Progress, not Perfection - 2012 - Month #1

FnV - can't wait to hear how the cocktail sauce recipe turns out. I found a new Heinz ketchup in my regular supermarket today. It's called Simply Heinz... much purer than their regular ketchup.

Ingredients: tomato concentrate from red ripe tomatoes, distilled vinegar, sugar, salt, onion powder, spice, natural flavoring. Although it does have sugar as the 3rd ingredient, at least it doesn't have high fructose corn syrup. I figured that was a little better....

I'm going to try it on my next hamburger patty sans bun ... I'm starting to like those.. not missing the bun at all lately. Progress :rolleyes:

I also took a big leap and bought one tiny filet (mini size really) of tilapia and one regular sized filet of fresh wild caught haddock. I did used to eat a little cod or haddock when I lived in Massachusetts. I'll give them a try. I know they won't kill me...lol I'll pan fry them in butter and drizzle lemon juice on top.

I did try the coconut oil. The jury is still out. It wasn't horrible, but I wasn't crazy about it either.

Congrats on your A in Stats !!! I had faith !!! Speech class this semester.. that will be a 180 degree turn from Stats ....

Stacy - how was your day ???? Did you do ME this morning or was that too much before work... I can not work out first thing in the morning... even though I'm a morning person. When I was working, I always worked out as soon as I got home from work... or went straight from work to the gym. I couldn't do it in the morning and if I didn't do it immediately after work, it didn't get done.

Deanna - Hopefully you've had a nice relaxing day in your jammies !!!

Breakfast - what is getting to be my every day breakfast. Bacon and eggs and fruit (had an orange this morning) and coffee, of course... duh...

Late lunch - 3:00-ish. 8 oz of stir fry beef.... yea.... 8 ounces.. lol. I'm trying to do 2 large meals today and see what happens. so.. beef... stir fried with lots of green pepper, halved grape tomatoes, chopped garlic and chopped scallions... Stir fried in olive oil. Avocado slices on the side. Yummy.

Before bed... I'm going to have 1/2 cup FF Greek yogurt and 1/2 cup fresh blueberries.

Carbs are right at about 40 now.. before the yogurt and bberries.

I did the 2nd part of Pure Strength.

I think for Fri, Sat and Sun, I'll do treadmill Fri and Sat and go to step class Sunday... cause I think Cathe is going to kill me next week. Just watching Turbo Barre and I was sore... lol
 
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Great job on eats and workout, Susan. Your meals sound yummy. LOL to coffee/duh. How are you liking PS? My legs are still stiff from me doing PLB and just working out in general. I really need to stretch more.

I'm having trouble staying primal today but still doing ok, just thinking about pbj on white bread. I just had more salmon and some non primal but not carb laden cheese and a few nuts so we'll see how it all turns out. I am short on veggies today. Hmm, a connection?

I am going to return paleo half read, finish primal and skim wheat belly or read, depending on how it hits me. In the meantime, I am headed to bed soon with a fiction (gasp) book. Girl w/ the Dragon Tattoo. I figured if they made a movie about it, it might be a good read and so far I am enjoying it. I used to be a voracious reader before kids, then switched to parenting, non fiction, self help yadda yadda and now I have trouble finding fiction that I enjoy. I used to love to get lost in trashy steamy romance stuff, I just can't buy it anymore.

The cocktail sauce wasn't too bad, fyi. : )

I think tomorrow will be CW (in full) or ME.

Looking forward to hearing from everyone~ manana~
 
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I'll have to try making some cocktail sauce... need to get some horseradish.

Don't get me started on PB&J on bread... yikes.... I'll be dreaming about it :p

Cheese is primal..... it's not paleo.... but I'm a primal girl.. well.. except for all the saturated fat... lol

I'm off to bed too. I have about 4 books on my night stand... not sure what will float my boat tonight. I used to be a huge mystery reader... not so much lately. I may re-read Pride & Prejudice.. my favorite book of all time.

I'm really liking Pure Strength. That's the one Stacy called "pure gold." Thanks Stacy !!!! It really is good... I like the older workouts. They are uncomplicated.

See y'all for coffee......
 
Hi guys, late checkin for me. I had the option getting a little extra sleep this morning or working out. I chose sleep. Thursdays are the only day I dont have to leave the house at 7am. FnV...I do have to fit workouts in, but I also have to fit in sleep and eating, and sometimes something's gotta give. I'm trying to develop my "just do it" mantra but some days I really do just need some sleep.

