Winter Wonderland Weigh-In: Week 9

It’s Winter! Which means that the weather turns chilly and a new year is just beginning. This year the period from January through March is going to be a Winter Wonderland for me – a time to focus on my weight loss and to finally, once-and-for-all achieve my pre-surgery weight loss requirement. Sunday weigh-ins will keep me accountable through the weekend, and will give me a positive goal to begin each new week. This is the time of year resolutions are made and then quickly forgotten, but not with me. I’m going to use this season to refresh my outlook, because I’m embarking on more than just a diet plan, I’m going to establish a lifestyle. My Sunday progress updates will be called Winter Wonderland Weigh-Ins.

Week 9 brought a change in eating plan, lots of fun with friends, lighter workouts, and a positive outlook.

Sounds good. So, what did the scale show?!

This morning I weighed in at 291.4, which is down 1.6 pounds from last week. Which means I have 5 pounds to go before I can call in to Kaiser and meet the next big weight loss requirement! This loss is especially significant in a week when I changed the way I’ve been eating, battled PMS, and went lighter on my workouts than I’d planned.

Still, the workouts I did get in were really fun. I did a couple of my usual elliptical/recumbent bike workouts, but then I also went biking in Half Moon Bay, which was amazing. And then yesterday I discovered that Just Dance 4 has this whole selection that offers longer dance workouts: 80s, Latin, and a few others. Fun!

Here’s this week’s workout plan:

Sunday: Just Dance 4 + long walk with Sofi
Monday: rest day
Tuesday: elliptical + recumbent bike + walk with Sofi
Wednesday: TBD
Thursday: elliptical + recumbent bike + walk with Sofi
Friday: TBD
Saturday: Zumba

I absolutely loved the food I’ve been eating all week.

• Breakfasts: protein shake
• Lunches: Flat Out wraps spread with Laughing Cow, clover sprouts, and 4 oz of low sodium deli meat (ham and turkey) + popcorn or ChipIns.
• Snacks: bell pepper with Babybel light cheese
• Dinners: this is where I’ve gotten creative – cauliflower crust pizza, grilled tofu sriracha, and lowfat curry chicken with roasted cauliflower.

The thing is, I’m eating real, whole food, staying low carb, and I’m keeping my calories under 1200. The irony isn’t lost on me that this is basically the plan that Kaiser Bariatric laid out for me from the beginning. I realize, too, that in the 2 1/2 years since I’ve been on this WLS quest, I’ve tried LOTS of food plans: Kaiser, Medifast, Bariatric Choice, Kaiser, Jenny Craig, super low calorie pre-op, and back to Kaiser (I’m sure I missed a few in between there somewhere). But I’m fine with all of the changing – I always did what felt right at the time, gave it my all, and was open to making changes when it seemed right. Plus, I think going through all of the different plans helped to teach me so much about my eating habits, patterns, and problems. I’m finally mentally ready for this healthy Kaiser plan, and so it’s full steam ahead towards those next 5 lbs, and beyond.

Until next Sunday, my friends. I hope the scale treats you well, and that you have a wonderful week!

Read Full Post »

Winter Wonderland Weigh-In: Week 8

It’s Winter! Which means that the weather turns chilly and a new year is just beginning. This year the period from January through March is going to be a Winter Wonderland for me – a time to focus on my weight loss and to finally, once-and-for-all achieve my pre-surgery weight loss requirement. Sunday weigh-ins will keep me accountable through the weekend, and will give me a positive goal to begin each new week.  This is the time of year resolutions are made and then quickly forgotten, but not with me.  I’m going to use this season to refresh my outlook, because I’m embarking on more than just a diet plan, I’m going to establish a lifestyle. My Sunday progress updates will be called Winter Wonderland Weigh-Ins.

Week 8 was great in practice, but not so thrilling on the scale.

Confusing. So, what did the scale show?!

