Week 7 and Taylor's Trip to CA

Weigh In : Yesterday I was down another pound, so down seven pounds total, but that crappy lb. crept back in this morning. So looks like I'm again at the same weight as last week. I need to stop obsessing over one pound. But on my goal sheet I'm supposed to be down ten right now, so I'm again frustrated.

High: My work pants are falling off of me! (I guess this is also a low...I mean, no one wants pants literally falling down at work) but I'm so excited about how different my clothes fit! It's a huge change.

Low: Not having Taylor around to make me wake up in the morning to go on a walk!! Speaking of not having Taylor around, look what he's been doing while I sit at home. :(

Learning to surf....

hanging out with my brother Sam, sister-in-law Jennifer, niece Fiona, and nephew Liam...

checkin out tide pools...

bar-hopping on the beach...

and having a GREAT time!

He got really lucky and was sent to Irvine, CA for work training, which is super close to where my brother and his family live so he's gotten to spend a ton of time with them. I'm so sad I'm not with him to hang out with our family but we are planning a trip in August to go out there together!

Anyways...back to week seven...

Exercise Update: Sunday, Wednesday, and Saturday(tomorrow) Fusion. I didn't get as many workouts in this week because of Taylor being gone and our division being in trial, so after work I have had to run home to let the dogs out and couldn't make it to any 6:00 classes. And it's too hot outside to think about going on a walk instead.

Goals for Next Week: Measure Food. When I think about my food scale, I feel ....dread. I generally think that I have the tools to eyeball my portions on my own and don't need to be so obsessive, but I think I'm kidding myself. I think my portions are too big and I'm sad about it. I like them, and I don't want to see them go, but this is just something I have to do. So measuring cups and the food scale are coming out.

Try to stay cool this weekend! Apparently if it's over 100 degrees the Mission Municipal Pool is free, so yeah. I'm all over that. Will report back with any funny tales concerning hordes of gross people cramming into a free public pool.

Week Six - couple days late

Here are my boring stats. This is the first week with no weight loss, which is a huge bummer, but I knew this would happen because I did not diet at all last weekend while I was in Denver. I was hoping for at least one pound gone, but it's ok, I know I will do better this week.

Weigh In: SAME. no weight loss this week. :(

High: Barre Intensity. It's a different class I tried at Fusion that I loved. Yes, I said it, I loved it! I was actually able to do everything and still felt really challenged. And I felt like a ballerina. It was very fun. (SHOCKER! It was FUN?! Working out?! Didn't ever think that was possible.)

Low: I ate too much on Wednesday and Friday, and I know it's not a big deal since I'm doing so well overall, but when I go over my calorie count, I get really depressed and grouchy. Probably not the best road to start going down when it's not a binge or anything like I used to do. So I found this on another blog and need to remember these words:
"When I overeat one day, it’s easy to jump right back on track the next day.  The key is to not miss a beat.  If you fall, get up and start again quickly without looking back.  No guilt and no remorse over past eating whether it’s one day or one week.  Permit yourself only forward thinking, positive healthy thoughts."

Exercise Update: Monday Fusion, Tuesday Treadmill Walk/Run, Thursday Fusion, Saturday Fusion. Four days!

Goals for Next Week: Don't eat out at all and wake up in the mornings to walk the dogs at least twice!

Denver

Last week, Taylor was training in Denver for his (somewhat) new job, and pretty last-minute I was able to join him Thursday night -Sunday morning and visit some of our very best friends. Adam and Jamie opened their home to us and we had the most amazing time.

After a great breakfast Friday morning, Adam, Jamie, Monica, Taylor, and I (and of course Luna) headed up to Evergreen for a hike. It was INCREDIBLE! Picture above is from the start of the trail.

So happy!!

After our hike got cut a little short due to some lightning, we got some pizza and beer in downtown Evergreen, then headed up to Jamie's grandparents' cabin to hang out and see Jamie's family. Poor Luna was so worn out from bouncing around in the wilderness. She just needed a hat for some shade and a nice lap to veg out on :)

Later that night, we went back down to Denver and had a delicious dinner at Izakaya Den on Pearl Street, then went home and to bed!!

