Totals for 2/15/12 – 2/21/12

Daily points used:  194/196
Weekly points used:  62/49
Activity points earned:  37
Activity points used:  37
Points left on the table:  -11

I weighed in this morning at 155.2, down .9 pounds from last week.  It’s my lowest weight since starting Weight Watchers!  I’m really happy that I’ve re-focused my efforts and busted past the up-and-down wackiness that’s been plaguing me since the holidays.

I had what might be called a binge on Saturday, but it was somewhat planned.  After the 10K I had plans to attend a going-away lunch at Souley Vegan, then to a bar in San Francisco to celebrate a friend’s birthday, and then on to his house to continue the celebration with a mini beerfest.  To prepare, I used as few weekly points as possible through Friday, and saved up my activity points.  On Saturday, not only did I drink a bunch of “real” beer (I usually only drink light), I also had TWO desserts.  I rarely ever have any dessert, much less two in one day.  The first, peach cobbler, was on a whim after lunch, and I was pretty sure I had room for it within my points.  The second was on even more of a whim when we passed by a gelato shop in the city which had TWELVE KINDS of vegan gelato.  It would be wrong not to try some, right?  So…I tried three kinds…and they were fantastic.  Even with all the beer and sugar, I lost this week, which proves that one “bad” day won’t necessarily ruin a good week.

Speaking of good, my dinner tonight was really good – a healthy take on a taco salad.

I’m kind of weird, and I like to use both ranch and salsa as dressing on my taco salads; I toss the lettuce and veggies with the ranch so that it’s evenly distributed, then put the salsa on top so you get salsa in some bites and not in others.  Call me crazy, but I think it’s really good.  For the quicky lowfat ranch dressing, I combined 1 Tbs Reduced Fat Vegenaise, 2 Tbs plain soy yogurt, a splash of lemon juice, pinches of salt, black pepper, cayenne pepper, sugar and parsley, and a generous amount of dried dill.  It doesn’t taste exactly like ranch, of course, but it’s a great simulation, and the creamy dressing is only one PointsPlus.  For a crispy topping, I cut two small corn tortillas into strips, sprayed them with oil and sprinkled on a bit of salt, then baked at 400F for 10 minutes.

Workout plan for this week:

Wednesday – 45 minutes elliptical
Thursday – 30 minute walk during lunch
Friday – yoga
Saturday – run 3 miles
Sunday – rest
Monday – Turbo Kick class
Tuesday – BodyPump class

Saturday, 2/18/12

breakfast – sprouted grains English muffin w/ 1 Tbs almond butter w/ roasted flaxseeds, coffee w/ soy milk
post-run snack – 1/2 oz pretzels, half a banana, 2 orange wedges
lunch – “toasty burger” (wheat bun w/ southern fried tofu, bbq tofu, vegan mayo, lettuce, tomato & pickles), mustard greens, mac ‘n cheese, 16 oz beer, peach cobbler
afternoon – 22 oz beer, medium gelato
evening – veggie chili, 28 oz beer, 4 oz pretzels

exercise – ran 10K (76 minutes)

daily points used:  28
weekly points used:  29
activity points earned:  14
activity points used:  29

Sunday, 2/19/12

breakfast – sesame seed sprouted wheat bagel w/ 2 Tbs better than cream cheese
lunch – Kung Pao tofu & steamed broccoli over brown rice
PM snack – 2 apples
dinner – Kung Pao tofu & steamed broccoli over brown rice, 16 oz red wine

daily points used:  28
activity points used:  8
non-existent points used:  13

Monday, 2/20/12

breakfast – Poached Tofu over Glass Noodles, green curry roasted broccoli & carrots
lunch – peanut butter & strawberry jam sandwich on Ezekiel sesame bread, banana
dinner – 2 breaded vegan fish fillets w/ 1 Tbs ketchup, brown rice pilaf (shallot, shredded carrots, fennel, parsley & spinach)
after dinner snack – orange

exercise – 2 hours 25 minutes hiking

daily points used:  28
activity points earned:  10

Tuesday, 2/21/12

breakfast – smoothie (banana, frozen strawberries, kiwi, hemp protein powder, 2 Tbs oats, almond milk)
AM snack – apple, pear, coffee w/ hazelnut soy creamer
lunch – salad (butter lettuce, bell pepper, 3/4 cup pinto beans, 1/4 cup corn, green onion, cilantro, lowfat ranch, salsa)
PM snack – 3/4 oz almonds, 1 Tbs raisins
PM snack 2 – 1/2 serving everything crackers
dinner – Spicy Green Tomatillo & Avocado Smoothie, Jicama Slaw, Gluten-Free Sweet Potato Cornbread

exercise – one hour Afro-Belly Boogie class

daily points used:  27
activity points earned:  4

recipes from The Dairy-Free & Gluten-Free Kitchen

Wednesday, 2/22/12

breakfast – smoothie (banana, frozen raspberries, sprouted chia powder, 1 Tbs cocoa powder, hemp protein powder, Amazing Garss chocolate superfood, wheatgrass powder)
AM snack – apple, pear, coffee w/ hazelnut soy creamer
lunch – Spicy Green Tomatillo & Avocado Smoothie, Jicama Slaw, Gluten-Free Sweet Potato Cornbread
PM snack – one serving everything crackers
dinner – salad (butter lettuce, bell pepper, 3/4 cup pinto beans, 1/4 cup corn, green onion, pickled jalapeno, lowfat ranch, salsa, corn tortilla strips)

exercise – 45 minutes elliptical

daily points used:  27
activity points earned:  4

I’m not really nervous about the race, because I’m confident I can finish.  I’ve been going five miles in my training runs, so I think I can handle six without too much more trouble.  It’ll be the longest distance I’ve ever run, and since it’s my first 10K it’ll be an automatic PR!

My plan for the race is:
1.  Go slow.  I’ll hold my pace back at the beginning to make sure I can go the distance, and I’ll do my best to not be bothered when people pass me, because people will pass me.
2.  Stop to walk very briefly at the three water stations just to grab a drink, if I want.

My goal is just to finish.  I’ll be very happy if I finish within 1:25, and super chuffed if I’m within 1:15.

