Weigh Ins and Workout Woes

The weekend after the 10K, I ran three miles out at the marina.  I’m used to feeling a little discomfort on the outside of my left hip, but during that run I felt some pain in the front, around my hip flexor.  It was only there for a few minutes before it went away, but it was enough pain in a new place to be noticeable.  The next day, I went to a TurboKick class, which I was very excited about.  I loved the high intensity class, but started feeling the same pain about ten minutes in.  After the class my hip was very sore, and I was having some sharp radiating pain as well, to the extent that I had a hard time falling asleep that night.  I went on WebMD’s symptom checker (which is a lot better than it used to be), and self-diagnosed that I probably had tendonitis or bursitis.  Either way, I needed to rest my leg, which was sad news considering it was supposed to be my “fun” exercise time in between 10K and half marathon training.

I laid off exercise for four whole days, then went on an easy two and a half mile run to test the waters.  There was some definite discomfort in my hip, but no pain during or after the run.  I was out of town for the next few days, and didn’t get to run again until last Thursday.  There was just a little bit of discomfort and no residual pain, so I’m taking it as a good sign!  I’m stretching and icing and rolling and doing all the things you’re supposed to do to keep your muscles and tendons happy, so I’m hoping that going into the start of my running plan in two weeks, it won’t be a problem.  There are still a few activities I want to do before going back to lots of running – cycling class, BodyPump and tennis, to name a few.

Totals for 2/22/12 – 2/28/12

Daily points used:  195/196
Weekly points used:  49/49
Activity points earned:  22
Activity points used:  20
Points left on the table:  3

Staying within my points limit really worked.  On February 29th I weighed in at 153.8, down 1.4 pounds from the previous week.  That weekend though, I went out of town for five days which threw a little wrench in the works.  I flew to central Florida on Friday, first to visit my family and attend my sister-in-law’s baby shower.  Then I went south to Miami Beach for two days and nights at a work-related conference.  I actually didn’t track my food during the trip, mostly because I was just too busy.  I meant to track from memory upon getting home, but I was tired, then I was lazy, and it never happened.  I’m quite certain I went over my points limit, I just don’t know how much.

I actually ate really well during my trip.  Mom takes care of me when I visit, stocking soy milk, Earth Balance, fruits, veggies, hummus and Tofurky.  She even made me overnight oats for breakfast!  The conference was at a pretty swanky hotel that put really nice food out for the buffets.  There was usually enough to fill my plate, including a salad at every meal, and I only had to ask for a special meal twice when there wasn’t quite enough.

Upon returning, I weighed in at 154.4, up .6 pounds from the week before.  I was honestly pretty happy that I only gained .6 pounds after five days away from home.  My goal for this last week was to stay within my points limit and get back down to where I was the week before.

Totals for 3/7/12 – 3/13/12

Daily points used:  193/196
Weekly points used:  53/49
Activity points earned:  20
Activity points used:  20
Points left on the table:  -1

Close but no cigar, but…I weighed in at 150.3, down4.1 pounds!  I’m not quite sure how it happened, but I’m not going to argue.  I guess sometimes your body is just ready to drop some weight.

Wednesday, 3/7/12

breakfast – grits with nutritional yeast
lunch – quinoa tortilla soup (leek, jalapeno, carrot, garlic, tomatoes, spinach, corn tortilla strips, radish, plain soy yogurt, hot sauce)
snack – smoothie (banana, strawberries, kiwi, hemp protein powder, almond milk)
dinner – Pasta con Broccoli with chickpeas, salad (spinach, Dijon mustard, rice vinegar, dried cherries)
after dinner – 3/4 cup peanut butter puffins, 10 oz red wine

daily points used:  28
weekly points used:  10

quinoa tortilla soup, made from what I could find in the kitchen

Pasta con Broccoli with chickpeas, from Appetite for Reduction

Thursday, 3/8/12

breakfast – half an English muffin with 1 Tbs each almond butter and blueberry preserves
AM snack – strawberries, a pear, coffee with vanilla soy creamer
lunch – Pasta con Broccoli with chickpeas, salad (spinach, Dijon mustard, rice vinegar, dried cherries)
PM snack – 8 walnuts with 1 Tbs raisins
dinner – three medium slices pizza with zucchini, pineapple & red pepper flakes
after dinner – 12 oz MGD 64, 12 oz light beer