Food today...not horrible

B--lower sugar oatmeal and almonds
L--banana, carrots and celery with about 1 Tbsp ranch dip
S--was still hungry and only thing at work was the vending machine...potato chips :(
D--went to the mall with hubby right after work, he needed shoes and I apparently had to help pick them out, didnt leave work til 6:30 done shoe shopping at 8 and I hadnt eaten dinner yet....went to Cheesecake Factory and I had an omelet with mushrooms, tomato, bacon and red onion, ate a few forkfuls of the hashbrowns that came with it and gave the English muffins to hubby

So, obviously could be better, but not bad.

I'm tired, going to bed! Definitely plan on regrouping and catching up on some sleep this weekend to recharge!

Here's a recipe I found, you may have already seen it, didnt have time to read everyone's posts in their entirety, but plan to later...

http://lowcarbdiets.about.com/od/saucesandmarinades/r/sugarfreecocktailsauce.htm
 
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Stacy, thanks for recipe link, perfect. Also, hopefully I didn't sound like I think you need to get more workouts in...I was trying to say that if I had your schedule I'd probably never work out...so hats off to you being as consistent as you are. I admire.

Susan, gotcha, cheese primal ok, but I was so short on plants being at the bottom of my pyramid and so it felt like another layer of not meeting specs. Never read Pride and Pred. so if it is your favorite I am thinking I would also enjoy it, I'll try to remember.

Hi Deanna!

BBL with w/o info complete
 
TGIF

I am up getting ready for work. I am feeling sooooooooo much better, that Z-Pack does wonders. I am still coughing but not as much and I can feel my sinus drying. :) Maybe I can get back to exercising next week.

Deanna
 
Good morning !!!

I'm very late... lol

Stacy - thanks for the recipe.. looks great !!! And I agree with FnV - if I had your work schedule I'd never exercise, so whatever you do get in is fantastic. Also, great job on eating 3 meals yesterday !!! That's great progress.

Deanna - so glad you are truly on the mend... it's been a long haul. TGIF !!!

FnV - I love Pride and Prejudice.. but you have to like old-fashioned English romances. The best movie version of it stars Colin Firth as Mr. Darcy and Jennifer Ehle as Elizabeth Bennet. It was a BBC production and was shown originally on A&E as a mini-series and subsequently shown on PBS.

My parents gave me the DVD for Christmas one year and I've watched it dozens of times... lol

Amazon.com: Pride and Prejudice - The Special Edition (A&E Miniseries): Colin Firth, Jennifer Ehle, David Bamber, Crispin Bonham-Carter, Anna Chancellor, Susannah Harker, Barbara Leigh-Hunt, Adrian Lukis, Julia Sawalha, Alison Steadman, Benjamin Whit

But I've also read the book a dozen times in my 66 years... :D

I'm late.. off to the gym...

bbl....
 
FnV - the way that I understand Primal is that most of your calories are going to come from protein.. then fats... but the largest quantity of food will be veggies.....

does that make sense???
 
Good eve, I did do CW step and compound wts premix. I had fun and much better energy today. Tomorrow is ME and I should be ready to hit it.

I also met three nice men who gave me money today.... ; > ha ha, I sold a couple of textbooks on craigslist and collected dd babysitting paycheck.

Susan, what you said makes sense, but I am not sure how that could really work out. I've been tracking on fitday. So Primal "good" days where my protein might be salmon, chicken breast no skin, ground beef extra lean, lean pork chop or maybe 2 eggs (those are definitely high fat) and my total protein grams is between .7 to 1 gram ideal body weight, carbs less than 100, more than 6 servings of veg and fruit, no grains or added sugar and fat only added for cooking veg or salad dressings. The PIE chart on fitday always shows about 50 percent of total cal coming from fat in the diet and about 25/25 for protein and carb.

So yes, quantity (bottom of the Primal food pyramid) is plants, next higher quantity/ layer is meats, next layer is fats (smaller quantity, higher in the pyramid), but because a gram of fat has more cal than a gram of protein or carb, it ends up having about a 50 percent proportion of calorie intake.

At least that is what I am seeing on my fit day. To get fat a lower proportion of Calories, you'd have to avoid all the nuts, oils, half n half and merely eat the very very leanest types of meat. Which may be what he intends, but I actually read him say " slather butter" on your veggies if that is what you would enjoy.