Friday, 2/17/12

breakfast – 3 small slices mushroom & green pepper pizza w/ nutritional yeast
AM snack – apple, coffee w/ hazelnut soy creamer
lunch – Poached Tofu & Bok Choy over Glass Noodles, green curry roasted broccoli & carrots, banana
PM snack – 2/3 small Jamba Juice Apples ‘n Greens smoothie
dinner – 6 pcs veggie sushi roll (avocado, carrot, mushrooms), 8 pcs large sushi roll w/ fried tofu, inari & seaweed salad
after dinner – 1/3 dark chocolate bar w/ caramel, 12 oz MGD 64, 12 oz light beer

exercise – 30 minutes walking

daily points used:  28
weekly points used:  15
activity points earned:  2

Totals for 2/8/12 – 2/14/12

Daily points used:  196/196
Weekly points used:  54/49
Activity points earned:  45
Activity points used:  45
Points left on the table:  -5

Workout Plan Results

Wednesday – no planned exercise, I catered an event which was exercise in an of itself
Thursday – Bridge 2 10K w6d1 (60 minutes running, 10 minutes walking) – done
Friday – 30 minute walk during lunch it was raining, so I went to the gym after work and did 50 minutes on the elliptical
Saturday – Bridge 2 10K w6d2 (60 minutes running, 10 minutes walking) – done
Sunday – rest
Monday – Bridge 2 10K w6d3 (60 minutes running, 10 minutes walking) – done
Tuesday – 45 minutes elliptical my legs were really tired, so I rode the stationary bike instead

So, I didn’t stick to the plan exactly, but I did exercise every day I planned to.

I weighed in Wednesday at 156.1, down .8 pounds from the week before, and only a half pound above my lowest point since joining Weight Watchers.  I feel like I’m back on track for actually losing weight instead of going up and down from week to week, so now I just need to keep going.  With that in mind, here’s my workout plan for this week.

Wednesday – three mile run
Thursday – 45 minutes elliptical
Friday – 30 minute walk during lunch
Saturday – 10K race
Sunday – rest
Monday – hike (aiming for three hours)
Tuesday – Afro-Belly Boogie

Now, for the important part:  I finished the Bridge to 10K program!  I did the last run of the program on Monday, just in time to run a 10K on Saturday.  I really liked the program, as much as I did the Couch to 5K plan.  It took me from running a half hour to an hour without stopping, which is something that, in the past, I never would’ve though I could do.  The runs were not easy.  At all.  Most of them were really hard, and running an hour three times a week takes up a lot of time.

Aside from being able to run for an hour, a big benefit of going for longer runs is that I’ve started to figure out the “long run mentality”, which will help me out when I start half marathon training.  The bottom line is to just keep going.  The first half of my runs are “Dear God, when will I reach halfway”, and the second half is “just keep going until the end”.  If you’re sore or tired, you’re going to continue to be sore or tired whether you stop or not, so you might as well finish the run!

As my last “easy” run before the 10K, I did three miles today.  Running three miles still isn’t easy, per say, but it’s certainly easier than running five.  My time was 35:07 (with a few brief pauses at stop lights), which is a really good pace for me.  Had I gone another tenth of a mile, I would’ve beat my 5K PR by 1:54, which is a great indication of how far I’ve come.

Monday, 2/13/12

breakfast – one slice sesame Ezekiel toast w/ 1 Tbs each almond butter w/ roasted flax and strawberry jam
AM snack – 2 small apples, coffee w/ vanilla soy creamer
lunch – Oyster Mushrooms Rockefeller, spicy roasted cauliflower
PM snack – banana, 6 almonds
dinner – hummus sandwich on a white roll w/ mustard, pickle, lettuce and tomato
snack – 1 1/2 servings multigrain pretzel nuggets

exercise – Bridge 2 10K w3d3 (60 minutes running, 10 minutes walking)

daily points used:  28
activity points earned:  12
activity points used:  4

Tuesday, 2/14/12

breakfast – 1 1/4 cups bran lakes w/ almond milk and 2 Tbs raisins
AM snack – 2 small apples, coffee w/ hazelnut coconut creamer
lunch – Oyster Mushrooms Rockefeller, spicy roasted cauliflower, strawberries
PM snack – 6 oz vanilla almond yogurt
dinner – 3 small slices mushroom & green pepper pizza w/ nutritional yeast and red pepper flakes, salad (romaine, broccoli slaw, 2 Tbs light champagne vinaigrette), 8 oz red wine

exercise – 45 minutes elliptical

daily points used:  28
activity points earned:  3
activity points used:  3
non-existent points used:  5

Wednesday, 2/15/12

breakfast – one slice sesame Ezekiel toast w/ 1 Tbs each almond butter w/ roasted flax and strawberry jam
AM snack – 2 small apples, coffee w/ hazelnut coconut creamer
lunch – 3 small slices mushroom & green pepper pizza w/ nutritional yeast and red pepper flakes, salad (romaine, broccoli slaw, fat free balsamic vinaigrette)
PM snack – 3/4 oz almonds
dinner – Poached Tofu & Bok Choy over Glass Noodles, green curry roasted broccoli & carrots

daily points used:  27

Poached Tofu & Bok Choy over Glass Noodles, adapted from The Dairy-Free and Gluten-Free Kitchen

green curry roasted vegetables

Thursday, 2/16/12

breakfast – 2 flax plus waffles w/ 2 tsp agave nectar
AM snack – 2 small apples, coffee w/ hazelnut coconut creamer
lunch – Poached Tofu & Bok Choy over Glass Noodles, green curry roasted broccoli & carrots
PM snack – banana, 8 walnuts
dinner – 3 small slices mushroom & green pepper pizza w/ nutritional yeast and red pepper flakes, salad (romaine, broccoli slaw, bacon flavored chips, light champagne vinaigrette)
dessert – 1/3 dark chocolate bar with caramel

exercise – ran 3 miles (35 minutes)

daily points used:  28
weekly points used:  5
activity points earned:  7

I knew I wouldn’t be able to stay within my points the next week, because we went to Disneyland!  I didn’t eat as well as I would’ve at home, and I drank quite a bit of beer on Superbowl Sunday, but walking around the parks for two days was decent exercise.  Even though I went 41 points over my limit, I weighed in on February 8th at 156.9, 2.2 pounds down and back to an accurate weight for how I was feeling.

