Lots of challenges ahead......and a plan to go with them.

I got on the scale this morning to give me an idea how the week is going since Fridays gain. I think things are actually good! The scale was pleased. I have a LOT of challenges the next two weeks. I really think I am going to disappoint myself if I set my goals to high. And by high......I mean lose weight over these next 12 days. Then I'm torn. Am I making excuses to not lose weight over these next 12 days? Or am I being realistic with the food challenges that are ahead? That's a hard question to answer sometimes. Am I making excuses or being realistic?

I decided to write out my plan before I get in the middle of all these events and freakout! I seem to do best with a plan, and best with short term goals.
I told Mike my plan when he got home tonight. He can help remind me that I HAVE A PLAN! :)

Getting on the scale this morning inspired me to stay on track as much as possible and to write out a plan.

Here's the list......egads!!

July 4th challenge?
Cookout with Beer and lots of people at a favorite friends house.
July 4th solution?
Take low point options to eat and share. Drink Crystal Light, or another zero point option.
July 5th challenge?
Going to a bar for dinner to meet three friends that I haven't seen in a long time.
July 5th solution?
Snack on fruit and raw veggies and drink lots of water before I go. Pass on the beer. Tough in this setting. Thinking about how bad I want to get to my goal weight should help.
July 6th challenge?
A house party for a celebration with overflowing adult beverages and food!
July 6th solution?
I will have a new weeks 49 points allowance, so I will certainly dip into these at this party.

Then I'm good until........

July 13th challenge?
Rehearsal Dinner at a Brewery...with a menu of BBQ and BEER!
July 13th solution?
Again I will have a new weeks 49 points allowance that I will use a portion of for certain!
July 14th challenge?
Wedding Day!
July 14th solution?
60 minutes of cardio in the morning. Save some of those 49 for this day. Enjoy myself!
July 15th challenge?
Brunch for the Bride And Groom while we all watch them open gifts!
July 15th solution?
Hope for fruit offered and pass on any pastries. Make the best choices of what is offered.

I will journal all of my food through these challenges with the best calculations possible.

I have toyed with the idea of not drinking until I get to goal weight. That hurt just to type out. Maybe I can put that plan into action July 16th? I'll think about it.

Here's today's eats.....

Breakfast....

I am loving the Trader Joe's bread for my morning toast with Peanut Butter!
The bread is 1 PPV a piece!





I love this peanut butter! 1 Tablespoon is 1 PPV.





Peanut Butter toast, orange, pear and coffee.....



3 PPV




Lunch?

It looks like the plate you'd give a 4 year old to make sure they eat healthy. It's even on a paper plate. Maybe I was craving some inner child thing this afternoon. Oh well, I did enjoy it.

Chicken sausage on a whole wheat bun with mustard, pretzels and an apple.
7 PPV.



Snack.....a few more of these....you can eat 8 of them for 1 PPV, or 16 for 2 PPV, or 24 for.....I'm really good at math......24 for 3 PPV. So I did.






I am not even going to call this a recipe. I just kind of started pulling things out of the pantry and fridge and freezer that I could throw together. I cooked my pasta in chicken broth, added bite size pieces of chicken and several wedges of cheese. It was a little dry and I had no milk or cream. I added a little water and some tomato paste. It actually turned out fairly decent.




11 PPV (I had chicken thighs, so a little higher in PPV)




This was a happy little find. 2 PPV per serving.




Not bad for throwing a bunch of stuff together!




I hopped on the treadmill this afternoon with 60 minutes of cardio planned. I took my IPad with me to listen to one of the many Pandora stations that keeps me motivated during cardio. Well, while on the IPad, (and walking on the treadmill), I started reading a blog, then I found a Bootcamp on this blog to enter online and do from home with your own equipment.......

Bootcamp online

............which made me start looking at the great equipment I have at home in the room with my treadmill, so I thought.....I should do some cardio with that step I have, then I googled "step aerobic video". I found one that was about 10 minutes and it was an "okay" video....very amateur. So I looked some more and then I found this! MY IPAD IS CHANGING MY LIFE, PEOPLE!

Denise Austin

It's a great little 12 minute cardio video, however no step involved. I suck at routines, so after doing it the first time, I did it again. There is still one move I improvised on because I could NOT figure it out, but the rest was easy to follow. I did all the moves as strong as I could. If Denise said "kick", I KICKED! If she said "reach", I REACHED!

Towards the end of my second round with Denise, a thread or something was tickling my side. When I went to brush it off, it was sweat. Pretty cool, huh?

I already had 30 minutes in on the treadmill, so between that, the sucky amateur video and doing the 12 minute video twice, I'd say I got in a pretty good little cardio session! I love it when I make myself happy!

As soon as I got off the treadmill, this happened. He was staring at me the whole time I was walking on it! Goofball. You think he wants me to take him on a walk???





Bootcamp is $25 for an 8 week session and it starts July 23rd, which is right around the time my current Bootcamp ends. I am really enjoying the Bootcamp idea. I like having someone else tell me exactly what routine to do.
So I signed up!

I LOVE MY IPAD! I never imagined I'd be toting it all over and doing exercise videos off of it!





"love the life you live, live the life you love"