So hopefully that also makes sense. Are we saying the same thing? What do you think?

ha ha, pride prejudice, progress not perfection, primal paleo...I think we have an alliteration theme going on...

oh and PS, I got my plants in today...2 apples, asparagus, mushrooms (do they count?), yellow squash, .5 avocado, grape tomatoes, peppers and sugar snap peas.
 
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Yes.... 50% fat and 25/25 protein/carb is perfect.

Because.. as you know.... 9 calories per fat gram and 4 calories per gram for everything else...

You don't want to go lower than that on the fats.. and he does say slather butter....

yup... we are on the same track... lol.

That's about where I am... 55% fat, 20-25% protein and 20-25% carbs.

That's what I meant to say.. but said it wrong.... the most calories will come from fat.. but the largest quantity of food will be from veggies..fruits and proteins.

lol... I think that's what I'm trying to say....

geeze.. I must be getting old..

anyway... you are correct.. your percentages are spot on !!!

Been researching fish oil supplements... lol.. always gotta have something to research.....

anyone have any thoughts on fish oil supplements ??

I've just been over at Swansons looking at Nordic Naturals and Carlsons brands.....

I tried the haddock for supper tonight... yech.... I ain't a fish eater.. ain't never gonna be a fish eater.... lol

hence the interest in fish oil supplements..

okay... off to bed..

see y'all for coffee !!!!!

Am hoping my weight tracker is showing my correct total loss of 2 lbs this year.... lol
 
Good morning my friends !!!

I'm up early.. have finished my coffee and Internet browsing and I'm off to the gym to get my treadmill done and get to my long ToDo list for the weekend.

I'm supposed to do the Legs part of Pure Strength today.. but I'm resting up for the 4 weeks of killer Cathe rotation staring Monday... lol..... I'm really looking forward to it, but I also know that it's going to kill me :p

Make it a great day !!!

back later this afternoon....
 
Yep, Susan, we are on the same page...I did spin for a bit, thinking...whaaaat?

Its funny, b/c I had been looking at that darn pie chart showing 50 percent of my daily cal coming from fat and feeling worried about it.

Its big change from my former ideal of 20 percent or less from fat, 50 grams or less of protein and the rest carbs in the form of plants and whole grains.

Lets keep that clean eating ball in the air (Susan, WTG on 2 pds, by the way!)

I'm looking at next week too. I now have a file called The Susan Rotation in my Cathe documents. : ) Cathe is loving you into fitness!!

A lot the rotation looks like stuff you do but just takes it to a higher level or incorporates new workouts. You can still modify, pause, etc.... How are you really feeling about it?

How do you eat an elephant? One bite at a time...week one

Mon....(lower) Turbo Barre

Tues...(cardio) 30 minutes on treadmill at 1% incline at 3.7 pace. Then go right into LIS Low Impact step challenge doing the BONUS SEGMENT ONLY. This segment is about 25 to 30 minutes and usues light weight with basic steps.

Wed...(upper) Pyramid Upper Body

Thurs...(cardio) Step class at gym followed by 15 minute brisk walk on treadmill at gym.

Fri...off

Sat...(total Body Weights) Muscle Max

Sun....(cardio) first 20 minutes of LIS Slide and Glide followed by the first 15 minutes of Athletci training (after the warm up) followed by LIS Yoga Relax timesaver workout. Choose the premix that eliminates the balance challenge section.

I should be able to follow along pretty well and where I don't have the exact same (like treadmill) I will find a similar substitute. Anyone else on this check in wanna do the same? hint hint
 
supplements

Oh, re fish oil...Primal Mark says he takes fish oil everyday even tho he also eats fish frequently.

I looked at his 130 dollar a month supplements and could see the value in it, but its not in my budget. Plus, i need to walk the basic primal walk for a while before I start fleshing out the finite expensive details.

So...my compromise (always looking for the magic bullet in a bottle)....was fish oil ( I bought the carlson lemon cod liver oil), a Swanson probiotic and some CoQ10. I will stick with those and use up whatever supplements I already have on hand that include multi's, cinnamon, and I don't even know what all sorts of witch craft--- but I don't get to buy more until I've taken all that I already own--even if I can't remember why I thought they were important! LOL.
 