My weight has been waffling since Christmas, going up a little then down a little, and I’ve been thinking about ways to get myself on the right path again.

1.  I lowered my daily points from 29 to 28.  I never really talked about the changes which were implemented with PointsPlus 2012; the only change that really affected my personal plan is that the new lower limit of daily points is 26, instead of 29.  Members who were at the old minimum of 29 were automatically dropped to 26, and given the option to choose any daily points limit between 26 and 29.  I immediately switched back to 29 because it had been working for me previously, but now I’ve decided to test out lowering my limit by one point a day.  Seven points less a week shouldn’t be that hard to do.

2.  I’m going to post a weekly workout plan and then do my best to stick to it.  I’ve kind of been planning workouts in my head, but by writing the plan down I’ll hopefully be more accountable.

Here’s my workout plan for this week:

Wednesday – no planned exercise, I catered an event which was exercise in an of itself
Thursday – Bridge 2 10K w6d1 (60 minutes running, 10 minutes walking)
Friday – 30 minute walk during lunch
Saturday – Bridge 2 10K w6d2 (60 minutes running, 10 minutes walking)
Sunday – rest
Monday – Bridge 2 10K w6d3 (60 minutes running, 10 minutes walking)
Tuesday – 45 minutes elliptical

Wednesday, 2/1/12

breakfast – oat bran with pumpkin and 2 tsp maple syrup
AM snack – apple, coffee with vanilla soy creamer
lunch – white beans with kale and savoy cabbage over whole wheat rotini
PM snack – banana, 1/4 oz smoked almonds
pre-run snack – 2 dates
post-run snack – one slice Ezekiel sesame sprouted wheat toast
dinner – Forty-Clove Chickpeas & Broccoli, Caulipots with lemon, dill and spinach

exercise – Bridge 2 10K w5d2 (50 minutes running, 11 minutes walking)

daily points used:  25
activity points earned:  10

Forty-Clove Chickpeas & Broccoli and Caulipots from Appetite for Reduction.  This was a super-delicious meal!

Thursday, 2/2/12

breakfast – oat bran with apple juice, applesauce, flax & cinnamon
AM snack – apple, coffee with vanilla soy creamer
lunch – Forty-Clove Chickpeas & Broccoli, Caulipots with lemon, dill and spinach
PM snack – trail mix (almonds, walnuts, raisins)
dinner – white beans with kale and savoy cabbage over whole wheat rotini, 8 oz red wine

daily points used:  28
weekly points used:  5

Friday, 2/3/12

breakfast – one slice sesame sprouted wheat Ezekiel toast with 1 Tbs almond butter and sliced banana
AM snack – apple, coffee w/ vanilla soy creamer
lunch – Forty-Clove Chickpeas & Broccoli, Caulipots with lemon, dill and spinach
PM snack – veggie tempura brown rice sushi roll
dinner – Forty-Clove Chickpeas & Broccoli, Caulipots with lemon, dill and spinach
after dinner (we were up really late driving to LA) – three servings pumpernickel pretzel sticks, chocolate agave trailmixer cookie, 12 oz light beer

exercise – 30 minutes walking

daily points used:  28
weekly points used:  16
activity points earned:  2

Saturday, 2/4/12

breakfast at the hotel – corn flakes w/ almond milk, half a cinnamon raisin bagel with 1 Tbs almond butter and 1 tsp apple jelly, apple, coffee w/ vanilla soy creamer
lunch – Tofurky, baby greens, mustard and sundried tomato hummus on whole wheat pita, cauliflower florets, celery and carrot sticks, chocolate agave trailmixer cookie, 16 oz light beer
dinner and after – portobello mushroom philly sandwich w/ mustard and relish, apple slices, 3 1/2 cups movie theater-style popcorn, 37 oz light beer, 10 oz red wine

exercise – 90 minutes walking around the park (low estimate)

daily points used:  28
weekly points used:  28
activity points earned:  5
activity points used:  2

hotel breakfast

I snuck my lunch into Disneyland.  Shhhh…

Portobello Philly (no cheese) from Award Weiners in California Adventure.

Sunday, 2/5/12

breakfast – oatmeal w/ 1 tsp brown sugar, 1 Tbs raisins and 1 Tbs almond butter, apple, 1/2 cup orange juice, 1 cup almond milk, coffee w/ vanilla soy creamer
AM snack – strawberry frozen fruit bar
lunch & afternoon – grilled portobello sandwich on kaiser roll w/ sauteed onions & peppers, french fries w/ ketchup,raspberry mojito, 25 oz beer
dinner & after – nachos w/ sauteed squash & zucchini & salsa, martini, 54 oz light beer, whole wheat pita with sundried tomato hummus

exercise – 60 minutes walking around the park (low estimate)

daily points used:  28
activity points earned:  3
activity points used:  30
non-existent points used:  30

another hotel breakfast

Monday, 2/6/12

breakfast – 1 1/4 cups raisin bran w/ almond milk, 2 small apples, coffee w/ vanilla soy creamer
lunch – hickory smoked Tofurky on whole wheat pita w/ mustard and baby greens, 6 peanut butter toast crackers, chocolate agave trailmixers cookie
dinner – Szechuan eggplant w/ snow peas over 1 cup white rice

daily points used:  28
non-existent points used:  5

third hotel breakfast

Tuesday, 2/7/12

breakfast – one slice sesame sprouted wheat toast with 1 Tbs each almond butter and strawberry jam
AM snack – banana, coffee with hazelnut coconut creamer
lunch – Greek salad (romaine, chickpeas, cucumber, olives, capers, tomatoes, herb vinaigrette), small piece of focaccia
PM snack – sundried tomato hummus w/ celery, carrot & cauliflower
pre-run snack – 2 dates
dinner – hickory smoked Tofurky on whole wheat pita w/ mustard & baby greens, salad (lettuce, 2 tsp bacon flavored chips, 2 Tbs goddess dressing)
after-dinner snack – 2 servings everything crackers

exercise – Bridge 2 10K w5d3 (60 minutes running, 11 minutes walking)

daily points used:  28
activity points earned:  12
non-existent points used:  6

Totals for 2/1/12 – 2/7/12

Daily points used:  193/196
Weekly points used:  90/49
Activity points earned:  32
Activity points used:  32
Points left on the table:  -38

