New Orleans Recap

Friday through Monday I was onn a trip to New Orleans to visit my dad for the holidays. I have never been to New Orleans before and I LOVE it. It is a great city.
I may be going over bored on enjoying vacation but did ok. Here is a quick recap of my eats on my trip.
Saturday Dec 27
breakfast= banana, chick-fil-a biscuit :) (a yummy treat at the airport)
lunch= diet coke, 2/3 of a burger and 1/3 of fries (we were at a burger place and it was worth it)
I felt gross in the afternoon. (too much grease) When ever I eat fatty food, my chest hurts. So instead of sitting around the hotel I went to the gym for a light work out. I wasnt in the mood for a hard work out but moving and sweating a little felt good.
exercize= 5 min walk, 1mi @ 10min/mi, and 15 min 4 mph inclin 7
dinner= diet coke, salad: lettuce, tomato, mozzerella, basil and mint, 6 shrimps sauted in olive oil
treat= 1/2 daquiri, 1 rum & diet coke
Sunday Dec 28
breakfast= yogurt, fruit and granola, and a few of aislinn's (my sister) homefries.
lunch= diet coke, 1 fried pickle, 1 mini meat pie, 1 bite catfish cake, chicken club sandwhich: bun, chicken, lettuce, tomato, cheese, ranch.
dinner= diet coke, a house salad, a taste of gumbo, I dont remember the name but it was a squash like veggie stuffed with chopped shrimp with a scampi like sauce and topped with bread crumbs (a local friend of my dad's recommended it. It was AMAZING!) and a few potaos
dessert= 1/2 a praline and a pack of M&Ms
Monday Dec 29
exercize= great interval run; 5 min wal, 40min run, 5 min walk
breakfast= cinnomon raisin bagel w/ little cream cheese, ~ 1 egg scrammbled, a few homefries, a bunch of citrus fruit, yogurt & mixed berries
snack= 1 1/2 benegis (sp?) and a cafe de lait
snack= diet coke, plane peanuts, and apple
dinner= chicken tetrizzinni (sp?), peas
dessert= Coconut Cake
while watching a movie= choclate carmel popcorn and some candy (maybe a littlee binge).

I could have done better. I wasnt that healthy but I enjoyed the food and trip. My orginal plan was to go back to school today but I am not anymore. I have got to stop eating so much crap though.

Recovery

Last night was not a good night. I started off eating just a couple chocolates but it escalated. I had a big binge. I was bored and tired. I also think the lack of lunch didnt help either. I had the following (in no order): 1 piece of fudge, 1 chocolate stick, 3 Lindon Truffles, 2 piece boxed chocolates, 1 Turkish Delight candy, a Pecan Puff, a Cookie Press Cookie, a small piece of Tropical Ginger Cake, a small piece of Happy Birthday Jesus Cake, and some M&Ms. I slept like crap from all the sugar. I kept waking up, a tossed and turned (my comforter wwas on the floor when I woke up, and I had weird dreams. Next time I am about to binging, I am going to remember my restless night's sleep.
I woke up to a fresh start. I had a 1c skim milk, a scrambled egg, a orange, and a piece of Panetone. (love that bread). I was originally going to have 1/2 a grapfruit, but I didnt like it today. Even with sugar. This meal provides: grains=1.5oz, fruit=1c, meat&beans=1oz, dairy=1c, calories=373

While baking the cake I had ~ T of batter. For lunch I had an open-face Ham and Cheddar melt and some grapes. This meal provides: grains= 2oz, Fruit= 1 c, meat&beans= 2 oz, dairy=1/2c, and cals= 373.
For dessert I had a peice of peppermint bark.
While frosting and decorating the cake I ate some frosting, a little to much. The cake turned out great! It is a 3 egg Coconut Cake with a Pineapple Icing Filling and a Buttercream Frosting outside with sides of coconut. The whole thing is from scratch. :)

For my Mom's birthday we went to our Favorite little italian place, Provinos. I had a glass of Diet Coke. (After 1 it was too bubbly and I switched to water.) I had 1 garlic roll, some salad, and Penne Pasta Prima Vera: penne, marinara sauce, brocolli, zuccini, tomatos, and mushrooms with a sprinkle of parmasan. I ate all my veggies and most of my pasta. This meal provided ~ grains= 3 oz, veggies= 2-3 c, dairy= 1/2c. I also had 3 spoonfuls of my Mom's Spononi. I am perfectly full, and not the slightest bit stuffed :) Later we are going to have cake.

