Hiatus Recap

Hello Readers! I'm kidding myself that there are any readers, but still...

Life got really hectic over the last few weeks. Unsurprisingly eating got out of control too. There is simply too much to record here about all that has happened food and fitness wise. So, I'll note a few key things:

Firstly, bootcamp is over. I completed five weeks at the rate of 2-3 days/week. Not bad. I raised the number of pushups I did in 2 minutes from 16 to 50. (I was driven to it by someone yelling over me. On my own, I'd probably do about 30). And I raised the number of squats in 2 minutes from 52 to 115. I love squats. Unlike pushups, they are delightful. Overall, bootcamp was a very unpleasant experience with some really good results - I feel like I have increased my upper-body strength. I haven't lost too many pounds in weight, but my arms have definitely toned down a bit.

Secondly, I overcompensated for the exercise I was doing by eating out of control. I went on a few binges and made not so healthy choices in food on a regular basis. There is not much more to say about this - a uniformly stupid and embarrassing thing really!

Thirdly, given all the crap I put into my body over the past two weeks, it is a good thing that I had resolved to do a detox this month. I had initially planned on doing a 3-day raw food detox. After some research, I decided not to do that, opting instead for a detox inspired by Dr. Gittleman's Fast Track Detox. This is a liver and colon detox that involves:
* A seven day prequel where I eat liver- and colon-friendly foods
* A day-long juice fast
* A three day sequel where I eat probiotic foods to enhance digestion

I am excited about this. I started today, and already feel cravings for "tasty stuff" which translate to sugar- and oil-laden things. GRR!!!

First, memorable pics from my hiatus...

Indian Taco at a fundraiser for the Native American Students. It was divine!

Starbucks coffee w. the date from hell. I cried after leaving.

Then I called my girlfriends and went to get tea and recap my shocking date story.

My first McDonald's meal in about 6 years. Fruit and Maple Oatmeal. This was surprisingly good.


Detox supplies for the week.

3.21.11

Breakfast
Unphotographed Orange Juice and Flaxseed Meal

Lunch
Salad - Mixed Greens, Tomato, Carrots, Strawberries, Mozzarella
w. Olive Oil and Orange Juice Vinaigrette

Snacks

Cashew Cookie Larabar - my favorite!

Walnuts and Tamarind Pistas - I ate a lot more than what was photographed

Strawberries, Kumquats

Apple

My new favorite - Rice cake w. Labneh & Chilli-Garlic in Oil

Dinner
Stir-fried Brocolette, Labneh

Bootcamp Bowling

Blah day today. Nothing new or particular to report. I did not go to bootcamp. My thigh hurts like crazy from yesterday's workout. I tried to take my weight off my damaged knee as I did squats and other stuff - using my thigh muscles instead, and they ache like billy-o! I did go to a bootcamp social gathering thing - bowling with other bootcampers. It was fun.

One of the things I do not like about this bootcamp program is that there is a lot of emphasis on social gatherings outside of class. You are expected to go to some. And much as I appreciate the idea behind building a support system for each other within the class, I wish they would appreciate that some people (like me) dislike the idea of turning down five invitations a week. I am going to quit next month anyway - and this is not the smallest of the reasons why. Bowling was fun though!

I endeavored to start my "Indian month" today -

Breakfast
Moong Dosas w. Sambhar; Blood Orange

Lunch
Lemon Groundnut Rice (this is what I binged on last night)
Unphotographed Apple and Blood Orange

Dinner
So much for homemade Indian food!
Banana-Pear Bread w. Maple Syrup

Post-Bowling
Medhu Vada, Blood Orange
Two and a Half Girl Scout Samoas

Satanic Exercises

When I went to boot-camp last week, it was still orientation time, and we learnt how to do a few basic stretches, did some push-ups, squats and some foam rolling. It was more than I was used to, but pretty manageable. Today was much different. We met outdoors today at 5am. It was freezing cold. We did something awful called "bear crawling". This exercise was probably invented by Satan. I was one of the last people in the line, and did not finish. I was pushing back the tears in my eyes - I felt so awfully out of shape and terrible. And when I finally stood up on my hind legs, I thought I was going to swoon. Then the nausea hit me and I was trying not to gag. Then we did push-ups. Then squats. I am very very sore today.

The only thing that makes it bearable is that my class is pretty supportive. A woman in class told me that I was a "rock-star" for trying. I feel nothing like a rock-star and have a very hard time believing that she meant it. But I know that she meant to be supportive, and I appreciate that. That is what will take me back tomorrow.

Breakfast
WW English Muffin, Cottage Cheese, Blood Orange

Snack
The Samoas finally arrived. I also got a box of Trefoils for the folks at the office. I ate a few of these and a few Thin Mints before realizing that it was starting to look like a binge. I decided to take the rest to the Square Dance class, but the community center was closed for President's Day, and the class was canceled. I've locked them in the boot of my car while I think of another way to get rid of them.

Lunch
Spinach/Acorn Squash/Chickpea/Rice Stew
I had some birthday cake, so did not eat the apple. I wish I'd done the opposite.