Wednesday, 2/8/12

breakfast – whole wheat pita bread w/ sundried tomato hummus
AM snack – banana, coffee w/ vanilla soy creamer
lunch – falafel hummus wrap w/ lettuce, tomato & tahini sauce
dinner – 1 cup cilantro lime rice, 1 cup pinto beans, roasted tomato salsa, shredded carrot jicama salad w/ cilantro vinaigrette, 10 oz red wine

daily points used:  28
weekly points used:  14

Thursday, 2/9/12

breakfast – Clif Mojo Peanut Butter Pretzel bar
AM snack – apple, coffee w/ vanilla soy creamer
lunch – 1 cup cilantro lime rice, 1 cup pinto beans, roasted tomato salsa, shredded carrot jicama salad w/ cilantro vinaigrette
PM snack – cauliflower, carrot & celery w/ sundried tomato hummus
post-run snack – banana
dinner – small burrito (pinto beans, corn, roasted tomato salsa, lettuce, jalapeno slices), shredded carrot jicama salad w/ cilantro vinaigrette, 7 oz red wine

exercise – Bridge 2 10K w6d1 (60 minutes running, 10 minutes walking)

daily points used:  28
weekly points used:  8
activity points earned:  12

Friday, 2/10/12

breakfast – one slice sprouted wheat sesame toast w/ sundried tomato hummus
AM snack – 2 apples, coffee w/ vanilla soy creamer
lunch – veggie sandwich on wheat (cucumber, tomato, avocado, alfalfa sprouts, mustard), baby greens w/ vinaigrette
PM snack – banana, 1/2 oz almonds
dinner – 1 cup cilantro lime rice, 1 cup pinto beans, salsa, shredded carrot jicama salad w/ cilantro vinaigrette
after dinner – 2 oz gin w/ 1/2 oz triple sec & lime fizzy water, 2 oz rum w/ 1/2 oz triple sec & lime fizzy water, 2 1/2 servings pumpernickel pretzels

exercise – 50 minutes elliptical

daily points used:  28
weekly points used:  20
activity points earned:  6

Saturday, 2/11/12

breakfast – peanut butter jelly larabar
second breakfast – smoothie (banana, strawberries, almond butter w/ roasted flaxseeds, chia powder, amazing grasss chocolate superfood, cocoa powder, maca powder, wheatgrass powder, almond milk), coffee w/ vanilla soy creamer
lunch – 2 veggie dogs w/ ketchup & mustard, 10 roasted garlic & black bean tortilla chips, salad w/ vinaigrette, 12 z Mike’s Hard Lemonade, 12 oz light beer
dinner – 16 tortilla chips w/ salsa, burrito (rice, beans, lettuce, avocado, cauliflower, broccoli, squash), 12 oz light beer, 15 oz red wine

exercise – Bridge 2 10K w6d2 (60 minutes running, 10 minutes walking)

daily points used:  28
weekly points used:  7
activity points earned:  12
activity points used:  33

Sunday, 2/12/12

breakfast – grits w/ 2 tsp Earth Balance, nutritional yeast & black pepper
AM snack – apple, coffee w/ vanilla soy creamer
lunch – 2 slices sprouted wheat sesame toast w/ sundried tomato hummus, cauliflower, carrots & celery
PM snack – banana, 1 servings multigrain pretzel nuggets
dinner – Oyster Mushrooms Rockefeller, Spicy Roasted Cauliflower, 10 oz red wine

daily points used:  28
activity points used:  5

Oyster Mushrooms Rockefeller & Spicy Roasted Cauliflower from The Gluten-Free & Dairy-Free Kitchen.

Wednesday, 1/25/12

breakfast – oat bran with pumpkin and 2 tsp maple syrup
AM snack – apple, coffee with vanilla soy creamer
lunch – grilled Daiya cheddar sandwich on sesame Ezekiel bread, salad (lettuce, tomato, bacon flavored chips, 2 Tbs goddess dressing)
PM snack – strawberries, mini mocha chip muffin
dinner – Thai Roasted Root Vegetable Curry over brown rice, 6 oz red wine

No exercise this day or Thursday, as I stayed home from work not feeling well.

daily points used:  29
weekly points used:  4

Thursday, 1/26/12

breakfast – smoothie (banana, almond milk, 1 Tbs almond butter, 2 Tbs oats, wheatgrass powder, chia seed powder, Amazing Grass chocolate superfood, 1 Tbs cocoa powder)
AM snack – tangerine, strawberries, green tea
lunch – grilled Daiya cheddar sandwich on sesame Ezekiel bread, miso soup with dulse, mini mocha chip muffin
PM snack – cucumber and bell pepper slices with 2 oz hummus
dinner – tofu and broccoli in black bean sauce over 1 cup steamed rice

daily points used:  29
weekly points used:  3

Friday, 1/27/12

breakfast – one slice sesame Ezekiel toast with 1 Tbs almond butter and sliced banana
AM snack – apple, coffee with vanilla soy creamer
lunch – tofu and broccoli in black bean sauce over 1 cup steamed rice
PM snack – cucumber and bell pepper slices with 2 oz hummus
dinner – butternut squash & sprouts with pears & pomegranate, grilled horseradish tempeh, millet, 14 oz red wine

exercise – 30 minutes walking

daily points used:  29
weekly points used:  17
activity points earned:  2

squash/brussels/pear recipe from Clean Start

Saturday, 1/28/12

breakfast – buckwheat pancakes with 1 Tbs maple syrup, coffee with hazelnut coconut creamer
lunch – butternut squash & sprouts with pears & pomegranate, grilled horseradish tempeh, millet
post workout snack – chia pudding (almond milk, banana, maca powder)
dinner – salad (lettuce, shredded carrot, sliced veggie dog, 2 tsp bacon flavored chips, 2 Tbs goddess dressing), 1 cup roasted sweet potato
after dinner – 1 oz balsamic sweet onion potato chips, 12 oz light beer, 16 oz red wine, bag of simply salted microwave popcorn

exercise – ran 2.5 miles (30 minutes), walked 10 minutes

daily points used:  29
weekly points used:  25
activity points earned:  6
activity points used:  5

Buckwheat Pancakes for One recipe here.  This whole plate was only 8 points!  The batter was more thick this time than the first time I made them – next time I’ll add a little more liquid.