Fo lunch

Merry Christmas

Merry Christmas! I hope everyone is having a blessed day with family, fun, and food.
I started my christmas at our beautiful Midnight Mass. It is a great way to start a holiday that is sometimes hard to remember the real meaning. :)
While waiting to go to mass I had 3 chocolates: 1 was milk chocolate with a thin layer of praline, 1 was milk chocolate with nuts (those 2 were thin sticks 2 in long), 1 was a dark chocolate carmel.
For breakfast I had 2 sausage balls, a piece of panetone, some Cheese Grits Casserole, and 1/2 grapefruit while opening presents.
I went on a great run after Christmas morning ended and James, my step-brother left for his mom's. I went 4 mi in 43:15 and MY KNEE DIDNT HURT AT ALL! I got a heart rate monitor for Christmas and it was fun to play and run with it. :)
I had 1/2 a mini candycane and a bite of carrot while baking dinner. I had ham, au gratin potatoes, carrots, brussel sprouts, and a roll for dinner. I had a small piece of each dessert: Peppermint Pie, Bolvarian Creme Pie, and Ginger Cake.
We finished dinner by 5:30 so I might need a snack (a Christmas cookie and chocolate :) ) although I am tired and may go to bed earlier.

Sweet Sweet Christmas Eve

Today is definitly been one of those days where my eating has been 'only during the holidays'. I have probably had the amount of sweets I normallyhave in a month this week since Friday. Today I started off and ended good. The middle was not healthy.
I of course had my cup of coffee with 1 T skim milk. For breakfast I had AMAZING oatmeal. It was made with 1/2c skim milk, 1/2c water, 1/2 oats and 1/2 mashed banana. I topped it off with 1/2 apple chopped, 1/2 oz walnuts, and 1 T apple butter. I was so thirsty early in the day I drank like 4 glasses of water in the first 5 hrs I was awake. (No I was not hungover.) After breakfast I went to the recycling center. I missed walking the dogs :(
Today I baked a Peppermint Pie (which I saw the nutrition info for and will just be having a little (~560 cal a slice)) and frosting for the Happy Birthday Jesus Cake (see next post). While baking I had 2 chocolate waffers, 1 marshmellow, lick of marshmellow/condensed milk, lick of peppermint whipped creme, lick of the 2 combined, some of frosting (ok more than some :) ), and some dark chocolate M&Ms(OMG YUM!). It was past lunch time and I wasn't hungary from munching, so I didn't eat lunch. It was not the healthiest midday. Not munching while baking is one of my downfalls. But atleast I listened to my body and did not eat if I was not hungary. I wrapped all my presents to put under the tree. Had a chocolate and a bite of peppermint bark.
Then I decided to work out so I would be hungary for Christmas Eve Dinner. I then did 15 min arms (weights), 15 min abs (pilates based & crunches), 15 min legs(pilates based),10 min yoga, and 40 min walk with Charlie. Then I showered, got dressed and socialized.
I had a total of a diet coke (in a wine glass to make it more festive), 4 crakers, ~ 3 T crab dip, 2 small pieces guoda, and 1 piece cheddar. Then for dinner I had a glass of red wine (~4oz), a popover, wild rice(~1/2c), roast beef (~2oz)(That I have been calling Roast Beast like on the Grinch :) ), corn(~1/2c), and peas(~1/2c). Then for dessert I had a cup of coffee with 1 T 2% milk and a pice of cake.
I gave up daily artifical sweetners about 3 months ago. I gave up cold turkey and never looked back. I have had ~ 4 sugar-free syrup lattes and 4 diet cokes since then (2 just diet coke & 2 in coktails). I think that they should be special occasion treats and are fine in moderation.
Even though I had ALOT OF SWEETS I do not have the yuck feeling. Actually I am not stuffed or sick at all. I think 1) not eating lunc when I wasnt hungary and 2) my long walk helped alot. Actually I am not too full. ( I never really eat to full always just under). I may have to have a sanck before we leave. (PRobably a sweet ;) )
I had a Diet Coke and coffee because we are going to Midnight Mass and I need to stay awake. I am not going to get much sleep because mass will probably last until 1:30, which means I wont beasleep until 2 am! Then my stepgrandama is coming over at 9am to open presents because my step brother James is leaving at noon to go to his moms. I AM GOING TO BE TIRED!!!
Hope everyone had a great Christmas Eve. Merry Christmas!