Co-worker's Birthday Cake

Dinner
Chappati, Peas Curry
Edamame, Blood Orange x2

Two Day Recap

This is going to be really quick post. I am very happy today. Firstly, my new office furniture has been delivered. It looks wonderful! Secondly, and more importantly, I am following up on a resolution I made at the beginning of the month - the one about taking a mid-month vacation. I took tomorrow off, and am going to Portland to spend the weekend. Other highlights of the week:

* I had a friend over for dinner and a movie. It was wonderfully relaxing
* I went to bootcamp 2x this week. I feel good. I'll up that next week.
* I weighed at WeightWatchers for the first time in 3 weeks. I lost 1 lb.
- this is particularly precious because I had not been eating mindfully

02-16-11

Breakfast
WW English Muffin w. SF Strawberry Preserves; Cottage Cheese

Lunch
Veggie Panini, Kettle Chips

Surprise
I came home to find this in the mail: Bragg's seasoning packets

Dinner
Kimchi Soup made by my dinner guest

Red Pepper Artichoke Pasta; Spinach/Pear/Pecan Salad
I forgot to take a pic yesterday. I had the same thing for dinner tonight

We watched an Iranian movie while drinking Sparkling Lemonade
And eating unphotographed ice-cream bars

02-17-11

Breakfast
Banana (pre-bootcamp)

Oatmeal w. Pear, Pecans, Maple Syrup

Lunch
Red Pepper Artichoke Pasta, Bosc Pear, SF Coconut Cookies
I had a few more cookies after this.

Snack
Ryvita, Habanero Cheddar x2
I also had a bit of Wensleydale

Dinner
Pasta, Spinach/Pear/Pecan Salad. Same as yesterday. Same pic too!
Unphotographed icecream bars (2)

Bootcamp Begins

I started the bootcamp today. It was interesting. The guy definitely tries to get in some positive energy, but it was tough and I was not allowed to whine, and I am slightly sore. It was a busy day and I had the my square dance class at night. I think I like being active, but I barely got any time to recover from my day - I was up at 4am, and have been busy since. I think I need to cut back on my Tuesday night class and say no to more than a few social commitments. I know that I resolved to be more social this month, but I think I might have overdone it a bit.

Breakfast
Idli, Tamarind-Coconut Chamandi, Tea

Lunch
WW English Muffin, Gouda Cheese, Edamame, Pear

Snack
The Valentine Fairy brought this. I ate two pieces of candy.

Dinner
Sesame Ryvita w. Habanero Cheddar

Rice Cake w. Cottage Cheese and Honey

Exercise
Morning: Bootcamp
Evening: Square Dance Class

Bootcamp Sales Pitches and Goat Cheese

After work today I went to the bootcamp orientation. The room was packed full with about 50 women and three men. The trainer is a big and muscular guy who gave us what amounted to an hour long TV commercial-like sales-pitch about what he can do for us, and then said how much he hated TV commercials. He reminded me of a juvenile frat-boy in the body of a 50 year old. But, over-the-top pep-talking and bad-food-attitudes aside, he was quite nice. He was full of positive energy and sounds like a good person to have on my team of encouragers. I join on Monday. I am terrified.

Somewhere in his spiel, he also inserted the obligatory, "you will be eating differently and will look at food that you like now and only think of how many millions of calories it has, and will give it up". I am not a big fan of that sort of thinking. Food is wonderful and must be enjoyed. Turning a favorite food into a "hated food" is not my idea of a sustainable diet. Such food-attitudes can only come with guilt and shame - not very positive feelings to have. It is much more sensible to eat what you want to eat, and to exercise portion control.

Which is exactly what I did not do today. I had goat cheese on both lunch and dinner foods. And when it comes to goat cheese, no such thing as "portion control" exists in my realm of consciousness...

Breakfast
Milky Tea; WW Flatbread w. SF Strawberry Preserves

Lunch
Pesto Tofu, Forest Mushrooms and Goat Cheese Sandwich
Edamame. I did not eat the pear.

Dinner
Caramelized Onion, Eggplant and Chevre Pizza.
I had three slices - one half of a small pizza.

Contemplation: Boot Camp

I did something very scary today. I signed on for a month of Boot Camp classes! I think I will start on the first of February. This is really scary for me. I have always had a fear of exercise. Especially in a group setting. Even more so of rigorous exercise. A complexity of factors contribute to this fear - I am worried that I will not be able to do what everyone else is able to. I am afraid that I will whine and give up too easily. I am afraid of how my body looks and moves compared to the lithe and lissome bodies of others in the class. I am afraid I will be holding the others back. Perhaps all of these are excuses.

Today I decided to be somewhat excuse-free. In between sessions today, I checked my email and found a group deal for a month of boot camp classes. I did not give myself time to think. I purchased it right away and decided to worry about what I would do with the membership later. I will probably end up going. One wonderful trait I have developed over years of fiscal difficulties is that when I pay for something, I make sure that I get what I am entitled to from that something. I hope that my zeal to extract full value from my purchases overrides my fear of exercise - especially exercise that is called "boot camp".

Breakfast
Same as yesterday - Fruit, Bagel/Cream Cheese, Coffee

Snack
Starbucks in Seattle!
Drinking decaf at the birthplace of Starbucks. It was foggy!

Lunch
Box Lunch at the conference - Grilled Veg Sandwich, BBQ Chips, Diet Coke.
I only ate a piece of the cupcake and saved the apple for another time.

Dinner
I decided that I did not want to eat train food for dinner. So, I bought this at the hotel:
Vietnamese Salad Rolls w. Soy Dip

Train Snack
Pretzel chips and Roasted Garlic Hummus