically have a credit card, it just takes the money from my checking account. Also, as I mentioned recently, gift cards are my friends. I have had the pleasure of some personal shopping thanks to gift cards from the holidays. I am far from deprived.

The only time over the 6 months when I truly noticed my lack of plastic was when I was traveling, particularly to Chicago in December during a snowstorm. I knew that if my flight was canceled coming home I was in trouble as I had very little cash prior to pay day and no safety net Amex in my purse. Luckily that did not happen and since then I have built up my savings enough that I would be able to access enough cash for a hotel in that situation now, but at the time it was a little tense.

I am really surprised by how easily I have lived without credit cards. The biggest reason for that is controlling my monthly spending, both on credit card payments through my DMP and my household budget. I have yet to feel really broke.

I wish the six month diet report was as glowing....

Zumba Take 1

Yesterday I took my first Zumba class at the gym. The class was taught by an adorable man from Costa Rica, so it had a very Latin feel to it. I know some Zumba classes have a more African feel to them, but this one was definitely more Latin.

The whole class was about an hour and 15 minutes and there were only 5 of us in the room. The moves were all doable, varied in intensity and covered every part of the body so I was never overwhelmed. The music was great and the teacher did a great job with a room full of beginners.

What is great about Zumba is that it is a full body work out (and I feel it in many different places today) and you can up the intensity without changing the routine just by exaggerating the moves or holding your muscles tighter. And you will get muscles from this work out.

I am going back tomorrow!

March On

It is March! When I think of my favorite months of the year, March is like #3 after July #1 and May #2 and December is #4. I like the 31 day months, gives me hope that something good might happen on that extra day.

Here, in no particular order, is why I like March:

• I love the smell of mud, seriously, I do.
• The days get longer, in fact on 3/12 we spring ahead and on 3/13 sunset won't be until 6:51 p.m.
• The birds and squirrels go crazy when they can actually access food.
  
• There are no fake holidays touting everlasting love and crap, just a good old fashion drinking party on the 17th. And no groundhog.
• Spring training baby! On the news last night I saw actual footage of a baseball game.

The first day of a month is full of so much promise. And after the months of hibernation following the holidays I am excited to get out and enjoy March. First step, Zumba class in 90 minutes...

Planning for a Rainy Day

Hey, it's raining out.... That is simply a coincidence. This post is about planning for a rainy day or a special occasion.

I just read a reader tip in one of my financial newsletters that resonated with me. This woman buys a small grocery store gift card every pay day (she did not say for how much, but I imagine it would vary depending on your own budget) and tucks it away for special occasions, holidays birthdays etc. when the grocery bill includes a bunch of extras.

I have mentioned the use of gift cards to assist in budgeting in the past. I have squirrelled away a couple from Christmas that I intend to use in the spring, but I really like this idea too.

If you have a really good week at the store, lots of coupons or a great sale on staples, spend the difference in your budgeted grocery money on a gift card. This will insure that you use that saved money on future groceries and not on candy and magazines.

Planning ahead for those festive occasions will take the sting out of the bill and keep the focus on the fun.

Also, holding on to a gift card for the movies or dinner can make a boring month a lot more interesting. Like finding $5 in your coat pocket, finding a gift card in your desk months after the holidays will brighten a dreary day, like say, this one.

Friday Recap: Month 2

February is a blessedly short month. During this short month I accomplished a whole lot of nothing on my plan. Here are the gory details:

Diet: Another month of yo-yoing on the scale had me just barely under where I started come weigh in day. I realize it could have been worse, but I am striving to be better, not "not worse". I did my measurements today as well and I did lose some of myself the past couple of months, a nice even decrease along my body and though the tape measure says my upper arms are the same, I can feel muscle where there never was muscle before. I need some drastic measures in March to move the scale, possibly a couple weeks of South Beach...

Budget: After avoiding the tax scare I overspent by $70 this month, again on food and entertainment. If I go South Beach the food budget will be brought under control and entertainment will not involve chocolate so much.