This morning I weighed in at 293.0, which is exactly what I weighed last week. After last week’s big weight loss, I probably shouldn’t have expected a huge loss on the scale. And at one point in the week I was actually up 3 lbs because of making a poor food choice (note to self: no matter how hungry you are after a workout, do not give in to buying turkey jerky because you see it on an endcap at Target).  I’m still feeling really strong and confident about what I’m doing, and I know that as long as I keep it up, I will get those 7 measly pounds off.

The thing is, there’s more to my journey than just the scale.  I’m noticing lots of NSVs:

• my work pants are fitting so much looser
• two of my workout pants are way too loose in the waist
• most of my bras are too big for me (luckily I had a couple of smaller sized bras to move down to)
• tshirts that I couldn’t wear for so long are fitting well
• people at work are noticing my weight loss
• friends whom I haven’t seen in several weeks-months are complimenting me on how “skinny” I’m looking

I also really gave it my all with my workouts this week.  Six days of solid, sweaty workouts. I don’t make excuses to miss workouts, no matter how I’m feeling, I just get to the gym or turn on the OnDemand and get it done.  It’s a huge turning point for me that fitness is a daily part of my life, without question.

This week I’m off for Presidents’ Week Break, and I know that the extra down time is going to make my food plan more challenging.  Eating only shakes/soup until my late afternoon snack isn’t as easy, especially if I don’t have anything to take my mind off of it.  So, I’m planning on drinking tons of water to fill in the gaps and keep as busy as possible. I’ve made tons of plans with friends for movies, pedicures, and coffee dates.  I’m also planning on working out like it’s my job!

Here’s this week’s workout plan:

Sunday: rest day/long walk with Sofi
Monday:  aqua aerobics + recumbent bike
Tuesday: elliptical + recumbent bike
Wednesday: aqua aerobics + recumbent bike
Thursday: bike riding in Half Moon Bay
Friday: aqua aerobics + recumbent bike
Saturday: Zumba

Looking at my post from last week, it was unrealistic of me to think that I could lose 7 lbs two weeks in a row.  But that doesn’t mean I’m giving myself a pass.  I still want to do my best to take these 7 lbs off as soon as I can.  I’m looking forward to seeing what I can accomplish this week.

Until next Sunday, my friends. I hope the scale treats you well, and that you have a wonderful week!

Read Full Post »

February 13 in 13 Update (Much Overdue!)

Let’s see, it’s February 12th… more than a month has passed since my first 13 in 13 post, and I figured it was time (well past time) for me to give a little update on how things are going. I really like taking a look at how I’ve been doing with these goals, because it puts them at the forefront of my mind and makes me more aware of my priorities.

I’m going to take a page out of Rebecca’s book and organize this post into what’s going well, what’s mediocre/unstarted, and what I need to work on.

What’s going well… 

#1 – I’m 7 lbs away from my WLS goal, which means I’m going to be way ahead of my original goal, which was to qualify for WLS by mid-March.  If all goes as I am striving for, I will make my goal by mid-February.  Woot, woot!!

#3 & #4 – I haven’t had tons of grading to do, so I haven’t really needed to stay at school until 4pm on B days, but that’s going to change tomorrow, when book reports come pouring in. (And then again at the end end of February when two sets of Realism essays come my way).  I have been excellent on A days – I’ve hit the gym every single time (unless it was deemed a rest day).  I’ve come to really enjoy those early days at the gym.

#5, #6, & #9 – I’ve made it to Zumba and Lululemon yoga most weekends.  I’m so glad that my plantar fasciitis has subsided enough that I can go resume Zumba and yoga.  It’s nice to be able to keep the workouts full of fun and variety.  I’ve also made it a point to bring friends to both Zumba and the Lululemon yoga, which helps with #9, because we usually spend time afterward catching up over coffee.  As for the second part of #6, as I said above, I haven’t needed to spend any time grading yet, but that’s going to change at the end of the month.  In an odd way, I’m looking forward to spending time at Starbucks grading, because it’s a good way to get out of the house and possibly meet new people.