Sunday, 1/29/12

breakfast – smoothie (banana, kiwi, strawberries, 1 Tbs ground flax, almond milk, hemp protein powder), coffee with hazelnut coconut creamer
brunch at a friend’s house – blueberry “bacon” waffle with 1 tsp maple syrup, tempeh sausage on phyllo, individual hash browns with ketchup, 12 oz mimosa
dinner – 1o tortilla chips with salsa, burrito (rice, beans, lettuce, salsa, hot sauce, guacamole)

daily points used:  29
activity points used:  13

Monday, 1/30/12

breakfast – lemon larabar
AM snack – apple, coffee with vanilla coconut creamer
lunch – butternut squash & sprouts with pears & pomegranate, grilled horseradish tempeh, millet
PM snack – banana, 1 oz almonds
dinner – white beans with kale and savoy cabbage over whole wheat rotini

exercise – Bridge to 10K W5D1 (run 44 minutes, walk 11 minutes)

daily points used:  28
activity points earned:  9

White Beans with Kale and Savoy Cabbage – recipe here

Tuesday, 1/31/12

breakfast – one slice sesame Ezekiel toast with 1 Tbs almond butter and 1 Tbs strawberry spread
AM snack – apple, coffee with vanilla coconut creamer
lunch – white beans with kale and savoy cabbage over whole wheat rotini
PM snack – 8 walnuts, 2 prunes
dinner – butternut squash & sprouts with pears & pomegranate, grilled horseradish tempeh, millet
after dinner snack – bran flakes in warmed almond milk with stevia and Amazing Grass chocolate superfood

exercise – 45 minutes elliptical

daily points used:  29
activity points used:  2

Totals for 1/25/12 – 1/31/12

Daily points used:  202/203
Weekly points used:  49/49
Activity points earned:  20
Activity points used:  20
Points left on the table:  1

Wednesday, 1/18/12

breakfast – two slices rye toast with 1 oz melted Gouda Style Sheese
AM snack – apple, pear, coffee with vanilla soy creamer
lunch – Amy’s breakfast tofu scramble meal, banana
PM snack – 3/4 oz smoked almonds
pre-run snack – two prunes
dinner – sesame-tangerine soy curls with bok choy and bean sprouts, brown rice

exercise – Bridge to 10K W4D2 (run 54 minutes, walk 12 minutes)

daily points used:  29
weekly points used:  1
activity points earned:  11

coconut oil, shallot, carrot, bok choy, bean sprouts, soy curls, tangerine juice, soy sauce, arrowroot, tangerine, sesame oil & sesame seeds

Thursday, 1/19/12

breakfast – one slice rye toast with 2 Tbs We Can’t Sat It’s Cheese Hickory Cheddar spread
AM snack – pear, coffee with vanilla soy creamer
lunch – sesame-tangerine soy curls with bok choy and bean sprouts, brown rice, banana
PM snack – bell pepper and cucumber slices with 2 oz hummus
dinner – Moroccan-Inspired Lentil Soup over grits, pumpkin oatmeal cookie, 10 oz red wine

exercise – 30 minutes walking

daily points used:  29
weekly points used:  15
activity points earned:  2

Moroccan-Inspired Lentil Soup from Vegan On The Cheap

Friday, 1/20/12

breakfast – one slice rye toast with 1 Tbs each almond butter and strawberry spread
AM snack – apple, coffee with vanilla soy creamer
lunch – Moroccan-Inspired Lentil Soup over grits
PM snack – bell pepper and cucumber slices with 2 oz hummus
dinner – 6 tortilla chips with salsa, burrito (rice, refried beans, lettuce, tomato, guacamole), 16 oz red wine

daily points used:  29
weekly points used:  25

Saturday, 1/21/12

breakfast – Moroccan-Inspired Lentil Soup, orange, coffee with vanilla soy creamer
lunch – sesame-tangerine soy curls with bok choy and bean sprouts, brown rice
PM snack – chia pudding (banana blended with 1 cup almond milk and 1 tsp maca powder, 2 Tbs chia seeds, vanilla)
dinner – two slices thin crust pizza with spinach, olives, mushrooms, pineapple and Daiya mozzarella
after dinner – 12 oz MGD 64, 24 oz light beer, 2 oz tortilla strips with salsa

exercise – Bridge to 10K W4D3 (run 54 minutes, walk 12 minutes)

daily points used:  29
weekly points used:  8
activity points earned:  11
activity points used:  9

banana-chia pudding - looks gross, tastes wonderful and refreshing

Sunday, 1/22/12

breakfast – two slices sprouted wheat toast with 1 Tbs almond butter and sliced banana, coffee with vanilla soy creamer
lunch/rest of the day – six taco cups (tortilla, refried beans, soyrizo, taco sauce, Daiya cheddar, shredded lettuce, tomato), 2 oz sea salt kettle chips, roasted beets, 3 mini mocha chip muffins, 24 oz MGD 64, 36 oz light beer, 20 oz regular beer

daily points used:  29
activity points used:  19
non-existent points used:  20

taco cups

Monday, 1/23/12

breakfast – Moroccan-Inspired Lentil Soup, Orange Emergen-C
AM snack – mocha chip muffin, coffee with vanilla soy creamer
lunch – burrito (refried beans, soyrizo, taco sauce, Daiya cheddar, shredded lettuce, tomatoes), banana
PM snack – apple
dinner – Thai Roasted Root Vegetable Curry