Mood: I am definitely looking towards spring with hope and enthusiasm, I trust that will carry over to upholding my goals once again.

Bring it on March, I am ready for you!

Snack Attack

I should know better by now. I cannot keep any kind of snack food in my house without overeating. This week I went to Trader Joe's (home of the seemingly healthy snack options) and I bought a box of chocolate chip cookies and a bag of wasabi peas and a bag of sesame snack sticks.

I ate the cookies over the course of 2 sittings, the entire box. The sesame sticks and wasabi peas I mixed together and brought the majority of them to a friend's house (where I ate quite a bit) the remainder I put in a jar to snack on throughout the week and finished them yesterday.

These things are now added to the long list of items I cannot keep here. I cannot keep chewy granola bars or any kind of cookie or candy. I cannot keep cheese and crackers or potato chips. I must buy all of these things as single serving items or I will eat the large container in an absurdly short amount of time.

Buying the smaller sizes is not cost effective, I know this, but sometimes the budget is less important than the diet.

Lay Off, Limbaugh

I try not to make this blog political, those of you that know me know my politics and for the most part my politics do not infiltrate the topics of this blog. Yesterday they did.

Rush Limbaugh, the Conservative windbag that he is, decided to pick on my girl Michelle Obama about her diet. The article made the rounds, here is Yahoo's version, and it is just beyond ridiculous.

Limbaugh is calling the First Lady out as a hypocrite for promoting her Let's Move anti-obesity platform while occasionally indulging in treats like ribs in Colorado and a bevy of sausage at a Superbowl party.

Limbaugh claims that despite all her talk the First Lady does not appear to be ready to grace the cover of Sports Illustrated's swimsuit issue. Seriously Limbaugh? Gah!

Michelle Obama is no waif, she is tall and toned and damn if I wouldn't kill for her body. She is not a swimsuit model, but what does that say about swimsuit models? Mrs. Obama is a healthy woman promoting a lifestyle that encourages healthful foods and exercise, not a militant no snack zone.

The difference between her platform and Nancy Reagan's "Just Say No to Drugs" (as discussed last night amongst friends) is that the issue of food and nutrition and healthy living is much broader, it is not nearly so cut and dry. If Limbaugh had caught Nancy Regan using cocaine that would have been a story, Michelle Obama having ribs is not a story.

I am convinced the right wing radio jockeys are grasping at straws with the Obamas. They are chomping at the bit for a shred of scandal in this family and it has not been the case. So they nitpick the President for smoking and the First Lady for not being emaciated and call it a productive news day.

(And I will not get into a lengthy explanation of why Rush Limbaugh calling someone else a hypocrite is in itself hypocritical, my head might just explode.)

Well, I got your back Michelle, and I would really like to have your arms....

Memories of a Lifetime

Some things do get cheaper with the advances in technology. One of those things is photo processing. In this digital photo age, you can upload your photos to a number of sites (Snapfish, Shutterfly, etc.) and pick and choose which pics you want to print.

In the old days you had to process the whole roll, even the ones your brother took of a dead squirrel on the side of the road. You endded up paying for a lot of crappy photos with people's heads missing and your thumb over the lens. Nowadays you can select the cream of the crop photos to print, print only those and pay just pennies a print. You can have them shipped to home or if you need them quickly they can be processed at a local store (Walgreen's, Wal-mart and others)

Keep an eye out for special offers to, the competition is fierce for your online printing needs so they are always offering deals. In fact today at Snapfish you can get 15% off your order and free shipping. I am ordering my Christmas photos now!

Pictures make great gifts, with an inexpensive frame or album a few nice snapshots are a thoughtful way to remember the ones you love!

Zooma Zoom Zoom

My gym has begun offering more classes recently, a promise they made a year ago when I joined. I was not that upset by the lack of classes when I joined as I was not ready to put myself out there with a room full of others, but I am starting to get a hankering for some variety in my gym time.