Saturday was full of walking around the world's coolest park, checking out REI, eating, eating some more, and topped off with the cutest patio table at Stella, an Italian restaurant where all dieting hang-ups were tossed to the wind and tasting a bit of every plate on the table, every last one, became the goal. Woops! But Monica had to carb-up for her century ride the next day...yes, a 100 MILE BIKE RIDE THE NEXT DAY, so we had to follow suit in the carb department. SO worth it. After dinner we tried to get a spot on a roof top patio with an awesome view but were shut down, so we just headed next door to get huge ice cream cones and watch an old movie on an outdoor screen. Pretty perfect day I'd say! (Oh, besides the point when I very awkwardly ruined Taylor and Adam's efforts to be smooth at the bar....I walked up just as they were introducing themselves to some cougars. It was so weird. I totally caught them hitting on some chicks for free drinks!!! Hi-larious.)

Taylor and I really fell in love with Denver this trip. There is just so much to do and everyone is so active. I was really feeling the mountains too...there were some very hippie "in touch with nature" moments. :) We are so lucky to have such wonderful friends that live in awesome places we can visit! Can't wait for another Denver trip hopefully sooner than later!

A day in eating...

Some days eating well is really easy, some days not so much. If I cook everything myself it is a no brainer. But sometimes cooking is the last thing I want to do, and that's where things get tough. And of course you are familiar with my weekend struggles - parties, showers, weddings, etc.

Here is what a good day looks like for me during the week. I'll post what I'm doing to stay on track on the weekends later on...

BREAKFAST:

Two eggs and one egg white or a smoothie. I used to think smoothies sounded completely awful and would never satisfy me. I thought I needed to chew food to feel like I was eating food. Buuutt...turns out you can make a smoothie taste like ice cream and I certainly never complained about that texture before! My favorite smoothie recipe is a half cup low fat cottage cheese or plain greek yogurt, about half of a frozen banana (this is the secret ingredient...slice your bananas first, then freeze them.), a tbsp of peanut butter, a tiny bit of vanilla protein powder (it helps fill you up and sweetens it a bit), 1/2 cup milk, some spinach if I have it (you can't taste it), and a couple ice cubes. It really is amazing.

MORNING SNACK:

Banana or apple.

LUNCH: Something leftover or a salad, with fruit or cottage cheese on the side. (I am also a HUGE fan of Jimmy John's unwich's.)

Leftover Quinoa pictured above. Recipe: quinoa, rinsed and drained black beans, tomatoes, cilantro, salt and pepper, lime juice, and a little olive oil. This is good, but my fav quinoa is with grilled onions, mushrooms, spinach, garlic, and whatever else, and then doused in soy sauce. Tastes like fried rice!!

 ...Or a salad. Salads actually make me feel very full...so if I have the ingredients this is what I turn to for lunch. Right now I'm into spinach, leftover chicken, black olives, cherry tomatoes, artichoke hearts, and feta. I put some olive oil and balsamic vinegar in a little tupperware and shake it up. Another great salad is lettuce, chicken, edamame, red pepper, cilantro and Trader Joe's Spicy Peanut Vinaigrette. (my favorite bottled dressing ever)

AFTERNOON SNACK:

Cauliflower/Broccoli or Carrots (if I'm not too lazy and cut them up) with hummus, pita chips with hummus, cottage cheese, apple, or a protein bar. I also love eating yogurt for a snack but I haven't bought it lately.

(not my photo, I eat Aldi pita chips and red pepper hummus) :)

DINNER:

This looks like I eat next to nothing, but Taylors' grilled chicken and grilled veggies are very filling and VERY good. Other repeat dinners are salmon and vegetables, turkey chili, baked parmesan chicken, etc.

DESSERT: A little handful of chocolate chips. I'm trying to get out of needing something sweet after I eat, but chocolate chips are my go-to if I can't fight the craving.

And that's it! If I ate like this every day I'd probably be 15 pounds lighter by now...but it's just now becoming more of a habit and a lot easier. So who knows, maybe things will speed up after this week.

Semana Cinco!

Week Five. I did it! I lost two pounds in a week! This was a good one.

Weigh In: Down two, so down six pounds total. I am now fifteen pounds lighter than the heaviest I've ever been. (right after taking the bar)

High: Just the feeling of practicing self control. That's all this really is at the end of the day...
I'm also reading kind of a cheesy self help book about women and compulsive/emotional eating. I really, really enjoy it and feel it's been super helpful.

