Hey ladies-
It is a beautiful morning and I've decided to work at home today. I believe summer is officially here because it was uncomfortable to work in the greenhouses today. All I did was walk into the place and I broke into a sweat. I fortunately woke up feeling pretty good. I felt sick again last night after our bike ride and had a very difficult time falling asleep. I caved in at 1:00am and turned my central air on because I was too warm. I hate using the central air when I live in the basement.
The past two mornings, Gavin and I have ridden our bikes to his school. I basically go with him to ensure he can lock his bike up on the rack. I got a simple bike lock for him (with a combination) but it can be finicky. Yesterday was kind of sad because he rode his bike home by himself. He's getting so mature. I plan on riding with him to school the next two mornings to make sure the bike lock situation is in check and he may ride to and from school by himself next week. It only takes about 3 minutes one way unless traffic is bad. He only has to cross one "bad" street and that is the one directly south of us, 24th Street. It will be really handy if I don't have to worry about getting to his school and picking him up. I hate the traffic situation by his school. No one is polite and a lot of people park illegally in the yellow zones. I've almost lost the rear view mirror on my car many times because things get so congested. It will be nice to just meet him at home. Depending on where we live next year, I could honestly see him riding his bike during the appropriate seasons and having his own key to the apartment.
I don't have any tips, facts, or guilty admissions to share this morning. Just trying to get back into the routine of blogging regularly. My fried egg (yolk and all) was delicious by the way!
Wednesday, May 20, 2009
Tuesday, May 19, 2009
Egg-cellent recipes...
sorry, I had to!
Easy egg and tomato sandwich:
-1 egg, prepared as desired
-1 whole wheat English muffin (toasted)
-1 slice of your favorite cheese
-1 slice of tomato
-1 slice of Canadian bacon or ham (or lunch meat of choice)
yes, this is basically a rip off of the egg McMuffin at McD's but it's a healthier and tastier version. If you stick with an egg white, go with 2% milk fat cheese (I can't really tell a difference) and have a piece of fruit it's a healthy and flavorful breakfast that includes all of your major food groups and will keep you full until lunch!
Breakfast burritos:
-turkey sausage or bacon, or diced ham
-diced peppers and onions
-eggs (whole or whites only...try going 1 whole egg and 1 white only to reduce calories and cholesterol if you still want yolk)
-tortilla shells (the fajita size)
-shredded cheese (2% milk fat)
-salsa
cook sausage/bacon and crumble then set aside. In a non-stick skillet heat up 1-2 tablespoons olive oil and saute onion/pepper mixture. Meanwhile, scramble eggs with a few tablespoons milk and add salt and pepper to taste. When veggies are tender, add tomatoes, meat and eggs. Cook until eggs are thoroughly cooked. Spoon eggs onto tortilla shell. Top with shredded cheese and salsa if desired. **these can easily be made ahead of time and frozen for a quick breakfast.
And ladies, let's remember...eggs are not just breakfast food anymore! I'll try and think of some more tasty recipes but I thought I would start with these and make sure you actually like to eat eggs first!
Easy egg and tomato sandwich:
-1 egg, prepared as desired
-1 whole wheat English muffin (toasted)
-1 slice of your favorite cheese
-1 slice of tomato
-1 slice of Canadian bacon or ham (or lunch meat of choice)
yes, this is basically a rip off of the egg McMuffin at McD's but it's a healthier and tastier version. If you stick with an egg white, go with 2% milk fat cheese (I can't really tell a difference) and have a piece of fruit it's a healthy and flavorful breakfast that includes all of your major food groups and will keep you full until lunch!
Breakfast burritos:
-turkey sausage or bacon, or diced ham
-diced peppers and onions
-eggs (whole or whites only...try going 1 whole egg and 1 white only to reduce calories and cholesterol if you still want yolk)
-tortilla shells (the fajita size)
-shredded cheese (2% milk fat)
-salsa
cook sausage/bacon and crumble then set aside. In a non-stick skillet heat up 1-2 tablespoons olive oil and saute onion/pepper mixture. Meanwhile, scramble eggs with a few tablespoons milk and add salt and pepper to taste. When veggies are tender, add tomatoes, meat and eggs. Cook until eggs are thoroughly cooked. Spoon eggs onto tortilla shell. Top with shredded cheese and salsa if desired. **these can easily be made ahead of time and frozen for a quick breakfast.
And ladies, let's remember...eggs are not just breakfast food anymore! I'll try and think of some more tasty recipes but I thought I would start with these and make sure you actually like to eat eggs first!
The incredible, edible egg...
Happy Tuesday ladies! I hope that the weather is as beautiful in Iowa as I think it is here. Tuesday is coming to a close and we are fast approaching a long weekend and my mood is reflecting these wonderful facts. I have had a really good day and besides the fact that I am very hungry right now, I am feeling great. Anyway, I was checking the blog and noticed that Jenny and I have sucked lately at blogging (we're both busy and trying to get back on track so it's understandable) but I thought I would give it a go as I'm done with all of my work for today (and the majority of tomorrow as well).
As always, I was bored and was doing some reading online. Now, I know it's always a risk with you picky-eater Smith girls (yes, I'm calling you out) but I thought I'd share some thoughts with you. Lately, I've been getting up early enough to have breakfast at home before I head out to work, or, in the very least, early enough to eat in the car while I'm driving to work. Anyway, I have started eating egg sandwiches a few times per week. Well, apparently I was doing something right when I decided to choose eggs for my breakfast food of choice. Apparently in a newly published study, men and women who started their day's off with an egg at breakfast consumed fewer calories during the remainder of the day. There was also a trend that showed they consumed fewer calories the next day as well...go-go eggs!
