Trying to be Wonder Woman

I am frustrated today. My co-worker has been away sick for the past 2 days, so I have had to pick up some of her duties. I actually don't mind, I like to stay busy, but within reason. However, this is still a fairly new position for me, so I am not totally confident in my work. Of course I keep running into anomalies, which for someone who has been here long enough, would be no biggie, but it just seems like nothing is straight forward today. As a result I am falling behind and the work keeps piling up. For the past two days, I have wanted to go to the gym at lunch and do cardio, but I have been too busy to take a lunch. I find it frustrating because then I feel like I have to make up those cardio sessions later this week and my week is already full as it is (as it always is). Since Wes works tonight, going to the gym is not an option, so I will have to do cardio at home. Not my preference that is for sure. I have a ton of other things that I need to do eventually, sleep being only one of them. Laundry to put away, chicken to be cut up, weighed and packaged, meatloaf to be packaged, dinner dishes to clean up, plus all the regular stuff that goes along with trying to get Tay bathed, teeth brushed, jammies on and get her to sleep. Sometimes, I just wish I could come home and park my butt on the couch and do nothing all evening, except watch TV. But the guilt would kill me, I am sure. How do people do it? Sometimes it feels like I am expected to be Wonder Woman or something. Not sure who expects this, but I often feel like a failure because I am not.

Ran Over by the Wagon Wheel

That damn Wagon Wheel finally got me. I think it sent out initial attacks with Ritz Bits with cheddar, and pudding.... I was doing so well, and then I tripped and found myself snacking on Tay's crackers and pancakes and pudding.... Then, I was tackled by the Wagon Wheel. I do so well during the week, but once the weekends come around I tend to fall apart. I have found that I am much more productive when I have a structured day, like work days. Weekends are less structured so I never seem to get moving or get much done. As a result, I tend to slack on the water consumption, which leads to missing meals, which leads to mindless snacking. I need to figure out how to get more structure in my weekends, but still feel like I am getting a break....

My Oatmeal Pancakes

The hardest meal for me to eat clean has got to be breakfast. I prefer a savory breakfast, not a sweet one, yet it seems most breakfast recipes are sweet. I also hate eggs and egg whites in particular, or anything that tastes like them. That doesn't really leave very many options. I have come up with an oatmeal pancake recipe that I love. Even though it is sweet, I still like eating this almost daily. Tay even likes them.

In a blender or food processor combine;

• 1/3 cup cottage cheese,
• 1/3 oatmeal and
• 3 egg whites.
• Sweeten to your preference. Whether you use sugar, splenda, agave nector, it doesn't really matter.

Add

• 1/2 tsp cinnamon and
• 1/2 tsp vanilla.

Continue to mix until everything is smooth. Pour out pancakes onto hot griddle, sprayed with Pam. Cook on med-low. Flip when bottom is golden brown. You can eat them with your choice of syrop, regular or SF, fruit preserves etc. I really like to top mine with natural almond and hazelnut butter and SF syrop. Or, natural peanut butter and sugar free jam, then roll them up. Wrap in tinfoil or plastic wrap and you have a portable snack. This is how Tay likes them.

My family

Tay and Mommy at the Sun's Kids Christmas Party. This is 2 days after we go back from Mexico, which explains the tans.

Tay and Daddy. Wes is the best dad I have ever met. Tay is very lucky.

Footloose and Fancy Free

Wes and I have been together since I was 16, since we were both so young, neither of us ever did the 'single' thing. We never dated, or lived on our own. I lucked out and found a great guy and from the stories I hear from my single girlfriends, there are not many like him out there. So, I have never really felt like I was ripped off in the dating scene. I have always said, "I know what I have and I am not willing to sacrifice losing that, just to do the whole dating/single thing." But, I have to admit, I like my alone time. So, when Wes goes snowboarding for the weekend, I really don't have a problem with it, and often encourage it. Yesterday, I lucked out in that Wes's mom wanted to have Tay for the night. I had already arranged for Tay to go over there for the afternoon so that I could get to the gym and pick up groceries, so it was definitely a nice bonus to have the entire evening free as well! WOOHOO! Let's go dancing! Nope, even better then that! I layed in bed, watching TV and reading magazines then I went to sleep! I am willing to bet that most women who are married with children would agree that the latter is much more appealing. Sad, but true. I had a fantastic day yesterday; I had a great work out, did some cardio and stretching, then I went and spent too much time and too much money at the grocery store (all good stuff though). After the groceries were put away, I made a bite to eat, cleaned the kitchen, then plopped myself down and vegged for the rest of the night. It was great! Grandma should be bring Tay home around noon. I miss her and am anxious to see her. I like my time alone, but I miss my time with my family.