Low: Fusion is SO SO hard. It gets harder every time. I went for the fifth time last night and quit more than ever. I apologized to the teacher afterwards because it really looked like I was just a quitter, I spent so much time not participating...but I did something to my lower left ab muscle where I was getting shooting pains every time I crunched or planked so I had to listen to the old bod and stop.

Exercise Update: Sunday Fusion, Tuesday walk, Wednesday Fusion, and will do something active this weekend. (I'll update later). I got some really cheap tops and a new pair of capris at Nordstrom Rack that are awesome, so now I have some breathable stuff to sweat my a** off in.

Goals for next week: Practice moderation over the weekends! There is a lot of fun, tempting stuff coming up...

And here is a little thing I wrote after I lost five pounds:

Five pounds gone and five reasons to keep going.

1. Exercise. I am now an "active" person! For the first time in a long time, I do not fit in the 'sedentary' category, and that feels so good.

2. Money. So I don't have to spend money on new clothes. Soon enough here I can fit into all the stuff I have!

3. Summer. So I can wear shorts, swimsuits, tank tops, and dresses and not feel awful.

4. For Taylor. He loves me no matter what I look like, but he's so cute, he deserves a better version of me. :)

5.  If I don't do this now, I will regret it later. I'm young and making big lifestyle changes with my eating and exercising is way easier and less scary now than it would be in ten years. NOW is the only option!

Week Four - Motivated.

Week four has brought along a nice shift in thought. About the human body. Ha. Strangely, but seriously. I, Molly Ann Hartley, for the first time, find myself caring about my body and not just the fat/skinny thing. I find myself looking at people's muscles, not just their figure. Never happened like that before. For once, I don't just want to be skinny, I want to be fit and toned and all that jazz people talk about that I found a bit needy. I think a lot of this has to do with my back problems. I know that to avoid all that pain, I have to develop some serious core strength. I'm also really curious to see if I can actually have a toned body by working out!! In the past I've lost weight by eating less, cutting out carbs, etc. etc. I've never been a big exerciser. Adding exercise is a lot more motivating though, even if it's making me lose weight a little bit slower.

Now, to counterbalance this "I'm so healthy and have done a 180 on you" intro, I must tell you that I went to the Sporting KC game on Tuesday and watched two people in front of me eat nachos and chili cheese fries. No, I didn't watch them. I STARED...and DROOLED....and YEARNED to snatch their bowls of fake cheese right out of their hands. Taylor was so embarassed, he kept nudging me and telling me to seriously stop staring. Everyone around me had their noses turned up at how nasty what they were eating looked, and yes, it was nasty. Nachos piled high in a bowl...a huge bowl, that you had to eat with a fork. Greasy french fries also in a bowl, with a pound of chili and cheese, again that you had to eat with a fork. It really was gross. But I wanted them so bad. So don't worry, I'm still me.

Anyways, here's my schpeel:

Weigh In : Down another pound, four pounds total. BO-RING.

High: Eating Monday-Friday has been pretty much great! I'm really proud of myself for eating right all week.

Low: At the Sporting KC game mentioned above, I did have a beer my mom and Taylor bought for me, and I ate a lot of french fries out of Taylor's cheeseburger basket. He has got to be more supportive, right? I mean, a cheeseburger basket in front of me?! RUDE. Also, I went to Mi Ranchito on Sunday. Like I said, eating was only perfect Monday-Friday.

Exercise Update: Four workouts this week. (two fusion, pilates at work again, and a walk/run scheduled for tomorrow) I bought a package at Fusion so I'm forced to go. I went Monday, Thursday, and will go again on Sunday. These classes are so hard it's almost unbearable. I look like such a cow in there and I SUCK. So weak. The group class thing is awesome for me though. I always knew it would be, I just never wanted to spend the dough. I especially enjoy going with friends, it's for sure not as fun alone. Also, the time before class starts is super awkward when there's no one to talk to. So if anyone wants to go with me, please come!!! ;) Oh, and remember how I said I was going to fight the urge to buy cute stuff to work out in? Well, I have to tell you, my crap isn't cutting it. Not because it's ugly, because it's not functional. I'm already in need of a top that doesnt ride up, and pants that don't get weighed down by sweat. I will not spend a lot of money, but I do see a trip to tj maxx and the nordstrom rack in the future for some things. :(

Goals for Next week: Run!! I didn't walk or run this week...so I am going tomorrow and will walk/run the dogs at least two nights next week.  Also, I really hope to lose more than a pound next week. I'll never reach my goal of 15 pounds in 10 weeks at this rate, and I feel that that's not an unreasonable goal to shoot for.