Starting next week they are going to offer Zumba twice a week at lunch time. I try to get my workout in at lunch so my evenings are free and also so I can cross it off my list earlier in the day, giving me a better shot of fitting it in and not having it bumped by unexpected occurrences. So far the smattering of classes offered at my gym were all in the evening, so this is a plus.

I have heard good things about Zumba from real people I know, some of them not athletes, and I think I will give it a try. What about you? Have you joined the Zumba craze? Any words of advice for me before next Tuesday?

Friday Recap: Week 7

This was a crazy week in Boston with temps fluctuating from the coldest of the winter to near springlike. The days are definitely getting longer and with that my energy level is boosting and I am feeling less like a giant lumbering bear in need of a dark cave and more like a hyper squirrel in search of the stored nuts (yeah that metaphor got away from me fast...)

Diet: Still not as disciplined as I would like with the food aspect. Gym is going great and I did see some movement in the proper direction on the scale.

Budget: After narrowly avoiding tax-related calamity I am in good shape with the budget for now. I have already allocated a fare settlement of my tax refund and a small check for a consulting gig I did, with half going to savings and the other half to go to specific purchasing goals, not just magazines and candy.

Mood: Much more relaxed post-tax appointment.

I am getting out of the city for the weekend, some down time with a good friend will recharge my spirits. In fact, I last visited this friend back in August when I was first beginning this endeavor, the timing for a return is perfect.

The Tax Man Cometh

Recently I alluded to my trepidation at visiting my tax man. I love my tax man, he is always my Valentine and often he ends up netting me a sizable refund. But I knew I was in trouble this year.

You see, before I came to terms with my debt in 2010 I made a big financial boo-boo: I cashed out a 401K. It was not a ton of money (sure it might have become a ton of money 40 years from now, but I was worried about the here and now) and I prepaid the taxes (or so I thought).

I did this in early January 2010, the money is long spent and when I got the tax paper work I realized they had failed to take out any state tax. I am a complete dolt when it comes to financial matters so I fretted terribly these past few weeks about what I was going to owe.

I also felt bad sitting down at Gary's desk yesterday and confessing my financial sins like the Catholic school girl I once was.

When all was said and done, I only owed the State of Massachusetts $50 and I had overpaid the penalty to the federal government on the 401 K so I am getting a small chunk back from them that will cover the $50, the fees for my Valentine Gary and leave me with about $200 to play with.

This would have been devastating a year ago. Before my budgeted life I needed a 4 digit refund check to survive, but this year I can put half of the $200 in savings and spend the remainder on yarn or wine or a pedicure or whatever I want and not feel guilty about it. Amazing how my life has changed.

Move It!

I am a firm believer that the first step to a healthier lifestyle is simply that, a step. Moving your body a little bit more today than you did yesterday is a good positive lifestyle change.

This article on Yahoo identified some common lifestyle activities that can or cannot be considered exercise.

And while it is an interesting read I stand by my statement that any step is better than no step. So, while folding laundry is not considered exercise if you opt to fold your laundry in front of the TV instead of just sitting there, that is a positive change.

I do not consider knitting to be exercise, but I do consider it a positive change to my TV viewing habits, knitting while watching TV is much better for me than eating while watching TV. It is all about perspective!

To Meat or Not to Meat

Recently, over a plate of sausage, I discussed the ideas of vegetarianism with a friend. When the sausage was finished and they brought out the chicken, we had come to the conclusion we would never be vegetarians. And after 3 tapas made of cheese we had already ruled out our chances at being vegans.

People choose eating lifestyles for different reasons, some for health (although totally eliminating any part of our food system seems not completely healthy to me), some for animal rights, some because it requires sacrifice and self-control and they can then laud that over the weaker meat-eaters of the world. My reason would be sustainability.

Producing enough meat to feed the planet is an incredible burden on our eco-system. As we have overbuilt our planet we have clear cut habitable areas for wild stock to be raised, leading to the animal-rights issues that drive some to vegetarianism. The process for butchering and packaging and shipping meat requires a ton of fossil fuels. So what is the solution?