exercise – 50 minutes elliptical

daily points used:  29
non-existent points used:  1
activity points earned:  4

Thai Roasted Root Vegetable Curry from Appetite for Reduction

Thursday, 1/12/12

breakfast – 1 slice rye toast with 1 Tbs peanut butter and 2 tsp strawberry preserves
AM snack – grapefruit, coffee with vanilla soy creamer
lunch – kidney bean curry over millet
PM snack 1 – 18 smoked almonds
PM snack 2 – 2 dates
dinner – gingery sunflower seed, cabbage and red apple collard rolls, cauliflower salad with orange vinaigrette, 10 oz red wine

exercise – Bridge to 10K W3D3 (run 51 minutes, walk 12 minutes)

daily points used:  29
weekly points used:  8
activity points earned:  10

Friday, 1/13/12

breakfast – 2 slices rye toast with 2 Tbs We Can’t Say It’s Cheese Hickory Cheddar Spread
AM snack – pear, coffee with vanilla soy creamer
lunch – gingery sunflower seed, cabbage and red apple collard rolls, cauliflower salad with orange vinaigrette
PM snack – 24 smoked almonds
dinner – Amy’s Roasted Vegetable Pizza (the whole thing; I intended to eat only two thirds but I was starving and didn’t stop there), 24 oz light beer
after dinner – 12 oz MGD 64, 8 oz red wine

exercise – 30 minutes walking

daily points used:  29
weekly points used:  28
activity points earned:  2

Saturday, 1/14/12

We had friends over to watch the football games and I didn’t eat a real lunch or dinner, I just kind of grazed all day.

breakfast – 1 slice rye toast with 1 Tbs almond butter, banana, coffee with vanilla soy creamer
rest of the day (spread out from noon to midnight) – mushroom and wild rice soup, four pieces sourdough bread, 2 oz pretzels, 20 tortilla strips with bean dip and salsa, lots of raw veggies with two servings Sanctuary Dressing, two vanilla cupcakes, 3 1/2 shots vodka mixed with diet soda, 24 oz light beer, 24 oz MGD 64

daily points used:  29
weekly points used:  8
activity points used:  29
non-existent points used:  9

Sunday, 1/15/12

breakfast – smoothie (cucumber, pear, banana, spinach, 1 Tbs chia powder), Coke Zero
AM snack – 1/2 oz pretzels, 1 serving peanut butter filled pretzels
lunch – two jumbo Smart Dogs on one sourdough roll with ketchup, mustard and sauerkraut, 2 oz salsa fresca rice chips, vanilla cupcake
PM snack – 1 servings peanut butter filled pretzels
dinner – mushroom and wild rice soup, raw veggies with Sanctuary Dressing, 8 oz red wine

daily points used:  29
non-existent points used:  19

Monday, 1/16/12

breakfast – 2 slices rye toast with 1 oz gouda style sheese and sliced pear, coffee with vanilla soy creamer
lunch – mushroom and wild rice soup
PM snack – four whole wheat sesame crackers with gingery sunflower seed pate
dinner – giant salad (lettuce, red cabbage, green pepper, cauliflower, broccoli, 1/4 cup tempeh, 1/4 cup red kidney beans, 1 1/2 Tbs bacon flavored chips, 2 1/2 servings Sanctuary Dressing), 12 oz red wine

exercise – Bridge to 10K W4D1 (run 54 minutes, walk 12 minutes)

daily points used:  29
activity points earned:  11
non-existent points used:  11

Tuesday, 1/17/12

breakfast – mushroom and wild rice soup
AM snack – apple, coffee with vanilla soy creamer
lunch – gingery sunflower seed, cabbage and red apple collard rolls, cauliflower salad with orange vinaigrette
PM snacks – banana, Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough Larabar, 1 3/4 oz Wheat Thins
dinner – Amy’s Sonoma Burger on two slices rye toast with ketchup and mustard, celery sticks, 2 dill pickles, vanilla cupcake

exercise – 50 minutes walking

daily points used:  29
activity points earned:  3
non-existent points used:  7

Totals for 1/11/12 – 1/17/12

Daily points used:  249/203
Weekly points used:  49/49
Activity points earned:  29
Activity points used:  29
Points left on the table:  -46

Daily points used:  210/203
Weekly points used:  49/49
Activity points earned:  34
Activity points used:  34
Points left on the table:  -7

I weighed in this morning at 157.1, down 1.6 pounds from last week.  However, I’m still up 1.5 pounds from where I was three weeks ago, so I’m still working off the holiday gain.  I feel like I’m getting back on track though, going only seven points over my allowance last week.  It certainly helped that I earned 34 activity points.  I think that’s the most I’ve earned in a week so far!

I worked late tonight and ate an entire bag of popcorn as my afternoon snack, so I wasn’t very hungry for dinner when I got home.  I wanted to have some sustenance though, so I threw together this tasty slaw.

The base of this salad was a few cups of shredded red cabbage, a shredded carrot, sliced green onion and a chopped dill pickle.  The dressing was one Tablespoon of reduced-fat Vegenaise, a splash of white vinegar, a drop of liquid stevia, and pinches of salt, pepper, dried dill and celery seed.  To top it off I added two teaspoons each of bacon-flavored chips and sunflower seeds.  This big bowl of crunchy tastiness was only two points!  I was satisfied…but then I ate a serving of peanut butter filled pretzels.  They’re too good.  A friend left a big container of them at our house, and someone really needs to take them away.