Wish me luck this weekend! Family BBQ tomorrow and friend's house tonight....MODERATION shall be my mantra. No fun. But well worth it.
-Molly

Week 3

This week started out low and got better. It's not as hard to stay at 1200 calories, I think my body is definitely adjusting and my stomach is shrinking. (Just the organ, not the gut unfortunately.)

Weigh In: Down one more pound. So three pounds total. I am getting frustrated with how slow this is going!

High: Feeling different in an outfit for the first time. Also, I don't dread going out as much because of my body. I know it hasn't changed much, but just working hard and not having so much guilt has made me feel a lot more confident.

Low(s): 1. I've been having a lot of shoulder pain. It feels like no matter how hard I try, I can't relax them and I'm extremely tense. I think it's from running, I need to figure out how to run without tensing up my shoulders. They are so sore and it's hard to do anything and it's also been difficult to sleep. Any advice on this?
2. I went to the pool and looked like a cow. Gross. (Negativity isn't gonna get me anywhere I know, but it really was a low.)
3. Saying no to going out. I hate it. I could have gone to an outdoor concert today which would have been an all day drinking fest...and I just know I can't do it right now. But it's really hard. I have the worst time balancing this and I don't know what to do. I love going out with my friends, nothing makes me feel better, but my social life is full of cocktails! And drinking is ruining everything! I am going to try and completely cut out alcohol (except special occasions like showers and weddings) until I lose some serious weight. It is probably something I should have committed to from day one, I just wasn't willing to give up a couple drinks on the weekends. No doubt though, it deletes all the hard work I put into that day/week by making me hungry as hell, and typically tired and craving chinese food the next day.

Exercise Update: I worked out four times this week! Three walk/runs and then the fusion class. (see below). I feel so out of shape, and working out is SO hard. I can't wait to get stronger, because I am weak sauce and it HURTS.

Goals for Next Week: Go to Fusion at least once. Have a healthier weekend. Don't quit on the Ease Into 5K Walk/Run Program(i.e. This program my amazing runner friend Kate recommended to me that I'm trying to follow)

Fusion Fitness - The Alternate Universe of Stepford Fitness Queens

My take on Fusion Fitness:

Hmmm....where to begin. I guess first impressions. It's 9:40 on a Friday morning. I am able to go because my boss is out of town and I have the day off. I didn't think this time of day would have high traffic, however, I was sorely mistaken. There was a mad dash to get into the room. So my first (of course critical and jealous thought) is: "F these b****es that don't have to work and can work out on a Friday morning and just be hot and perfect" (minus teachers, I apologize to all teachers out there, I know you have the summer off and you deserve it and I'm sure many girls in there were teachers, so I don't include them, but the other ones? cray cray.) Anyways, about forty or so women run in with their yoga mats and grab these random tools we're supposed to collect for class. A resistance band, two "gliders" I'd never seen before and after the fact wish I never had, two hand weights, and a weird bumpy mini ball/disc thing. Oh, and how shall we describe these women? Well, how about a picture.

Yep. Gorgeous, 20s-40s, about 4 inches between their thighs, not too muscle-y, just long, lean and freaking skinny.

Wanna know what they were wearing? Okay!

Lululemon Power Y Tank. $52.00.

Lululemon Wunder Under Crop. $78.00 (but don't worry, the girls at Fusion's butts looked better than this model)

Nike Free Shoe, $100. They all had very similar lightweight shoes, all in neon colors. 

I'm really not kidding when I say that 97% of the women there were wearing the EXACT same outfit, just in different colors. My stupid Gap tank top had a HOLE in it!!!! My TJ Maxx yoga capris were pilling, and for the first time I felt that there was something wrong with my damn tennis shoes!!

Oh and I almost forgot, before class they were all wearing this, which they casually set to the side with their expensive sunglasses and keys to their Lexus SUV's.