Keep The Exercize Up

I had the best run I have had in a while. I set out to run around the big neighborhood loop (2mi) twice, which would equal 3.8 mi. I was feeling FANTASTIC after that so I did the small loop (1mi) once. My plan was to run as much of it as I could until my knees hurt. It started to hurt and was killing when I finished. But I made it all 4.7 miles in 49:06. It was perfect running weather: 41*, clear skis, crisp air to fill your lungs. It was invigorating.
Then I met up with a friend at Starbucks. I got a non-fat, no whip, Peppermint Mocha Twist. It was 220 calories. But I had a cupon for a free one. Every sip was delcisious and worth every calorie.
I made home for dinner. I had a good size salad of lettuce, tomatoes, cucumbers, mushrooms, carrots, and oil & vinagar dressing; a piece of lasagna (mom;s from scratch= SO GOOD); a piece italian bread with garlic butter.
For dessert I had a Peanut Butter Blossom, Pecan Puff, and a piece of fudge.
Later, I baked a chocolate cake and licked the batter of the spatula. :) I also ate a candy cane while it baked.
My holiday strategy is to EXERCIZE EXERCIZE EXERCIZE to conteract the sweets. I normally eat 1350 - 1600 calories (no sweets) a day with 45-60 exercize plus a lot of walking. My holiday plan is to eat 1350-1600 calories of food and to not eat more discretionary calories than I exercize that day.

Today
coffee= 5
Breakfast= 385 (35 dis - apple butter)
coffee= 5
lunch= 370 (50 dis - full fat cheese)
sanck= 220 (130 dis - total cal minus 8oz skim milk)
dinner= no idea ~550
dessert= guessing ~250 (all dis)
TOTAL= 1780 (465 dis)
Running= 49 min X 9 cals/min = 441
I was a little over but there is some guessing in there.

Repeat But Better

Today I was craving eggs for breakfast. This is weird for me because up until about 2 years ago I did not like eggs. I only ate Grandma's Special Eggs (poached on bread). Well I have discovered that they are great at keeping you full. So I was craving eggs and hade not had a poached egg in a while. For breakfast I had a ww english muffin with a poached egg on half and apple butter on the other half. My mom had bought it and I wanted to try it. It was very good. I also had a glass of milk and an orange.
It is SO COLD here that I had a second cup of coffee after I came back from running errunds.
For lunch I had a repeat from yesterday, except I had cheese instead of milk, less cranberry sauce and a granny smith apple instead of gala. It was SO GOOD. It was 2 pieces ww bread + 2 oz turkey + 1 piece provolone cheese + 1 T cranberry sauce, and an apple.

I am going to walk the dogs with my mom, step aunt and step uncle. Then I am going to go on a run and do some yyoga. I am meeting a friend at starbucks. I plan on getting on of the holiday drinks (I have a cupon :) ), so it will not be my normy healthy choice.

Baking Tradition

A few years ago I took over the holiday cookie baking. I normally bake 4 types in one day. It noramlly ends in me and my controlling self having a melt down. This year I added fudge and peppermint bark, and spliting the baking over 3 days. It worked out great. Everyone raved about them. My brother and my sisters friend said I should be a baker. I did not do anything healthy varitations because 1) they are the cookies that only get made during the holidays 2) my family frowns upon when I do that. I took a bunch of pictures to share.