FnV - I agree... having 50 - 55% of total calories from fat is a 180 degree turn from what I thought was healthy... but.... I really am feeling good eating this way and my carb cravings are going away.... even more so now that I've eliminated the white potatoes... and for starchy things am sticking with bananas, sweet potatoes and occasionally white rice. Those 3 don't trigger carb cravings (for me) and bananas and sweet potatoes have lots of potassium and sweet potatoes have lots of great vitamins and minerals.

And.. I've lost 2 pounds this year/week without really trying because I'm full from eating all that protein and fat..... soo... it's all good.

And congrats on your 2.5 lbs !!!! Way to go !!!

I'm really really excited about starting the new rotation. I am going to modify as needed..... I know that a lot of the workouts that I haven't ever done... mostly from LIS... are going to be way too much for me in the beginning... but I'll do what I can and push myself so I don't wimp out :)

The only glitch in the program.... I had told Cathe that I did step class Tuesdays and Sundays at the gym..... and that's true.. but she assumed that the gym also offered step class on Thursdays...... but they don't. They only have Step class on Tuesdays and Sundays. So Cathe put Thurs step class in the schedule a couple of times. I'll just do a Cathe step DVD at home instead.

Otherwise... I'm going to stick to the program exactly for 4 weeks... then probably do it again :)

I can't afford a bunch of supplements either.. and.. I really don't think they are necessary. But I do think fish oil is a good idea for the omega 3s.

Right now, I take a daily Vit D and a Vit C. I get Nature Made brand at Walmart. I've taken those for years.

I'm looking at Carlson's Omega-3 lemon in the liquid and Nordic Natural's same thing..... From what I've read, they are both good brands. The Carlson's is a little cheaper if I remember correctly (I was at Swanson's last night.)

Stacy - are you working again this weekend???? I hope not !!!

Deanna - where are you???? Feeling better?

Off to tackle my ToDo list... lol

Progress, not Perfection !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
 
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Good morning...um...afternoon!!

I'm being very lazy this morning, not necessarily unmotivated, just relaxing. I'm finishing coffee cup #3. I have finished reading a book this morning and ready to start another...probably The Girl With the Dragon Tatoo (are you still reading this FnV??), and I've also finished working a jigsaw puzzle I started a few days ago. I have NO plans for today other than to workout, what that workout will be I dunno yet!

Congrats on the weight loss ladies!! Yesterday was a non-PB free day. I've been doing okay given my screwy work hours. I havent weighed myself regularly.

I'm eyeing the workout rotation, I think I'll join you two! I will probably have to modify and/or skip a day altogether b/c sometimes I work night hours too :( I will try my best though! I also dont have some of the workouts so I'm going to have to improvise. I'm going to write out the rotation today and match it up with my work schedule and the workouts that I do have and come up with a plan!! I'm really needing the workout buddies right now!!

Deanna...hoping you're feeling better and will back to kickin' butt soon!

I'll check back later after my workout!

I have the entire weekend off. I'm SO stoked!!
 
Ok, I looked over Cathe's rotation and the generally plan is...

M--Lower Body (I'll alternate Turbo Barre with another Lower Body, maybe Butts & Guts)

T--Cardio (probably will do treadmill or kickboxing)

W--PUB (I'm going to also add abs)

R--Cardio

F--Off

Sa--Total Body (I will try to stick with STS or alternate that with High Reps) + abs

Su--Cardio

Most weeks I should be able to get in most of these workouts. There's one week I may have to modify b/c I work alot of hours and Thursdays I will have to "just do it" before work! I will probably do whatever cardio I have the energy for that day.

I'm planning on a circuit workout today, maybe C&W or Jillian's NMTZ's. Then Sunday some sort of cardio, and I'll be ready for Turbo Barre on Monday!!
 
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Quickie check back...just completed ME. I AM EXHAUSTED. Maybe I should be using lighter wts when I do the endurance workouts? I've got my teeth bared just about the whole time,lol. It took me 1.5 hours instead of an hour since I paused a few times for wt changes and a few times to breathe.

Susan, I agree with all your comments!

Stacy, glad you are joining the rotation, yep, the workout buddy system will be a bonus for us. Yes, I am still reading Girl w/ Dragon Tat. Let me know how you like it! I'm not quite halfway. Your relaxation sounds fun.