#12 – My sister has been kind enough to take monthly photos of me in January and February, so this one is going well. Once I have three months’ worth of photos, I’ll post them here.

~~~~~~~~~~~~

What I haven’t started yet, or what’s been mediocre…

#7 – I haven’t started any Pinterest crafts yet, but I have two that I’m planning on working on next week, while I have the week off.  More on those as I complete them.

#8 – I haven’t kept up with my Google reader on a daily basis, but I do try to keep up on the weekends.  I also comment on as many blogs as I can think of things to write.

#9 – I’ve done some fun things with friends, but not often enough.  Some of that is because of not having extra money go out, but I have made an effort to incorporate coffee dates or workout buddy dates as much as I can.

#11 – I’m not planning on doing any research on health education until the summer.

#13 – As stated in the goal itself, this one won’t be happening until late October 2013, at the earliest.

~~~~~~~~~~~~

What’s not going well/what I need to put more effort into…

#2 – I haven’t made great progress on my goal of reading 35 books in a year.  In fact, I’ve read 1 book and I have two others started.  For someone who loves reading as much as I do, I’m surprised that I’m not doing better at this goal.  It will be easy enough to pick this up beginning now.  I just need to set aside the time, especially on the weekends.

#10 – I think I made it to bed by 10pm for about a week or so.  Since this is not a part of my nature, it’s something I’ve got to put more of an effort into.  So, I’ve decided to make this my Lenten goal:

Beginning tomorrow, Ash Wednesday, I’m going to get to bed by 10pm every non-vacation weeknight for the next 40 days.  To give myself more accountability, I’m going to check in on this Lenten goal every Wednesday.

Read Full Post »

Winter Wonderland Weigh-In: Week 7

It’s Winter! Which means that the weather turns chilly and a new year is just beginning. This year the period from January through March is going to be a Winter Wonderland for me – a time to focus on my weight loss and to finally, once-and-for-all achieve my pre-surgery weight loss requirement. Sunday weigh-ins will keep me accountable through the weekend, and will give me a positive goal to begin each new week.  This is the time of year resolutions are made and then quickly forgotten, but not with me.  I’m going to use this season to refresh my outlook, because I’m embarking on more than just a diet plan, I’m going to establish a lifestyle. My Sunday progress updates will be called Winter Wonderland Weigh-Ins.

Week 7 was most definitely a lucky one for me, although, really, luck had nothing to do with it.  I stayed committed to my new pre-op food plan, worked out 6 times, and was really active on MFP.

Awesome!  So, what did the scale show?!

This morning I weighed in at 293.0, which is a loss of 6.8 pounds from last week!  Which means I have 7 pounds go to until I can call Kaiser!!! 7s seem like they’re all around me this week.  I’m absolutely thrilled with this result! I worked really hard at the gym, pushed myself to make it through that afternoon hunger between the pm snack and dinner, and stayed motivated by reading blogs, engaging my peeps on MyFitnessPal, and watching my favorite YouTubers. 

In fact, I made my sessions on the recumbent bike a bit more interesting by watching lots of YT videos.  It really makes the time go by faster, and it keeps me inspired by watching all the weight loss success. There’s nothing like my workout playlist when I’m on the elliptical, but I’m liking this new tradition. It’s sometimes hard finding the time to watch all the video updates, so this helps me multitask.

Here’s this week’s workout plan:

Sunday: step cardio interval (OnDemand)
Monday:  gym: elliptical/bike
Tuesday: rest day
Wednesday: gym: elliptical/bike
Thursday: kickboxing (OnDemand)
Friday: gym: elliptical/bike
Saturday: Zumba

I can’t believe I’ve made it this far!  Seven pounds to go before I call Kaiser, at which point things set into motion with a psych evaluation, an EKG, and then the surgery date is set.  So exciting!!  My goal is to be able to make the call the week of the 17th.  I’m off for February Break/Presidents’ Week, so the timing would work well for me to be able to schedule all of the appointments.  I’m going to do everything I can to make that happen.

Until next Sunday, my friends. I hope the scale treats you well, and that you have a wonderful week!