Peppermint Bark

Fudge
Ginger Snaps

Peanut Blossoms

Cookie Press Cookies

Pecan Puffs

Hope your Holidays include lots of yummy treats in moderation. :)

MIA Recap

Sorry I have been MIA for a while. I am back at my parents and unable to take pics and swept up in other peoples agendas and visiting realatives. I have random pictures from the past few days. I am going to post as often as I can for now.
Saturday 12/20
Breakfast= pumpkin oats
Lunch= milk, ham sandwhich, orange
Snack= apple
Dinner= chicken parmasan: penne + breaded baked chicken + sauce+ cheese, salad: mixed greens + carrots + tomato + cucumber
Exercize= elliptical
Sunday 12/21
Breakfast= ww english muffin, 1 T PB, banana, 1 c milk
Lunch= cheddar broccolli soup, oatmeal bread + ham sandwhich
Snack= some crackers and cheese
while baking= bite of peanut butter blossoms
Dinner= deep fried trukey, mashed potatoes, baked butternut squash, green beans, stuffing, cranberry sauce, pumpkin bread
Dessert= apple pie
Exercize= run 3.75 mi, 37:12
Monday 12/22
Breakfast= 1/2 c oats + 1/2 c milk + 1/2 c water + 1/2 whipped banana, 1/2 oz almonds, 1/4 dried cranberries
while baking= 1/2 cookie press cookie, 1/2 pecan puff, a little dough
Lunch= 1c milk, 2 1oz slice bread + 2 oz turkey + 2 T cranberry sauce,spinach + cranberry + walnut + parmasan cheese salad, apple,
Dessert= piece of fudge, piece of peppermint bark
Snack= 1 1/2 oz pretzels, 1c skim milk + coco
Dinner= salmon, rice, roll, salad: spinach + cucumber + tomato + carrots + mushroom
Dessert= piece of fudge, piece of peppermint bark, ginger snap, pecan puff
Exercize= Dance DVD

There are definitely more peppermint barks in there. I had chocolate carme popcorn while watching a movie with my best frind friday night. The days really blend together. I have been trying to keep my exercize up, eat as normal as possible,and enjoy the sweets. (which I have definitely been heavy on.

Old Bowl New Way

This morning I woke up late for me. 9:00! Well I was up late so I guess thats why. This morning I wanted to try something new. So I cooked my oates in a pot on the stove. Ok its not that new. It worked well. I think it makes them grow bigger. :) I made pumpkin oats again. I just love them. I had 1/2 c oats cooked stove top with 1 c water and mixed in 1/4 c pumpkin at the end of cooking. I mixed in some cinnamon, nutmeg, ginger, and cloves. My mom did not have pumpkin pie spice (because I stole hers :) ) I topped it with 1/4 c raisins, and 1/2 oz walnuts. It was so good!
I walked 1 mi with Charlie. Then wanted to hit the elliptical, but my brothers friend was sleeping in the basement. I cant run two days in a row (my knees). So I did some weights. I did my normal 15 min arms, and 15 min abs. The only ab adjustments I made were I used the couch instead of a ball and did leg lifts on the floor instead of the hanging thing at the gym. I did 15 min legs by doing pilates base things and squats and lunges. For a little cardio I did 30 sec run in place, 30 jumping jacks and 30 jump rope X 3.

I am going shopping with my friend at the mall. So we will be walking aroung and carrying heavy bags. I am excited! I havent seen here in 4 months!!!

Stress Eating

Its been a crazy 24 + hours. I ended up getting ice cream with my friend last night. Then we watched The Breakfast Club.It was alot of fun. I woke up this morning, ate breakfast, walked Charlie, went for a run, loaded up the car, packed my lunch, left school, drove home, unpacked, feed Charlie, changed, drove back through Atlanta, met my friends, ate dinner, went to the Thrashers game, and drove home. and Breath. I ave been BUSY!