For me it is 2 meat-free days a week. Now I am just one small consumer in a global market place, but if everyone agreed to go meat-free even once a week there would be a positive environmental impact. Like most steps in saving the planet, the little ones count too.

Eating meat-free on occasion is good for your health (unless you replace meat with Fritos) and good for your wallet. Find recipes using heart-healthy black beans, which cost pennies a serving and are filling and delicious or shop the local farmer's market in the summer for corn and tomatoes or try one of 10,000 pasta recipes out there.

But even though I love you Al Gore, please don't ask me to give up my cheese.

What We Get From Our Parents

I have mentioned on this blog that my parents are quite awesome, and they are, but genetics are genetics and as I age I fear the things I may end up dealing with from my particular DNA donors.

There is high blood pressure and diabetes on my dad's side and my mother is a breast cancer survivor (although the history started with her). Currently I am beginning to fear my gall bladder. Every woman on my mother's side of the family had hers removed by the age of 45.

I remember my grandmother having awful gall bladder attacks when I was a kid. And this weekend I suffered some pretty serious pain, that I think might have been an early warning sign that mine is on the fritz too.

Gall bladder attacks are brought on by fatty foods and I did indulge on Saturday, perhaps it was the shock to the system after months of fairly healthy eating or perhaps it was timing or perhaps it wasn't my gall bladder at all, but some other random organ malfunctioning, but I was in a lot of pain for about 5 hours.

With all my talk of motivation, pain is a good one for me, and I promised myself there would be a re-commitment to healthy meal planning this week. If for no other reason than the budget is not quite ready to cover the deductible on surgery...

Friday Recap: Week 6

One week closer to spring and a snow-free one at that!

Diet: Good gym week, better food week. Still not a ton of movement on the scale, need a plateau buster week.

Budget: Still overspending on the entertainment, need to start being creative with my small entertainment budget.

Mood: Terrible work week, might explain the bag of potato chips and bottle of wine I had for dinner Wednesday.

How Tightfisted Are You?

I receive an e-newsletter on frugality and financial matters as part of my debt counseling. Last night I took the "How Tightfisted Are You?" quiz submitted by a reader.

Like every quiz of its type, from "Who's Your Perfect Mate?" to "What Eye Shadow Color Looks Best on You?" I scored in the middle.

Questions ranged from "For dish detergent you..." and the options included making your own, which lets face it, I won't be doing to "For food storage you..." and one of the options was reuse Ziploc bags, which I do do on occasion depending on what was in them.

It got me to thinking about my frugality over the past 6 months. I am by no means a role model on spending yet, but I have developed some good habits and while I have been sticking to my budgeted savings plan and not dipping into that savings I am not sure I am maximizing my savings vis a vis my frugality. I think I am able to do more fun things with money I am saving on dish detergent. No one said I was going to become a financial genius over night, right?

What Motivates You?

Last week I blogged about whether or not fear was a successful motivating factor in getting healthy. All the talk of death and disease does not always work on me, I get overwhelmed, convinced everything could potentially kill me and I need a Snickers bar to cope with the stress.

So what does motivate me? What motivates you to get off the couch and work out during this stormy winter when an afghan, a good book and a pie would be much more comforting?

For me, it is the hope of success. To be able to say in August that I tried really hard for a whole year and I lost X pounds. To finish something I started, or at least to have seen something through as I have no real hope of ever being done with this particular battle.

In other motivational news, my parents rented a beach house for 2 weeks in June, so a mere 4 months from now I will be living in a bathing suit, I really want it to be smaller than last year's.

Wash That Water Bottle

Reusable water bottles are a no brainer in this day and age. There are so many options and really high quality ones for not a ton of money (and think of all the money you save on buying bottled water). From an eco-friendly/budget-friendly perspective get yourself a reusable water bottle.