Workout

Warm Up
Glute activation and hip mobility stuff

RDL 95/105/115/125/135 lbs x 5
Leg press 270 lbs x 8 x 3
Split Squat 75 x 12 x 2
Cable Cross Chop 25 lbs x 10 x 3

Feeling Good

Thinking back to yesterday, I think it turned out to be a very encouraging day. Despite two social get togethers, both of which have the potential to be fairly high calorie events, I was able to stick with my plan and not once did I feel cheated. I had a 'healthy' potluck lunch at work that was actually pretty decent. As I mentioned in my previous post, I made Asian Chicken Salad, and it was a hit. It turned out so good, I will definitely be making that again. Previous office 'food days' were usually filled with high fat, high sugar delights, but yesterday turned out really good. We had cold tomatoe soup (homemade), my salad, fruit tray, veggie tray, cheese and crackers, and sherbet for dessert. I am not a sherbet (or ice cream) fan, so I didn't have any, but at least I know a dish I can bring for future potlucks that is on plan. So even if there isn't anything else I can eat, I can at least have that. I also met up with my friend at the gym, then we went for dinner, then coffee. We took our time at the gym, chatted a lot, then went to Mongolie Grill. I love that place, because I can pick whatever I want in my stir fry, so I loaded it with chicken, scallops and veggies. It was so good. At Starbuck's I discovered a new treat; SF Caramel, NF Americano Misto. It is heaven in a cup, and sin free! (for the most part). Anyhoo, here is my workout for yesterday, Friday, January 9, 2009:

Warm Up
Bent over flyes 10 lbs x 12 x 3
Lying 1 arm scap protraction 20 lbs x 20 x 2
Pulldown 70 lbs 10 x 2
Scap push ups BW x 20 x 2

Military press 45/50/50/55/55 lbs x 5
Chin Ups I band x 5 x 5
Seated Cable Rows 80 lbs x 8 x 3
Incline DB press 25 lbs x 12 x 2
Poor boy shoulder horn 12.5 lbs x 10 x 2

lil of this, lil of that

Ahhhhh, it is finally Friday. This week seemed long. I guess being the first 5 day week in almost a month would feel long. Things are going well. I took an unscheduled rest day yesterday. I had wanted to do my yoga video last night, but I had to make a salad for a potluck lunch at work. By the time I finished making the salad, and cleaning up the kitchen, it was 10 pm and I still had to eat something. I just don’t understand how people have time to follow a TV series. I have not turned the TV on this whole week. Every evening is full with getting Tay to bed, working out, prepping meals, cleaning up…… We have PVR and I used to always record all these shows I wanted to watch, but I never got around to watching them. After a year of them sitting on our PVR, unwatched, I finally deleted them. Priorities I guess, but some days all I want to do is plant my butt on the couch and channel surf.

I almost caved last night. Tay was packing her lunch for her first day of pre-school (which is today), and she pulled out the box of Wagon Wheels. She decided against a Wagon Wheel and left the damn thing on the counter. It haunted me. Every time I looked over, that is all I saw. I even check out the counts, just to see if it was possible to squeeze in. Ultimately, I decided against it. I knew I was hungry; it had been too long since my last meal, so I had some soup instead.

I am going to the gym tonight with one of my bestest friends. Afterwards, we are going to go out for dinner, somewhere healthy. She is watching her weight too, so that makes it easy to decide on a place to eat. I am looking forward to it; we haven’t seen each other in a while. Sometimes, January is nice. Everyone has their diet plans, which usually fall by the way side by mid-February. Today, at work we are having a “healthy” potluck lunch; which is nice, since there won’t be any junk to tempt me. I decided to make something I could eat, so I decided to make an Asian Chicken Salad. Other things that will be there include; veggies and dip, fruit, another salad, ‘almost’ FF tomato soup, and sherbet. I am kinda excited about it!

I have also joined a ski/snowboard club for women. My bestest friend from above, talked me into joining Chix on Stix. It is a way to meet other women who are learning the sport, so that we can all ride together. I have been snowboarding for about 9 years, and I suck. Suck. Very. Bad. I never had anyone to go with. Wes snowboards and we used to go together once or twice a year, but that is about all I ever went. He went with his friends more often and in general is just way more athletic then I ever will be, so he has become really good at it. For me, it is hard to make any gains when you only go a couple times a year. Then I got pregnant and I never had the time to go, so I sold all my stuff. Now I have a friend who is interested in trying it out, and since I suck so bad, I may as well learn all over again with her. Hmmm, maybe I can go on snowboard trips over the weekends now….. I just had to throw that in since Wes is leaving tomorrow morning to go snowboarding with a friend for the weekend. Lol

I am looking forward to this weekend somewhat. Tomorrow, Wes’s mom is going to meet me at Tay’s gymnastics class and take Tay for the afternoon. That will give me a chance to get to the gym and get groceries. Going to the gym and grocery shopping is, as far as I am concerned, the makings for a great afternoon. So, I am looking forward to the time to myself. Afterwards, I will pick up Tay and we girls will hang out for a bit until it is bed time. I just have to remember to bring some food along with me when I go out Saturday afternoon, otherwise I may end up grumbling…. Don’t want that.