Well my food has been the following:
Dinner- 1 1/4 c green beans, 1/4 carrots, 4 oz tofu, 1/4 c (uncooked rice), 2 T Teryakki sauce. A weird mix of leftovers that turned out yummy. Dessert- small Double Chocolate Chunk in a Sugar Cone.

Breakfast- 1 c milk, 2 scrambled eggs, 1 mini whole wheat bagel, orange.

Lunch - flatbread with 1T = 1tsp peanutbutter, 1 fruit cup (there are 4 of those triangles)
*The pics are being annoying and Im getting frustrated.

Snack - Kashi Go Lean Bar and a chocolat

Dinner- chips and salsa, veggie quesidilla (inside-cheese, onions,peppers,mushrooms. outside-lettuce, tomato, guacamole) Dessert - softserve ice cream with hot fudge and sprinkles

When I got back I was mad. I spent to much money. So I stressed ate / Binged. I had 2 chocolate chip cookies, 1 milano, 1 funsized hershey bar, 1 sundae- 1/2c ice cream, 1 T Hershey syrup, 1 t mini chocolate chips, 1 T Whip Cream. not to bad probably ~ 490 calories.

Tomorrow I am going to start over. Ugg. Babysteps.

Change of Plans, Change of Mind

I had a greatworkout again today. I did 15 min arms, 15 min legs, 20 min abs, and 15 walking at incline 6 3.5 mph. My work out time is my me time. Some people like to unwind or let go by reading, taking a bubble bath, having a class of wine, or watching tv. I like to get my heart pumping. I take that extra down time some people have and use it to go to the gym. As my life gets busier, it gets harder to go at the same time everyday. But my mentality is this: This is what I have to do today at certain times. When can I fit in 1 1/2 hr to work out. It has worked so far.
I have a control issue thats how my ed developed. But I am learning to let go. I still dont like to miss my work outs though. Another control issue I have is schedules and plans. But I have gotten better. I was planing to swim, clean, do laundry, pack , drive and be to my Mom's by dinner on Friday. But my friends wanted to the Thrasher's game on Thursday night. So I am doing laundry, cleaning, and packing this afternoon. Tomorrow I am going on a run shower, eat lunch, and leave. I have had a change of mind, change of attitude.
Another change of mind is my opinion of artificial sweetners. Just 3 months ago I was having atleast 1 diet coke a day and 1 packet of splenda in my coffee. One morning I just decided to stop having artifical sweetners daily. It is amazing the changes you can mak if you put your ind to it!

Today for lunch I had a delishious Turkey Quesidilla. It was a flat wrap, 1 Laughing Cow Light Wedge, 1/2 Wholly Guacomole 100 Claorie pack, 2 oz turkey, 2 slices tomatos, and 2 Kraft Free Singles grilled to perfection. I had an orange along with it. This meal is SO satisfying. I think it is the volume and healthy fats from the guac.

Im off to clean and pack! I have really been wanting a Diet Coke or Crystal Light latel. I think it is because it is SO WARM. I may have one. I am not sure. I also may call up my friend to get ice cream later. YUM!

Tropical Winter

Good Morning! I have extra time this morning since I woke up at 7:10, rolled over to go back to sleep and only slept till 7:25. I went to bed about 20 min later than normal and woke up 1 hr ish early. I guess my body had enough sleep. Maybe it was my weird dream. Well the gym doesn't open until 11 so I have some extra time.
Breakfast this morning was AWSOME! I love yogurt bowls. Even though its winter they are still good. Plus it is surprisingly warm here in southern Georgia (high 60s and low 70s). I have been trying to use up open food. (Yet somehow I managed to open guacamole and tofu). I didn't have a full cup of strawberries (I had 3/4c before defrosting & 1/2 c after defrosting) so I topped off the cup with pineapple. I was a little aprehensive putting pineapple with yogurt but it was DELICISIOUS! It ended up being very tropical. My bowl contained 1 c plain fat free yogurt, 1/2 c strawberries, 1/2 c pineapple, 1/2 oz almonds, and 1/2 c Kashi Go Lean Crunch.
Now I wish I had used my extra time to take Charlie on an extra long walk. Oh well he seems pretty tired. I guess I woke up too early for him.