I use a metal one, but there are great BPA-free hard plastic ones too. Do your research and go buy one for yourself for Valentine's Day.

Once you are in the habit of using one, remember to wash it. I am no germa-phobe, I live in a city and I often touch grimy gross things and I ride public transportation! I washed my water bottle maybe once a month. I figure I only put water in it and I'm the only one who uses it, how dirty can it be?

Well, the answer is...very. Germs and other little critters love dark, warm wet places and manage to latch on to anything. They prefer crevices, so try to get a water bottle that is smooth and doesn't have too may ridges. Wash the bottle with hot soapy water at least once a week, more if you put anything other than water in it or you leave it with water in it for any extended period of time.

My water bottle has never made me sick, but it would be a terrible irony if I got some bug from this source of wellness.

Fight Your Cravings, No Seriously Fight Them

A University of Chicago Marketing Department study shows that when self-control is tested, tightening your muscles will help you make the more disciplined choice.

They advise that when faced with a food temptation you should make a fist and the muscle tension will snap you into the healthier choice. They say you must do it right at the moment of decision and which muscles you tighten don't matter.

I like the fist idea though, like you are going to punch that temptation right in the kisser. I fear if I begin doing this in public though I will get into lots of scuffles with pastry chefs and McDonald's employees.

Friday Recap: Week 5

The days are getting longer! I went out at 5:00 pm last night and it was not yet dark, hurrah! Winter continues to pound us here in Boston though, hope that Groundhog was right...

Diet: Once again a good gym week and a bad food week, just about a wash on the scale. Cannot get myself motivated to eat well right now. Not sure if it is the weather or boredom or both, but every night I have been snacking. Also, I do not think I am eating enough during the day, so I am hungry and impatient come dinner time. I am going to try to up my calories during the day and see if it helps.

Budget: Not a bad week. Dreading tax time in a couple weeks, think I might have to pay this year for the first time in over a decade. A check tot he IRS is not in the budget.

Mood: Sick of winter about sums it up.

Does Fear Motivate You?

Every day there is some talk show or news program with the latest info on how our waistlines are slowly killing us. The obesity epidemic in this country is staggering, yet all the information and fear-mongering has not seemed to help.

Personally, I watched a segment yesterday on high blood pressure, something I have struggled with in connection to family history and my weight, and it was truly terrifying. Then I ate a terribly unhealthy dinner.

Why does the fear not work for me? I am afraid of everything, why does it not propel me to act? How has food's hold over me taken away my otherwise rational self...

Hello February

Apparently the Groundhog did not see his shadow this morning. I am not sure if that means the varmint is snowed in to his hole or a giant mound of snow has finally blotted out the sun entirely, but it is supposed to portend an early spring, so thank you Phil!

February is here and despite the current swath of weather blanketing 3/5 of the country spring is creeping closer. February also brings Valentines Day and President's Day and is only 28 days long, so March is practically here. February is Black History Month and is also Women's Heart Health Month.

So in honor of all our hearts, here is a list of the 25 top heart healthy foods. I am happy to say that I love all these foods, with the exception of tofu which I will eat if forced.

When to Splurge on Organic

With all this winter in these parts I find myself dreaming of warm sunny days and fresh produce plentiful around me. Flipping through an old Fitness magazine I found this article on Picking the Right Produce.

Buying organic can be costly and I have often heard that certain produce is worth the extra cash as the impact of pesticides is greater. The article gives you the best and worst produce on the pesticide scale and can help you decide if you are going to spend a little extra.

Organic is about more than ingesting pesticides though and one fruit that is not on either list, bananas, has been brought to my attention by a friend who lived in Costa Rica. I never worried about bananas from an organic stand point, their thick skins are discarded and any residue from pesticides with them. Bananas do require a lot of pesticides though and the impact on the workers and the environment where they are grown is devastating. So now I try to justify the extra .20 a pound for organic bananas.