Friday, 1/6/12

breakfast – smoothie (banana, frozen strawberries, spinach, almond milk, hemp protein powder, ground flax)
AM snack – apple, coffee with vanilla soy creamer
lunch – Trader Joe’s Eggplant Wrap with Spicy Tahini Sauce, carrot sticks
PM snack 1 – Chocolate Chip Z Bar
PM snack 2 – unsweetened applesauce, 1/2 oz smoked almonds
dinner – potatoes and a sliced jumbo veggie dog topped with nutritional yeast sauce, ketchup, green onion and bacon-flavored chips
after dinner – 10 oz wine, 1 1/2 servings peanut butter filled pretzels (told you I can’t stop eating them)

daily points used:  29
weekly points used:  12

Saturday, 1/7/12

breakfast – grits with 1 tsp Earth Balance and nutritional yeast
AM snack – apple, coffee with vanilla soy creamer
lunch – 8 tortilla chips with salsa, burrito (rice, beans, lettuce, tomato, salsa)
PM snack – banana, 2 large whole wheat sesame crackers
dinner – smoky broccoli cheese soup, salad with shredded carrot, Caesar Chavez Dressing and tofu croutons, 24 oz light beer
after dinner – 12 oz red wine, 1 1/2 servings peanut butter filled pretzels (seriously, somebody get these out of my house)

daily points used:  29
weekly points used:  19
activity points used:  17

Sunday, 1/8/12

breakfast – one slice rye toast with 2 Tbs We Can’t Say It’s Cheese Hickory Cheddar spread
AM snacks – banana, 1/2 oz salt and pepper kettle chips, coffee with vanilla soy creamer
lunch – vegetable fried rice, sauteed Chinese greens, salt and pepper fried tofu, 24 oz light beer
dinner – smoky broccoli cheese soup, salad with shredded carrot, Caesar Chavez Dressing and tofu croutons, 8 oz red wine

exercise – Bridge to 10K W3D1 (run 51 minutes, walk 12 minutes)

daily points used:  29
activity points earned:  10
activity points used:  17
non-existent points used:  1

Monday, 1/9/12

breakfast – smoothie (banana, orange, kiwi, frozen strawberries, almond milk, hemp protein powder, ground flax)
AM snack – apple, coffee with vanilla soy creamer
lunch – vegetable fried rice, sauteed Chinese greens, salt and pepper fried tofu
PM snack – apple
dinner – large salad with shredded carrot, Caesar Chavez Dressing and tofu crouton, one serving peanut butter filled pretzels

exercise – 30 minutes walking

daily points used:  29
activity points earned:  2
non-existent points used:  6

Tuesday, 1/10/12

breakfast – oat bran with pumpkin, 2 tsp maple syrup, cinnamon and nutmeg
AM snack – apple, lemon lift tea
lunch – half a hummus wrap with lettuce and olives, 1 1/2 cups creole vegetable soup
PM snack 1 – banana
PM snack 2 – unsweetened applesauce, 1 oz smoked almonds
dinner – kidney bean curry (Trader Joe’s Curry Simmer Sauce, shallots, carrots, turnip), spiced millet

exercise – Bridge to 10K W3D2 (run 51 minutes, walk 12 minutes)

daily points used:  29
exercise points earned:  10

Wednesday, 1/11/12

breakfast – chocolate overnight oats (banana, chia seeds, almond milk, Amazing Grass Chocolate Superfood, cacao nibs)
AM snack – 2 tangerines, coffee with almond milk
lunch – kidney bean curry, spiced millet
PM snack – bag of salted microwave popcorn
dinner – slaw (cabbage, carrot, green onion, pickle, bacon-flavored chips, sunflower seeds), 1 serving peanut butter filled pretzels

exercise – 50 minutes walking

daily points used:  29
weekly points used:  5
exercise points earned:  3

I weighed in December 7th at 158.8, down one pound from the week before…then we went to Vegas for three nights.  I did run twice while we were there, once in the gym at Treasure Island and once on the strip, so that was good.  Still, I went 126 points over my allowance, and unsurprisingly weighed in at 162.5, up 3.7 pounds.

When we got back from Vegas I worked late for two nights to catch up a little (December and January are our busiest months at work).  Due to the travel and overtime, I caught a cold which lasted through the weekend.  Needless to say I didn’t exercise much that week, which led me to go over my points by 35.  However, I weighed in Wednesday 12/21 at 155.6, down 6.9 pounds from the week before.  And, with that weigh in I had lost 10% of my original body weight.  I think that sometimes relaxing on your eating (as I did in Vegas) and then getting right back on track has a kind of kick start effect on your metabolism.  Something was working for me that week, for sure.

Tofu-noodle-cabbage soup to heal my cold.

(Side note:  after losing 10%, Weight Watchers lets you choose your own goal weight.  I’ve liked going 5% at a time, so my current goal is 147.4, or 15% lost.)

The next week was Christmas!  I worked through the 23rd, then all bets were off for a full week of vacation.  We went to Dave’s cousin’s house for Christmas Eve, then had a few friends and family over for Christmas Day.

Christmas dinner:  Gardein beefless tips, garlic-parsley potatoes, corn and roasted onion & mushroom salad with horseradish dressing.  Seems harmless enough, but there was a lot of Earth Balance on the potatoes.  I didn’t track food on Christmas Day or the day after, and ended up going 25 points over my limit that week.  In reality I’m sure I was much more over.

I didn’t weigh in on 12/28 because I was in Florida.  My mom rented a beach house in Anna Maria Island and I went for a few days to spend time with my parents, brother and sister-in-law.  It was a really great, relaxing vacation.  The house had a fully equipped kitchen, and it was nice to mix in healthy meals and snacks with restaurant food.  My mom even brought ingredients to make overnight oats!

I got some cooking gifts for Christmas (cookbooks and utensils and such), but more relevant to this blog, running stuff!  The Complete Book of Women’s Running, iTunes gift cards to hopefully build a new playlist, and a gift card to See Jane Run (inside the card).

We had a quiet New Year’s Eve at home with a friend, and cooked brunch on New Year’s Day for a few people who came over to watch football.  On Tuesday I finished the week 128 points over my allowance, and was just hoping to gain as little as possible considering I had skipped  a weigh in, been on vacation, and passed a few holidays.

I weighed in Wednesday at 158.7, 3.1 pounds up from two weeks before.  Right after I returned from Florida I did a test weigh in and was over 162, so I was happy with where I ended up.  I’m hoping that by getting back to healthy eating and exercise I can drop back down to 10% lost and get back to business.

Speaking of exercise, I’ve been working on the Bridge 2 10K program.  It’s a continuation of the Couch 2 5K program I completed, and I am enjoying it as much as one can enjoy running for 45 minutes.  I’ll talk more about my running progress and plans in an upcoming post.