Chocolate Cravings

I have been having MAJOR chocolate cravings. And Ive been listening to them. :) Charlie, my dog got his first hair cut. He looks so much better. I was surprisingly hungry early this afternoon. I guess my lunch did not refuel me enough. For snack I had 2 1/2 oz of pretzels. I took the bag up stairs to my computer with me, bad idea. Atleast they were just pretzels. I also had 1 mini reece's cup.

For dinner I had 4 oz Tofu, 2 c green beans, 1 oz whole wheat macaroni elbows with 1 tsp butter & 2 tsp parmasan.

For desseret I had a Double Chocolate Biscotti and 3 Hersey Kisses. I was going to have a cup of tea but I spilt it. :(

I figured out how to get the words & pics intertwined :)

Nice and Sweaty

I had a FANTASTIC workout this morning! I warmed up for 8 min walking on the tredmill at incline 6 and mph 3.5 - 4. Then I did 20 min ellipticalling at incline 4 resistance 1, 20 minutes spinning level 6, 20 min on the Stepmill level 9, ans 8 min cooldown walking incline 6 mph 4- 3.3. I was nice and sweaty! According to the machines I burned 564 calories!!! WOOHOO!

Sorry for the multiple meal post I am still getting use to blogging. (The pictures always upload in random order but I think I figured it out :) ) On the agenda today is getting my dog groomed, fixing my class schedule and cleaning out my closet of old clothes.

Back to food

Dinner was a basic fall back for me. I had 2 oz grilled chicken (grilled on my George Foreman Grill), 1 c steamed brocolli, 1 c carrots + 1 T fat free ranch, and 1/4 c (beforecooked) brown rice.

Dessert was one of my homemade Double Chocolate Biscotti from Cooking Light. It is mega chocolatey and has a few chocolate chips in them which is a very nice surprise in those bites. I had it with a hot coco made with 3/4 c skim milk. (I think the reason I didnt like my coco yesterday is because it is made with water).

Breakfast was a nice filling meal. Eggs and oatmeal are the only breakfasts that keep me full. One of the things I loveabout eating real food is the volume you can eat! I had a mini whole wheat bagel, 2 eggs (well 1 egg & another egg with 1/2 the white missing from my biscottis), an orange and 1 c skim milk.

Lunch was a peanut butter sandwhich and 1 c pineapple.

Keeping Busy

I am trying to keep busy since I am on break. Im doing pretty well. I have walked Charlie (my dog), gone to the gym for a swim, watched some tv, baked, gone to the store, and gotten gas. I was going to walk Charlie agian but I did not arrange things right and it got dark on me. Oh well, I need to rest my knee.

Oh yes my knee. I have never had serious knee problems. When I run my right knee is the first to hurt. My head, heart, and legs could keep running longer but normally around 3.5 / 4 miles my knee hurts. My mom ran cross country in high school and ran everymorning with our dog (untill the dog got arthritis and my mom hurt her knees). She unfoutunately hurt her knees REALLY bad. So because she learned the hard way I ALWAYS listen to my knees. I stop when they hurt. I combine impact (running) with not impact (swimming, ellipticaling, spinning).I only run twice a week, never on consecutive days. Well Saturday the combo of my my right knee was compensating for my foot and running my fastest ever started the pain. Sunday my attempt at running, ending in jogging/walking (the gym is closed on weekends over break so I had to run agian) magnified the pain. So yesterday I iced it. Today I swam. It felt fine while I was swimming and flipturning (the real reason I think it hurt agian). But I was limping on the walk home. I took 3 advils and iced it for 1 hour. My mom said to rest because she thinks that is why her knees are so screwed up. I really hope it gets better. Hurtingmy knees from my high amounts of exercize is a phobia of mine.

Anyway on to food.

For breakfast I had Pumpkin Oats (my version). The bowl contained 1/2 c oats cooked with 1 c water, 1/4 c pumpkin and pumpkin pie spice mixed in, and topped with 1/4 raisins and 1/2 oz chopped walnuts. This is my most filling combo of oatmeal. I LOVE it.