Bulk Bin Bonanza

Ever wanted to try quinoa or wheat berries, but not willing to invest in a large expensive container? Try the bulk bins in Whole Foods or other natural grocery stores!

Whole Foods gets a wrap for being "too expensive" and it can be very pricey for certain items, but the glory of the bulk bin is you can buy as much as you want (or as little).

Only need a cup of cous cous for a recipe? Get it at the bulk bin for less than a dollar.

The bigger the store the more options you may be able to get, trail mix, nuts, dried fruit and other treats.

What is your favorite bulk bin item?

Friday Recap: Month 1

January seems to have gone on forever, yet I can't believe it is over. We have had our share of winter weather and I had my share of festive parties at the beginning of the month. I do consider the end of January to be the biggest hurdle in getting through winter, February is a short month and even if it snows in March we know it won't be around for too long.

So, good riddance January!

Diet: I have established my new post-holiday baseline. I lost the few pounds I had regained over the festive weeks and have re-established goals for myself moving forward. I have a good gym routine back in place after being away for most of December, but I am still struggling with food. I am definitely indulging too much, not just on special occasions, but also on like, Wednesday. So February will be all about re-instating the meal plan and, here is the tricky part, sticking to it.

Budget: For the first time in a couple months I came in under budget overall for the month. I was over budget in 2 areas: Groceries and Entertainment. Since the first two weeks of this month included New Year's Eve and Russian Christmas I will let that slide. They were not the sole culprits, but a big part of that spending.

Mood: I go back and forth on winter, some days I find it so depressing all I want to do is eat an entire box of Thin Mints and sometimes I find it delightful and wondrous. Getting past January will lighten my mood. February has a couple festive days and is a short month. I am also going away for a couple days to visit a friend, so something fun to look forward to!

My New Favorite Machine at the Gym

This is my new favorite machine at the gym. It is the Arc Trainer and like the elliptical before it, it intimidated me for a long time.

I had only ever seen really fit girls using it and I figured it was out of my league. Then I noticed they were using them on this season of The Biggest Loser and thought I might be wrong.

During one of last week's cataclysmic winter weather events I went to the gym and it was practically empty. It was the perfect time to risk injury and humiliation (you know which one hurts more right?). So I hopped on, fiddled with the buttons, selected a 20 minute "Weight Loss" workout (do the others not help you lose weight?) at level 3 of 10 and turned up my Ipod.

I am pretty sure you are not supposed to hang on for dear life like I did and I probably mitigated some of the benefit by not going hands-free, but the second I took my hands off the multiple sets of handles (why so many handles if you aren't supposed to use them?) I nearly toppled over.

There is a great variety of both resistance and incline, which apparently works different large muscle groups creating a better calorie burn than the treadmill or even my newly-beloved elliptical machine. I definitely got a good workout, I was challenged but not debilitated (which is the fine line I try to walk at the gym).

So far 20 minutes is my limit, but I burned as many calories (if those things can be trusted) as I did in 25 or 30 on the elliptical and treadmill respectively. I am all for efficiency!

Support System Part 3

I've talked about friends and loved ones the past couple days, both the good and the bad. Today I want to talk about the nearest and dearest people in our lives. Your nearest and dearest may vary: spouse, parents, siblings or childhood bestie. This is the person or people you feel closest to and who love you unconditionally.

For me it is my parents. I have a great relationship with both my mom and my dad, they provided all the tools I needed to become strong and independent. They taught me that my mind was my greatest asset and assured me I could do anything I wanted. I love them so very much.

Because I love them so much it is hard sometimes for me to tell them how unhappy or scared I become over my debt or my weight. I don't want them to know that I feel I have failed both myself and them. They have provided such great support and they love me no matter what, but the thought of letting them down has paralyzed me.

When I started on this plan I told them, in the most positive cheerleader way that I was making some changes, looking ahead to the future and trying to become the best me I could. They are 100% supportive, both of them trying to fight the food issues too and as they look towards retirement not opposed to budgeting either.