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

daily points used:  28
weekly points used:  9
activity points earned:  6

Friday, 3/9/12

breakfast – half an English muffin with 1 Tbs each almond butter with roasted flax & blueberry preserves
AM snack – pear, banana, coffee with vanilla soy creamer
lunch – three medium slices pizza with zucchini, pineapple, bacon flavored chips & red pepper flakes
PM snack – carrot & celery sticks, two dill pickles
dinner at the Vegan Happy Hour potluck – small portions pasta & potato salad, tamale with 2 Tbs guacamole & hot sauce, 4 tortilla chips, seitan cha siu bao, bbq tofu, one slice bread with cashew cheese, berries with cashew cream, mini cinnamon roll, dark & stormy cake ball, Oreo truffle, 16 oz beer, 12 oz light beer, 12 oz MGD 64

exercise – walked 50 minutes

daily points used:  28
weekly points used:  30
activity points earned:  3

Saturday, 3/10/12

breakfast – raw apple pie oatmeal
AM snack – banana, coffee with almond milk
AM snack 2 – 9 pcs veggie sushi
lunch – two medium slices pizza with zucchini, pineapple, bacon flavored chips & red pepper flakes
dinner – bbq tofu, grilled asparagus, grilled mushrooms with white wine & herbs, grilled potatoes with poblano
after dinner – 18 oz red wine, 2 oz pretzels

daily points used:  28
activity points used:  20
non-existent points used:  2

Raw Apple Pie Oatmeal – recipe here

Sunday, 3/11/12

breakfast – raw apple pie oatmeal
AM snack – orange, coffee with almond milk
lunch – Ethiopian Millet, Mushroom Tibs & Ye’abesha Gomen
PM snack – smoothie (banana, strawberries, spinach, Vega One, a date)
dinner – Pasta con Broccoli with Chickpeas, salad (lettuce, carrot, celery, bacon flavored chips. fat-free balsamic vinaigrette)
after dinner – 1 oz spelt pretzels

exercise – 50 minutes elliptical

daily points used:  28
non-existent points used:  2
activity points earned:  4

Ethiopian Millet, Mushroom Tibs & Ye-abesha Gomen, recipes from Appetite for Reduction

Monday, 3/12/12

breakfast – grilled asparagus, grilled mushrooms with white wine & herbs, grilled potatoes with poblano
AM snack – apple, coffee with vanilla soy creamer
lunch – Ethiopian Millet, Mushroom Tibs, Ye-abesha Gomen, salad (lettuce, carrot, celery, bacon flavored chips, goddess dressing)
PM snack – plain soy yogurt with strawberries
dinner – grits with refried beans, salsa & pickled jalapeno, steamed broccoli with nutritional yeast

exercise – ran 2.5 miles (30 min), walked 12 minutes

daily points used:  26
activity points earned:  6

Grits and refried beans, quickest dinner ever!

Tuesday, 3/13/12

breakfast – half an English muffin with 1 Tbs each almond butter with roasted flax & blueberry preserves
AM snack – strawberries, orange Emergen-C, coffee with almond milk
lunch – grits with refried beans, salsa & pickled jalapeno, steamed broccoli with nutritional yeast
PM snack – peanut butter puffins
PM snack 2 – apple, decaf soy latte
dinner – Ethiopian Millet, Mushroom Tibs, Ye’abesha Gomen
dessert – warm banana pudding (banana, arrowroot, almond milk, 1/2 tsp maple syrup, one small Biscoff cookie)

exercise – walked 20 minutes

daily points used:  27
activity points earned:  1

Wednesday, 3/14/12

breakfast – half an English muffin with 1 Tbs each roasted flax & blueberry preserves
AM snack – apple, coffee with almond milk
lunch – Ethiopian Millet, Mushroom Tibs, Ye’abesha Gomen, sunflower seeds
PM snack – 8 walnuts, 1 Tbs raisins
dinner – seitan philly on a roll with peppers & onions, french fries with 2 Tbs ketchup, 32 oz beer, 12 oz light beer

daily points used:  28
weekly points used:  27

Thursday, 3/15/12

breakfast – peanut butter puffins with almond milk
AM snack – strawberries, coffee with almond milk
lunch – Candle Cafe Tofu Spinach Ravioli frozen entree, salad (spinach, fat-free balsamic vinaigrette)
PM snack – strawberry coconut Greek yogurt
PM snack 2 – 2 dates
dinner – Kidney Bean & Sweet Potato Jamba Stew
dessert – banana with 2 tsp chocolate hazelnut butter

exercise – 60 minutes BodyPump, 10 minutes elliptical

daily points used:  28
weekly points used:  1
activity points earned:  5

Kidney Bean & Sweet Potato Jamba Stew, adapted from Appetite for Reduction

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