Deanna, what are you up to? I was thinking of you going out for one of your weekend runs this morning because my weather here is beautiful and it would be perfect for that, lol. Hopefully you are having nice weekend weather, too.

Breakie was eggs, peppers and mushrooms.
 
Stacy !!!! What a treat.... to have the whole weekend off !! Enjoy it my friend. You have earned it. And it sounds like your morning has been perfect !!

and.. I'm thrilled that you are going to join us with the new rotation. The more the better !!!!!

I just got home from quick trip to Whole Foods..... I can't afford to do all of my food shopping there... but I am using them for a few things....

I'm buying cage free eggs that they get from a local farmer...... and I bought a small tub of Fage whole fat Greek yogurt to try... I may just keep using my Chobani from the regular supermarket unless the Fage is spectacular....

and I had bought pasture butter there last week which is good.... and..

got 2 small bottles of fish oil. One is Carlson and the other is Nordic Natural. Each is good for about a month. So I'll try both, see which one I like better and then order a larger bottle from Swanson... it's much much cheaper at Swanson....

I think the only things that I'll buy on a regular basis at Whole Foods are: cage free eggs, pasture butter, coconut oil and maybe 1/2 n 1/2.....

back to chores... lol

ETA: It's beautiful here in NC also... going to turn cooler tomorrow though. But today it's like spring. I have all the windows open... letting the fresh air roll on through. I love fresh air !!!

FnV - I'm no expert... for sure..... Stacy is the expert.... but I do think that on the endurance weight workouts that lighter weights would be better......
 
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Afternoon check-in....

I completed Jillian's NMTZ and it kicked my booty!! There's no jumping in this one but I sweat my tail off! I had to drop to 3 lb dumbells for some of the shoulder work. Then I got somewhat motivated and took my Xmas tree down in the finished basement, and then got the ornaments off the tree in the living room as well as took down the holiday decor. That meant extra work for my legs with all the walking up to out walk-in attic on the second floor (it's really an unfinished room over the garage) to get the ornament boxes and then all the way down to the basement, then all the way back up, same for the living room. I must've walked up and down the steps at least 20+ times!

All I've eaten today was 2 pieces of cold pizza for breakfast leftover from yesterday. I'm starving right now, the workout and steps worked up an appetite. I have about 5 loads of laundry to do over the course of tonight and tomorrow. I've been meaning to do a load here or there after work but havent wanted to deal with anymore work after work!

Off to find some dinner! I'm excited about this rotation!! The general plan works fairly well with my schedule so after this month I think I'll stick with it with different workouts, but we'll see how my workout ADHD goes!
 
Stacy - Way to go on both of your workouts... With Jillian and with Christmas Decoration Put Away Max ...:D

I must admit I'm an avid Biggest Loser watcher and I miss Jillian. She wasn't on the last series and, of course, not on this new season that started this past week. I figure if I keep watching the show, it will motivate me to lose weight and not gain any more !!!

I just took my first teaspoonful of fish oil... lol. I opened the Carlson's first. It's lemon flavored and doesn't taste fishy at all. Tasted more like lemon flavored olive oil !!

I had it with dinner.... it says to take it with food.

For dinner, I cooked up 8 ounces of London Broil..... 4 oz for today and 4 oz of leftover for tomorrow's lunch. And cooked a big bag of BirdsEye mixed broccoli and cauliflower... no sauce.. no sodium.... Nuked 'em in the microwave and put 2 teaspoons of butter and the juice of half a fresh lemon on top... and voila... dinner !!! And.. yes.. I ate the whole bag. It says it is 3 1/2 servings.

Steak and veggies.. it doesn't get any better than that !!

My supermarket had London Broil on sale this week. So I bought a 2 lb one and cut it into 4 8-oz pieces. That's 8 meals... but I cook an 8 oz piece each time.... 4 oz to eat then and 4 oz for leftovers.

The price isn't too bad if it's on sale and you eat 4 oz per meal.....

I had a late breakfast.. mid-morning.. the usual... bacon and eggs and coffee... and that's it...

2 large meals today. I'll have a handful of whole almonds before I go to bed..

See y'all for coffee in the morning......

Deanna - how are you feeling?????? We have to get you healthy !!

ETA: I forgot to mention... I had 1/4 cup of FF yogurt and a banana before I went to the gym.... and an orange with my bacon and eggs after the gym. 69.5 grams of carbs today !!!
 
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