Lunch was a classic fall back. I had a turkey sandwich: ww bread, 2 oz turkey and mustard and an orange. My roommate was in the room so I took the picture after I started eating.

While baking biscottis, (there will be a pic later) I had ~ 1T of the batter and ~1 T chocolate chips. For snack I had about 1 1/2 oz of these rice chips. These are a healthier version. My sister convinced me to buy them. I am not a potaoe chip fan in general, so I probably wont buy them again.

Learning Moderation

I have a moderation problem when it comes to seets. I eat very healthy BUT have a HUGE sweet tooth. My problem is I put sweets on the no list. That leads to an overdose. I am slowly learning if there is no no list, sweets arent intimitating. Its funny how my ed was a control issue but the no list put the food in control.
For dinner I made a very yummy microwavable dinner that is healthy. Its Amy's Veggie Lasagna. Everything I have had of Amy's is delicious. The lasagna serving was HUGE and only 310 calories. I had 2 cups of brocolli on the side.
It is the holidays and sweets are every where. I want to enjoy and not stress the holidays. So tonight was a great moderation night. I was going to have a cup of hot coco made with water and 5 Hersey Kisses. The coco just didnt taste right / was not what I wanted. I ended up having 5 Hershey Kisses and a candy cane. 165 calories, not bad. :)

(the pics wont download. sorry :( )

Not A Runner By Nature

Today is a cool overcast day. I wanted a warm lunch today. I made a quesadilla of sorts. I took a flatout wrap, spread a Laughing Cow Light Wedge on half, then layered 2 oz turkey, 1/2 a 100 calorie pack of Wholly Guacomole, ~1/4 tomato slices, 2 Kraft Free singles grilled to perfection. It was warm and ooey gooey. :) I was going to have 1 cup of melon BUT it went bad, so I had 1/2 a cup of pineapple.

I am not a runner by nature. I am a swimmer. I LOVE SWIMMING. The water calms me, releases tension and stress, and gives me that exercize high. Running does the same but it KILLS my knees. The outside of my right one inpaticular. So I normally only run 2 times a week and never on consecutive days BUT my school gym is closed on weekends during breaks so I was forced to. Yesterday I had an AWSOME work out I ran 4.28 miles in 40:40 (My personal best) Afterward my knee hurt, more than normal. I think it was because it was compensating for my hurting toe. Well today when I went to run it didnt work. I switched between running and walking for 1 hr and 10 minutes = 30 minutes running & 40 minutes walking. A better than nothing work out but I am in really bad pain.

This afternoon, as I was lying on the coach icing my knee, I had some Annie's Honey Grahm Bunny's. I also ate a candy cane.

Serenity

I was going to start yesterday but I had a little camera trouble. Ive had a crazy week with finals. I have gotten off track this past week or so. Actually since Thanksgiving. I was at home, then eating leftovers, eating out more, then stress eating while studying, and then 2 nights of binging, 1 with purging :( . My eating has been off and I have only cooked myself dinner 4 times in the past 3 weeks! (very unlike me) I am hoping this blog will get me on track agin. Anyway stating on a Sunday, at the beginning of the week makes sense.

I am an education major and have to observe out in the schools regularly. On the teacher's bathroom wall there was a poster that really caught my attention. I think it is exatly what I need to help me. I am going to use it as a motto in my persuit of health and over all well-being. It said "God grant me the serenity to accept the things I cannot change, courage to change the things I can, and the wisdom to know the difference."

I have a cup of coffee every morning. I use to use splenda in it but I just put in 1 T of skim milk.

Normally on Sundays I make myself a special breakfast: pancakes, french toast, an omlette; but I am trying to eat up the food I have before going home for 1 1/2 -2 weeks. Today I wanted waffles. I used to have 2 frozen waffles but the high grain low protein combo did not keep me very full. So now I have 1 waffle and a morning star 'sausage'. I am not a vegetarian but I love alot of vegetarian food and limit my meat intake. It is part of my moderation ideal. I also had a cup of milk and an orange, fresh from my Aunt's backyard tree :) . I eat my waffle and 'sausage' with syrup. I use real maple syrup. I tried the Mrs. Butterworth stufff, yuck. Then I tried the sugar -free, double yuck! It may be more calories but I feel it is totally worth it and purer.