My parents have always helped me financially when needed, and I try very hard not to need it. When I started the debt management program this summer I had to make double credit card payments so I didn't go delinquent while the accounts were being set up. My parents jumped in and covered my student loan bill for a couple months to get me going. Over the years little things like that have made my life easier, but their greatest financial contribution often comes in the form of gifts, clothes or things like that that make my life a little bit nicer.

I know that my parents love me, that love keeps me going some days and it is as much for them as for myself that I am doing this. Failure is not an option.

Support System Part 2

Yesterday I wrote about the steps you need to take to ensure that those around you get on board with any lifestyle changes you are making en route to a healthier, more fiscally sound existence. Sometimes the people in our lives do not embrace the changes and problems can arise.

Generally these people fall into two categories: Enablers and Saboteurs

Enablers

Enablers' hearts are in the right place, but their heads often aren't. They want you to be happy and if they know food or shopping make you happy they will encourage you to splurge. They love you the way you are and it doesn't matter to them if you gain a few pounds. They bring you scones in the morning and ice cream at night, suggest a weekend away you can't afford, but they do it out of love. Enablers are a big problem if they live in your house. If you see an enabler once in awhile you can manage the temptations, but if you live with them you will have to have a talk.

Saboteurs

Saboteurs do not have your best interest at heart. Deep down they want you to fail and they will put up road blocks along the way, possibly under the guise of being an enabler. You have to suss out the saboteur, they can be killing you with kindness. Their motivations can vary, perhaps they are jealous that you are changing your life and they don't have the strength to do the same, perhaps they like the role that you currently play as the fat friend or possibly they are just plain evil. In any case saboteurs are not good for your evolution into the new fabulous you, ween them out of your life.

No one said making these lifestyle changes were going to be easy and with issues like health and wealth involved there is no way to not infiltrate every aspect of your life. You can not isolate these issues, they are a major part of who you are and require you to take a good long look at yourself.

Do you have an enabler or a saboteur in your life? How are you handling it?

Support System

I want to begin this post by saying that I have extraordinary people in my life. I realize that in this regard, both on a diet and a budget, I am very lucky. In order to be successful at either you must be surrounded by people who understand what you are doing, acknowledge the challenges involved and strive to help you through the long haul.


Understanding

You cannot expect your friends and loved ones to support you if they don't know what you are trying to do. If, like me, you have been battling your weight for years or totally ignoring your budget, you have to let people know you are now serious about curbing both. Getting mad at a friend for suggesting an expensive restaurant with lots of bad options is not going to help, make your needs known to those you see regularly.


Challenges

This is your battle. You cannot expect those around you to change because you have to. You must learn to adapt to group settings or remove yourself temporarily from situations in which you fail. The weekly Friday night drink fest after work leaving you poor and bloated? Try to go once a month instead of every week.

Duration

This is not going to resolve itself in a couple of weeks. You cannot go into self-imposed exile for the rest of your life. Let people know this is not a phase you are going through but a lifestyle change and if they want to be part of your life they will understand and accept your new parameters.

This does not mean you have to where a sign saying "I'm on a diet and a budget, please do not tempt me." You do not have to introduce yourself to everyone you meet with those words, but the people that are part of your life on a regular basis should be in the know and should want to help you. If they do not want to help.... well that is tomorrow's post....

Friday Recap: Week 3

The weather this week was much more conducive to sitting on the couch drinking cocoa and eating cookies, but I tried to fight that. Even in the worst of it I got out every day for a workout!

Diet: Last weekend was iffy food-wise, not terrible but could have been better, the week itself was an improvement. I got to the gym 4 times and during the terribly messy storm on Tuesday I walked to the library and home and it took so long and was so treacherous I considered that a work out on its own.

Budget: Definitely getting back to normal post holiday. Of course I am terribly bored most of the time :)

Mood: Resigned to winter and worried about a few things, but better than the previous couple weeks.

Next Friday is the first official weigh in since the holidays... yikes!