Read Full Post »

Winter Wonderland Weigh-In: Week 6

It’s Winter! Which means that the weather turns chilly and a new year is just beginning. This year the period from January through March is going to be a Winter Wonderland for me – a time to focus on my weight loss and to finally, once-and-for-all achieve my pre-surgery weight loss requirement. Sunday weigh-ins will keep me accountable through the weekend, and will give me a positive goal to begin each new week.  This is the time of year resolutions are made and then quickly forgotten, but not with me.  I’m going to use this season to refresh my outlook, because I’m embarking on more than just a diet plan, I’m going to establish a lifestyle. My Sunday progress updates will be called Winter Wonderland Weigh-Ins.

Week 6 was a good one. I got workouts in, got back on track, and made an exciting decision.

Sounds good.  So, what did the scale show?!

This morning I weighed in at 299.8, which is up 1 pound from last week. I know that this isn’t a true gain, though, because I’ve been doing well all week – I got solid workouts in and stuck to my food plan, for the most part.  My sister and I did go out for sushi last night, and whenever I eat anything with soy sauce, I always have a bit of a gain.  I went to sushi as a “last meal” of sorts. This weight is coming off next week, I’m sure of it, and here’s why:

I can’t wait to see what I can do in a week’s time!  I’m going to continue working out, as well.

Sunday: vinyasa yoga (done)
Monday:  rest day
Tuesday: gym: elliptical/bike
Wednesday: aqua aerobics
Thursday: gym: elliptical/bike
Friday: gym: elliptical/bike
Saturday: Zumba

The first three days are going to be challenging, because I’m going to feel hungry, but after that, it should be smooth sailing.  Plus, once I see the great results on the scale, I know it will spur me on to continue.  I’m also really lucky that I have so many supportive people in my life; people that I know I can text throughout the day to get me out of my own head and staying strong.

I’m proud of myself for being willing to make the changes I need to in order to accomplish my goals.

Until next Sunday, my friends. I hope the scale treats you well, and that you have a wonderful week!

Read Full Post »

Winter Wonderland Weigh-In: Week 5

It’s Winter! Which means that the weather turns chilly and a new year is just beginning. This year the period from January through March is going to be a Winter Wonderland for me – a time to focus on my weight loss and to finally, once-and-for-all achieve my pre-surgery weight loss requirement. Sunday weigh-ins will keep me accountable through the weekend, and will give me a positive goal to begin each new week.  This is the time of year resolutions are made and then quickly forgotten, but not with me.  I’m going to use this season to refresh my outlook, because I’m embarking on more than just a diet plan, I’m going to establish a lifestyle. My Sunday progress updates will be called Winter Wonderland Weigh-Ins.

Week 5 brought with it the onslaught of PMS, and all the I’m-so-ravenous-I’ve-got-to-eat-it-all-NOW mentality that comes with it. Not to mention the hormonal breakouts near my chin (lovely).  Ugh.

Sounds challenging.  So, what did the scale show?!

This morning I weighed in at 298.0, which is up 1.6 lbs from last week. Which means I have 17 pounds to go to reach the pre-surgery requirement.  I know it’s a gain, and I’m never happy with any sort of movement that’s not in the right direction, but I’m not upset with this number at all.  It’s still below 300, it’s mostly water weight, and I know it will all shed off as soon as I get my period.

This week I really fought hard against the snack attack that hits me late in the afternoons.  Some days I lost, but some days, like Friday, I won.  I was in the middle of a “I’ve got to eat everything NOW” moment, when I just stopped myself from going into the cabinet.  I said to myself, “look, yes, you have PMS, but so what?  It doesn’t need to get the better of you.  Get out of the house and get moving right this minute.  No excuses!”  And that’s exactly what I did.  I threw on my sneakers, strapped on Sofi’s harness and leash, and we headed out the door for a really long walk.  When we got back, my mindset had completely shifted, I wasn’t craving anything other than water, and I knew I could hold out for another 45 minutes until I would start dinner.  Yesterday, I decided to find a healthier solution to my snacking craving and added two red bell peppers, which I dipped in a couple of tablespoons of Bolthouse Farms yogurt dressing, to my lunch.  It was an ideal snack because it offered all the crunch I wanted, and it totally filled me up for the rest of the day.