Lululemon Instride Jacket. $108.00

So as you can infer, I felt like a loser, but at the same time I looked around and just thought, the only reason they're all wearing the exact same outfit is because at one point they were me, and they weren't wearing the uniform, and they felt like they had to buy it to fit in. Not because they actually already had the stuff. It's not some crazy coincidence, we're just back to girl world, where everyone has to dress the same and look cute. I get it. Also, I'm sure fitness clothing trends are just as pervasive as regular clothing trends, I just didn't know it because I'm clearly not livin in the fitness world.

As far as the workout went, it was crazy, hilariously, excruciatingly hard. The class I attended was called Switch UP, and required tennis shoes. Most of the classes are barefoot. Laura told me at the end of the day all their classes are about the same. So I was fire engine red, sweating like a pig, and my stupid tank top kept riding up and showing my beer belly, so maybe that's why they all wear the lululemon crap, apparently it doesn't do that, but hello!! Those people had no belly to cover!! I had to quit halfway through every move. I was going to write "pretty much every move" but that would be a lie. I quit at some point in every set. At one point I thought I would die and that I hated it, but the hour  went a lot faster than I thought it would. There was some good music which was fun. (She played Calvin Harris - Feel So Close, towards the end and I was so excited I was lungin like a machine) I wished there were modified moves for beginners, but I just tried my best.

Overall, I feel really great that I went and I'm already VERY sore. I'm sure I won't be able to move for five days. My sweet friend Laura went with me and helped me through it all, and kept telling me to ignore the people and just focus on being there for me, to feel healthy. Not to compare myself.

So I'm going to go back, I'm going to resist the urge to buy something cute to wear, and really try to stick it out. We got rid of a bunch of our channels on TV and cut our bill in half, so I'm using that money for this. It's expensive, but it's my health, and apart from my family and friends, there is nothing more important than that.

Oh and by the way, if it isn't obvious, my bitching is nothing but plain old jealousy. :) But I swear it looked like a cult of MILFs and future MILFs.

re-sipes.

I have a very vivid memory of the day I realized the "recipes" I was reading on the back of my cereal box were pronounced RECIPES, and that I knew what a RECIPE was, and it all made sense!! Prior to this realization, my brain was reading this word as "re-sipe." So even though I knew I was reading a list of ingredients and how to put them together to form food, that was just a re-sipe, and when my mom was talking about recipes, well, that was another thing. My first Ah-ha moment in life. I was fifteen years old.

Just kidding! I think I was 5 or something.

I feel like the blog has gotten boring so that's where this random insert is coming from.

Here come the darn recipes:

Molly's "Healthier Lasagna"
1 lb. ground turkey
1 16 oz diced italian style tomatoes, drained. (or 1/2 drained)
8 oz tomato sauce or marinara
1 1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp dried oregano
1/2 tsp pepper
10-ish lasagna noodles
shredded part skim mozzarella cheese
12 oz. low fat cottage cheese
1/4-1/2 cup parmesan cheese

Brown the turkey, drain fat. Stir in the tomatoes, tomato sauce,  salt, oregano, and pepper into the turkey. Heat to boiling, reduce heat and simmer uncovered for 20 minutes. Cook the noodles and drain and rinse them with cold water so they don't stick together. Build your lasagna by alternating layers of noodles, mozzarella cheese, cottage cheese, meat sauce, and parmesan cheese. I usually do 2 layers of the good stuff, then the top layer is just lasagna noodles covered with a little bit of cheese. Cover and refrigerate. Bake at 350 for an hour or 30 minutes if you're baking it immediately without refrigeration.

This is not as gooey and big as regular lasagna, but to me, the flavor is better. (i'm not a huge fan of ricotta, so that may be why). I love it though!!!

Crock Pot Chicken Tacos (my first non-dip crock pot experience. amazing)
6 raw chicken breasts (not frozen)
1 packet taco seasoning (none hold a candle to Lawry's in my opinion)
1 16 oz. jar of salsa. (I used the On The Border stuff, it was great)

(Cook on low for 4-6 hours. The recipe told me high for 4-6 hours or low for 6-8 hours but my crock pot must be a blazin machine because it was perfect on low for 4 hours. )

I really didn't believe this was turn out so good but it was honestly scrumptious and even better the next day. We did tacos the first night, and then the second night I made a quesadilla on a whole wheat tortilla, and I don't care what people say, they are LYING if they think whole wheat tortillas are even remotely close to the deliciousness of a flour one, but this dilla was so good I would order it in a restaurant.

I'm off to my first Fusion Fitness class, will report back soon!