Wednesday, 1/4/12

breakfast – bran flakes with unsweetened almond milk and sliced banana
AM snack – half a cantaloupe, coffee with vanilla soy creamer
lunch – black eyed peas with brown rice and collards
PM snack – applesauce oat bran muffin
dinner – lentil soup, steamed potatoes with nutritional yeast sauce, bacon flavored chips and green onion

exercise – Bridge 2 10K week 2 day 3 (45 minutes running, 13 minutes walking)

daily points used:  29
activity points earned:  9

Thursday, 1/5/12

breakfast – oat bran with banana and 2 tsp each strawberry preserves and peanut butter
AM snack – grapes, coffee with vanilla soy creamer
lunch – giant salad (lettuce, carrot, tomato, sprouts, corn, wheat berries, edamame, chickpeas, baked tofu, sesame dressing)
dinner – 12 tortilla chips with salsa, burrito (rice, refried beans, onion, guacamole, lettuce), 10 oz red wine

daily points used:  29
weekly points used:  18

This is my new favorite winter time treat, and it’s ZERO points!  Well, technically, if you enter it as a recipe it is three points.  But if you enter the ingredients separately and save it as a meal, it’s zero.  So, it’s up to you how to count it – I count it as zero :)  It’s super easy to make and only takes a few minutes.  It’s not very sweet, which is fine by me, but you could always add more stevia or maple syrup if you want it to be sweeter.

Warm Pumpkin Pudding

3/4 cup canned pumpkin
1/2 cup unsweetened almond milk
2 tsp arrowroot powder
1 tsp maple syrup
1 tsp blackstrap molasses
2 drops stevia
1/4 tsp ground cinnamon
1/4 tsp ground ginger
dash ground nutmeg
pinch of salt

Whisk all ingredients together in a small pot until completely smooth.  Bring to a boil, whisking often.   Turn heat down and simmer for a few minutes, whisking constantly, until thickened and smooth.  Eat warm.  Makes one serving.

I wanted to do really well with my points this week because it’s the week between Thanksgiving and a little vacation we’re leaving for this weekend.  Normally I wouldn’t call a week in which I eat two burritos doing well, but I stayed within my points!  It was not easy.  After Sunday I was ten points in the red, so I made it my mission to exercise enough to get back in the green.  I don’t feel like I’ll lose a whole lot when I weigh in tomorrow morning, but I do think I’ll lose.

Totals for 11/23/11 – 11/19/11

Daily points used:  202/203
Weekly points used:  49/49
Activity points earned:  21
Activity points used:  19
Points left on the table:  3

Now, to get caught up on my daily menus.

Thursday, 12/1/11

breakfast – Sunday Supper Frittata, one slice 21 whole grains bread
AM snack – apple, coffee with hazelnut soy creamer
lunch – potato soup with watercress, salad with beets, blue Sheese and red wine vinaigrette, two clementines
PM snack – 3/4 oz smoked almonds
dinner – 8 tortilla chips, burrito (rice, beans, lettuce, pico de gallo, lettuce), 4 oz red wine

exercise – 30 minutes walking

daily points used:  29
weekly points used:  11
activity points earned:  2

Friday, 12/2/11

breakfast – Sunday Supper Frittata, one slice 21 whole grains bread
AM snack – apple, coffee with hazelnut soy creamer
lunch – potato soup with watercress, salad with beets, blue Sheese and red wine vinaigrette, two clementines
PM snack – 1/2 oz smoked almonds
dinner at Whole Foods – 1 cup brown rice, lettuce, shredded carrots, shredded cabbage, 1/4 cup edamame, 4 oz baked tofu, sesame kale
after dinner – 12 oz beer, 48 oz light beer, medium french fries with ketchup

exercise – 30 minutes walking

daily points used:  29
weekly points used:  29
exercise points earned:  2

Saturday, 12/3/11

(slept in and skipped breakfast)
lunch – smoothie (banana, kiwi, frozen mango, 2 Tbs hemp protein powder, 2 Tbs chia seed powder, 2 Tbs rolled oats), 1 Tbs Liquid Sunshine vitamin D supplement, coffee with soy milk
dinner – burrito (rice, beans, lettuce, salsa, guacamole), 8 oz red wine

daily points used:  29
weekly points used:  2

Sunday, 12/4/11

pre-run snack – one date
breakfast – one slice 21 whole grains toast with 1 Tbs cinnamon raisin swirl peanut butter and pumpkin mixed with 1 tsp molasses, coffee with soy creamer
AM snack – banana
lunch – lotus salad with spicy dressing (cabbage, carrot chopped peanuts, tofu “ham”, faux shrimp crackers), basil eggplant and tofu over brown rice, 24 oz light beer
dinner – 6 pc cucumber roll, 6 pc veggie roll, 10 oz red wine

exercise – ran 2 miles (24 minutes), walked 10 minutes

daily points used:  29
weekly points used:  7
activity points earned:  5
activity points used:  14

Monday, 12/5/11

breakfast – oat bran with banana, cinnamon and 2 tsp maple syrup
AM snack – apple, coffee with hazelnut soy creamer
lunch – Kashi Mayan Harveset frozen entree
PM snack – 6 oz strawberry soy yogurt
dinner – Goddess Nicoise Salad (from Appetite for Reduction), one slice 21 whole grains bread
after dinner – sugar cookie tea brewed in one cup warm almond milk

exercise – 30 minutes walking, 35 minutes yoga

daily points used:  29
activity points earned:  4

Tuesday, 12/6/11

breakfast – peanut butter pretzel Clif Mojo bar
AM snack – apple, coffee with hazelnut soy creamer
lunch – Goddess Nicoise Salad, one slice 21 whole grains bread
PM snack – 3/4 oz smoked almonds, two clementines
pre-run snack – half a banana
dinner – tempeh pot au feu (from Vegan on the Cheap), whole wheat pita
after dinner – other half of the banana, sugar plum tea

exercise – Bridge to 10K (henceforth known as B210K) week 1 day 1 (40 minutes running, 13 minutes walking)

daily points used:  28
activity points earned:  8