I’m also proud to say that I got in 5 days of workouts, equaling 295 minutes and 3620 calories burned.  This week, I’m shooting for just one rest day, on Friday, when I’m having a much-needed salon appointment (my grey hair is out of control!).  Here’s my workout plan:

Sunday: OnDemand Kickboxing + Biggest Loser 30-Day Jumpstart DVD
Monday:  elliptical/bike
Tuesday: OnDemand Kickboxing + Biggest Loser 30-Day Jumpstart DVD
Wednesday: aqua aerobics
Thursday: Zumba DVD
Friday: rest day
Saturday: bike ride w/ my sister in Half Moon Bay

I think going to those WLS support groups two weeks in a row was a really good thing for me to do.  Even though I saw a slight gain this week, I’m taking it in stride and feeling very confident that this is just one of the ebbs and flows that I’ve come to know about my body.  Just like any other support group, the Kaiser WLS groups offer me so much motivation, inspiration, and of course, support.  I leave feeling stronger and knowing that I’m not the only one facing certain challenges. I’m definitely going to make it a regular practice.  It works out perfectly – the 3rd and 4th  Wednesdays of the month can be my rest days where I “workout my head” rather than my body.

Until next Sunday, my friends. I hope the scale treats you well, and that you have a wonderful week!

Read Full Post »

MLK Weekend Wrap-Up

I love that I’m writing my weekend wrap-up on a Tuesday! Don’t you just love short weeks like this one?

I had a fantastic weekend! It was a perfect mix of fun, obligations, and down time. If you follow me on Instagram (bellablogger), you’ve seen many of these photos already, but most of them are good enough to view more than once.

Saturday Scenes

Sofi & I started off with a late-morning walk around our neighborhood. I’m happy to report that I was able to walk at my pre-plantar fasciitis speed. Sofi was as relieved as I was that I’m back to normal.

Later in the afternoon, I met up with Tinkerbell, her hubby, and two of their friends for a “biker gang” bike ride. I’ve never ridden with 4 other people before. I’m sure we were a funny site, since we all have beach cruisers. It as a gorgeous day, and there’s nothing I enjoy more than riding my bike on a sunny Saturday.

This week marks the end of my amaryllis. A student had given me the bulbs as a thank you for a letter of recommendation that I wrote for her, and I’ve enjoyed watching it grow and bloom since November.

Sunday Scenes

Sunday morning I headed out bright and early to take yoga at my local Lululemon store. I love that local instructors from all sorts of studios take turns leading these classes. It’s always a form of vinyasa, and since that’s the type of yoga I’m least familiar with, I’m really enjoying trying it. Plus, I woke up the next day sore all over, which is always a great sign.

Ani had met me at yoga, and afterward we grabbed tea and basked in the sunshine. It was a great way to begin the day.

Sunday afternoon my 49ers came back from a 17-point deficit to secure their spot in the Superbowl!!! As a lifelong 9ers fan, I can’t tell you how excited I am that they’re returning to the glory days of the 80s and early 90s. It’s been a long time in coming, but it just feels like this year is our time.

After the game, my friend Di and I met up for iced tea (Passion tea for me)and “catch up” time. Yes, that does make two trips to Starbucks in one day, but at least both of my drinks were calorie-free and counted towards my water intake.

Scenes from Monday

After skipping the aqua aerobics class I’d planned on because it was way too chilly out, I was sure to make my date with the elliptical. Again, I’m seeing progress in my heel, because just a few weeks ago I wasn’t able to stand on the elliptical for 30 minutes. I also want to note that I actually burned 605 calories.

A post-wrokout, post-grocery store shot of me driving with the convertible top down. It was in the high 60s all weekend, and you know when it gets anywhere near a warm temp like that, my Beetle goes topless. (It also helped that I was so warm after my workout that the breeze didn’t bother me one bit).