This meal provides: Grains - 1 serving, Fruit - 1 serving, Milk - 1.0625 serving, Meat&Beans - 1.33 oz, Discretonary - 55 cals, Calorie Total - 370

My Story

Hello all! I'm Cassidy. I'm a 20 year old college student. As we grow up and start own life, we encounter many struggles.
I am fortunate to have grown up in a healthy house. We rarely ate fast food, ate tons of veggies and fruit, drank milk at every meal, and did not drink soda. I was also always very active. I danced through elementary school. I swam on a summer league swim team from age 5 to 18. I swam year round in middle school and varsity in high school. I was never over weight, never the skinniest girl, just average. I was never self conscious about not being the skinniest. (My mom always described me as soft.) I was 114 through out most of high school. (I'm 5' 2") Freshman year swimming I went down to 103 (not intentionally).
Senior year, it all changed. I had gained a few pounds the summer before Senior year and was up to 117. It did not bother me too much but I did not like that my jeans (size 4) were tight. I luckily had PE that semester. Just running in PE class brought my weight back down. But the stress of high school ending really took a toll on me. I started emotionally eating. I gained 9 lbs from November 2005 to January 2006 and weighed 123. I was really upset with myself. My mom new I was upset and supported me on my goal to go on a diet. I stopped eating sweets and lost 6 lbs in 1 month. I did not stick. I stopped my diet and the next month I gained 9 lbs and was up to 126. For the first time ever I became really self concious of my body. I went off to school deathly afraid of the freshman 15.
My first semester freshman year I had a meal plan. The food was good and it was hard to make healthy choices. I had recently become a vegetarian, which lasted about 3 months. I just made sure to get veggies and drink milk. I also went to the school gym for at least 30 minutes 4 times a week. Exercise made all the difference. I lost 6 lbs and was down to 120 lbs. I was excited and motivated. I thought "If I lost this much by not trying, imagine what I could loose if I tried!"
I went back in the spring. This is when the disorder started. I started skipping meals, eating very little and exercising a lot. By May I was down to 106 - 110 lb. But with the low calorie restriction came binging. That summer I maintained my weight at 110 - 114 lb. I hated being home. I felt out of control with not being in charge of my food. I was so glad to get back to school. I returned in August 2006 and was 114 lbs. I started restricting my calories even more. I was eating about 900 -1200 calories a day and it was decreasing over the months. Social events that involved food scared me and made me very anxious. December 2007 I weighed 106 lbs.
I was about to go home for a month and that mad me very anxious. My solution was purging. I used it as a coping mechanism. I returned to school in January 2008 at 104 lbs. The low calorie eating decreased to about 600 -800 calories a day. I was purging and binging daily. I was doing 1 hr + of intense cardio a day. My mom said something first. She would weigh me every time I came home. My friends were making comments. People I barely knew in classes we making comments. I knew I need help, I just couldn't get out. I think one of the final straws was when my guy friends asked how much I weighed. I thought, "If my guy friends are worried then this is bad." At my lowest point I weighed 97 lbs on February 14 2008.
Since then I have been slowly recovering. It was very difficult at first. I had lost a sense of real portions. I decreased my exercise and doubled my calories to about 1600 - 1800. I had nutrition counseling and theory. I was actually getting frustrated because I was not gaining fast. May 2008 I was up to 101 and could not get any higher. Early summer it stabilized around 104. The end of summer was a down fall of binging but not purging. When I returned to school in August 2008 I was 123.
I decided to take control. I follow the food pyramid. I eat whole, real foods. I enjoy treats and try not to stress. My best tool is staying active. I walk my dog and go to the gym every day. I have found my happy weight at 115 lbs. My disorder is something I still must struggle with but am doing 100 times better! I feel like I have fallen off the wagon lately and hope this blg will get me back on track. I also want to