Finally, a shot of the roasted broccoli I made last night. I’m not a huge fan of broccoli (one of the only veggies I don’t really like), but I do like it roasted. I added a bit of olive oil, sea salt, and quite a bit of cayenne pepper. I popped it in the oven at 400 for 20 minutes. Delish! (I make cauliflower the same way, but at 425 for 25-30 minutes).

The rest of the day and evening on Monday was spent cleaning and getting ready for the week ahead.

All in all, I had a really fun, productive weekend.  I’m proud of myself for working out each day, seeing several friends, and getting everything else accomplished.  If only all weekends could last 3 days!

Read Full Post »

Winter Wonderland Weigh-In: Week 4

It’s Winter! Which means that the weather turns chilly and a new year is just beginning. This year the period from January through March is going to be a Winter Wonderland for me – a time to focus on my weight loss and to finally, once-and-for-all achieve my pre-surgery weight loss requirement. Sunday weigh-ins will keep me accountable through the weekend, and will give me a positive goal to begin each new week.  This is the time of year resolutions are made and then quickly forgotten, but not with me.  I’m going to use this season to refresh my outlook, because I’m embarking on more than just a diet plan, I’m going to establish a lifestyle. My Sunday progress updates will be called Winter Wonderland Weigh-Ins.

Week 4 was another laser-focused, on-target week.  I’m feeling so good that I know nothing will deter me.

Fantastic! So, what did the scale show?!

This morning I weighed in at 296.4, which is down 2.2 lbs from last week. Which means I have 15 pounds to go to reach the pre-surgery requirement. It also means that I’m 10 lbs to go before I can make my “I’m 5 lbs away” phone call that starts the ball rolling.  This is so exciting!!!

If I’m honest, I’ll say that I was a bit disappointed that I didn’t have a bigger week on the scale for all the effort I’m putting in.  These past two days I’ve actually hit a bit of a stall.  But then I remind myself that 2 lbs is a good amount of weight to lose in a week, and if I keep up a 2 lb/week weight loss, I’ll be making that “5 lbs to go” call in 5 weeks.

This past week I was totally on plan with my food.  I got in 215 minutes of exercise, which burned 2284 calories. I did take 3 off days, which was probably too many, but it was also a crazy week, so I’m proud that I got in 4 solid days of workouts, even on the days when working out was the last thing I wanted to do (until I started the workout).  It’s becoming part of my lifestyle again, and I love that feeling.

This week, I’m shooting for just one rest day, on Wednesday when I’m going to check out another WLS support group meeting.  Here’s my workout plan:

Sunday: Lululemon yoga – 60 min (done)
Monday: aqua aerobics – 60 min + bike ride with Ani & sis – 45 min
Tuesday: elliptical/bike – 45 min
Wednesday: rest day (WLS support group)
Thursday: swimming – 30 min
Friday: Zumba DVD – 45 min
Saturday: bike ride – 45 min

Until next Sunday, my friends. I hope the scale treats you well, and that you have a wonderful week!

Read Full Post »

Winter Wonderland Weigh-In: Week 3

It’s Winter! Which means that the weather turns chilly and a new year is just beginning. This year the period from January through March is going to be a Winter Wonderland for me – a time to focus on my weight loss and to finally, once-and-for-all achieve my pre-surgery weight loss requirement. Sunday weigh-ins will keep me accountable through the weekend, and will give me a positive goal to begin each new week.  This is the time of year resolutions are made and then quickly forgotten, but not with me.  I’m going to use this season to refresh my outlook, because I’m embarking on more than just a diet plan, I’m going to establish a lifestyle. My Sunday progress updates will be called Winter Wonderland Weigh-Ins.

Week 3 was amazing!  I’m super motivated, on track, and feeling proud of what I accomplished.  If every week is like this one, I’ll be at my goal in no time.

Excellent! So, what did the scale show?!

This morning I weighed in at 298.6, which is down 3.4 lbs from last week. Which means I have 18 pounds to go to reach the pre-surgery requirement. More than 3-4 lbs is exactly what I hope to be losing each week.  Most weight loss plans say 1-2 lbs is the average, and considering my BMI, 3-4 lbs is a good average for me.  It’s all relative.

My own version of JC is going fabulously well, and my weekly grocery bill was $66, rather than $165.  Much better!  I’ve been including plenty of fruits and veggies, protein at every meal, and a nice assortment of snacks that are all keeping me really satisfied.  Working from home is a bit more challenging, with the easy access to all the food, but I’ve been curbing cravings by drinking coffee, tea, and water.

The real difference this past week was that I got workouts in almost every day!  Walking Sofi, elliptical, recumbent bike, aqua aerobics,  & Zumba – I love all the variety because it keeps my body guessing and I don’t get bored.  I worked out for 282 minutes and burned 3107 calories. I had two “buddy dates,” and made plans for more.  One of my co-workers/friends goes to my gym, and her friend finally got her to commit to going on a set schedule, so I will be meeting them on Mon/Wed whenever I can.  Plus, Tinkerbell and Ani both have bikes, so I’m going to set up some biking/walking plans with them. I have my workouts planned out in my iCal for the rest of the month, and I plan to stick to it as much as possible.

Until next Sunday, my friends. I hope the scale treats you well, and that you have a wonderful week!

Read Full Post »

#SaturdayScenes: January 12, 2013

What a spectacular day it’s been, and it’s only about half over! I think every weekend I’m going to start writing a post called either #SaturdayScenes or #SundayScenes, depending on which day is filled with more fun. Who knows, some weekends it might be both. As I was posting photos on Instagram today, I made up the hashtag, and I think it will be fun to keep it as a regular feature on the blog.

So, for those of you who follow me on Twitter or Instagram (bellablogger), you’ve seen these photos, but I thought it would be nice to be able to write a bit more about each of them, as well.

I started out this morning with my first Zumba class in months, and it felt so great to get back to it. I was so eager to give my Blochs a whirl, and so thankful that my heel is feeling better and the PF is giving me a lot less pain. I adore the energy of the class: the music, the movement, the smiles! I brought my friend Ani with me to the class, and it wiped her out! She said she really enjoyed it, but that she wasn’t sure how much more she would be able to do the rest of the day. I’m feeling sore already, but that great kind of sore where you know you used muscles that you haven’t used in forever. Zumba @ 10am on Saturdays is permanently in my iCal (except when I’m proctoring the SAT).

Today when I met Ani at the gym, she told me that she could definitely tell that I’d lost weight since she’d last seen me (NYE), and that made me feel so good!  This week has been fantastic with food & exercise, so I have a good feeling about tomorrow’s scale check-in.

Just look at that blue sky! Yes, it was 50 degrees and really chilly out, but the sun was shining and it was so clear that I just couldn’t resist putting the top down on the Beetle. (It’s funny that here in the Bay Area we’re bracing ourselves for the extreme cold (it’s been dipping below freezing at night), and my friend in Pennsylvania was saying that it was 50 there and she was out enjoying her garden. It’s all about perspective!). I felt so invigorated (and so hot) after the Zumba class, that I wanted to feel the breeze as I made my way to Sprouts to pick up my produce for the week for the week.

My haul from Sprouts. I got veggies, snacks (more on that in a minute), pb, tea, and almond milk for the week for $52. Not bad, at all. My Lean Cuisines/soups/Healthy Choice dinners add another $14, so my total grocery bill is $66 for the week – a far cry from $165/week that I was paying when I was on JC, right? I’m happy to say that my own version of it is working just a well, too. (More on that tomorrow for my weigh-in).

 This is the snack find that made me smile today.  Wasabi Ginger Kettle Corn?  C’mon!  The stats are great, too.  I love the way it tastes, although I wish it was a bit “zingy-er” aka had a bit more heat from the wasabi.  Then again, I love things spicy!  I looked it up for you guys, and it looks like this is sold at Whole Foods and Cost Plus World market, too.  If you try it, let me know what you think of it.

So that was the first half of my Saturday.  Shhhh, don’t tell anyone, but this is an action shot (no doubt illegal) driving home with the top down.

And now, I’m going to watch my 49ers kick some Packer ass!

How did you spend your Saturday?

Read Full Post »