While there is this positive side to eggs, I won't pretend that I wasn't concerned with the amount of cholesterol in egg yolks. In a single large egg, there is 70% of the daily allotment of cholesterol for a 2000 calorie diet...ouch. It has long been debated whether men and women who have high cholesterol get it from foods such as eggs or from their poor diet in general. I don't know what I believe so I decided to make it a non issue. The days I have eggs, I tend to cook them in a non-stick skillet with cooking spray (no added fat) and have taken to eating 2 egg whites instead of a whole egg (no, fat or cholesterol in the white and still lots of protein, and in the spirit of full disclosure, the white is my favorite part of a skillet cooked egg). So, if you like eggs, you should totally give this a try. Also, I've been thinking that I might like to try some alternate ways of making my eggs for breakfast and wanted to share some ideas that I have really come to like. I'll post the recipes in a separate blog entry so this one doesn't get outrageously long and so that we can add another entry to May!
Anyway, happy eating and keep up the good work ladies!
As always, I was bored and was doing some reading online. Now, I know it's always a risk with you picky-eater Smith girls (yes, I'm calling you out) but I thought I'd share some thoughts with you. Lately, I've been getting up early enough to have breakfast at home before I head out to work, or, in the very least, early enough to eat in the car while I'm driving to work. Anyway, I have started eating egg sandwiches a few times per week. Well, apparently I was doing something right when I decided to choose eggs for my breakfast food of choice. Apparently in a newly published study, men and women who started their day's off with an egg at breakfast consumed fewer calories during the remainder of the day. There was also a trend that showed they consumed fewer calories the next day as well...go-go eggs!
While there is this positive side to eggs, I won't pretend that I wasn't concerned with the amount of cholesterol in egg yolks. In a single large egg, there is 70% of the daily allotment of cholesterol for a 2000 calorie diet...ouch. It has long been debated whether men and women who have high cholesterol get it from foods such as eggs or from their poor diet in general. I don't know what I believe so I decided to make it a non issue. The days I have eggs, I tend to cook them in a non-stick skillet with cooking spray (no added fat) and have taken to eating 2 egg whites instead of a whole egg (no, fat or cholesterol in the white and still lots of protein, and in the spirit of full disclosure, the white is my favorite part of a skillet cooked egg). So, if you like eggs, you should totally give this a try. Also, I've been thinking that I might like to try some alternate ways of making my eggs for breakfast and wanted to share some ideas that I have really come to like. I'll post the recipes in a separate blog entry so this one doesn't get outrageously long and so that we can add another entry to May!
Anyway, happy eating and keep up the good work ladies!
Anyone else need a big kick in the ass?
So who wants to come to Ames with steel toed boots and give me a good kick? I have become sooooooooo lazy! My eating habits really suck. I am very tired all the time! Well I take that back, when 10pm rolls around I perk up and cannot fall asleep until the wee morning hours. It's getting very old and I can't function well anymore.
I keep making plans of action in my head but nothing is ever acted upon. If I could/would just work out every other day for a couple weeks, I know I'd feel better. I would gradually start working out every day when my body got used to the change. Not only should I be making better food choices for my health but I also need to start watching my budget very closely. I no longer get a stipend pay check from the Kinesiology department after May. I will only be making money through the greenhouses and hopefully the Red Cross. I really need to set a limit for grocery shopping....the only issue is that healthy foods cost so much more than convenient foods. It's going to be tough when buying fruits and vegetables. But the way I figure it, we'll be less likely to waste if we are on a tighter budget and we'll eat more filling foods. Yippee for fiber rich foods!
I just wanted to blog since I haven't done so for awhile. I really need to make a change. I feel horrible lately. The rut has gotten a little deeper but not much. I can pull myself out of this and enjoy the good weather and outdoors. I really want to start blogging on a more regular basis. My Love Hunger book has been sitting on the bench in my bedroom for weeks and I need to finish reading through it. I know I'll feel better about my thesis too if I can get my health in gear.
I've had some random notes to write so I'll include them in this blog:
According to an expert on Iron Chef (the show I watch on the Food Network), it's almost nutritionally pointless to eat spinach in it's raw state. Many people that eat spinach salads are not getting the nutritional benefits found in the vegetable. The vegetable needs to be cooked or blanched in order for certain compounds to be released so iron, vitamins, and other good stuff are usable by the body. Is it bad that I only like spinach when it's in spinach & artichoke dip?
For the second or third time, the "Biggest Loser" calendar has posted a reminder to avoid dried fruits. They stress that they are concentrated in sugar and calories. I don't see an issue with dried fruits unless you're eating a pound a day. I think something like Craisins should be used as a quick snack or on top of salads. I also enjoy dried apricots but eat them in moderation. I maybe have them once every 3-4 months.
Another interesting point on my calendar was learning to say "no". We've talked about this in other entries and it's common sense when you think about it. My issue is that most of my social opportunities fixate on going out to eat. I also want to start dating again when my thesis is done and going out to dinner is a big part of that too. I'll have that strict budget too so eating out needs to be curbed.
Ok, that's enough for now!
I keep making plans of action in my head but nothing is ever acted upon. If I could/would just work out every other day for a couple weeks, I know I'd feel better. I would gradually start working out every day when my body got used to the change. Not only should I be making better food choices for my health but I also need to start watching my budget very closely. I no longer get a stipend pay check from the Kinesiology department after May. I will only be making money through the greenhouses and hopefully the Red Cross. I really need to set a limit for grocery shopping....the only issue is that healthy foods cost so much more than convenient foods. It's going to be tough when buying fruits and vegetables. But the way I figure it, we'll be less likely to waste if we are on a tighter budget and we'll eat more filling foods. Yippee for fiber rich foods!
I just wanted to blog since I haven't done so for awhile. I really need to make a change. I feel horrible lately. The rut has gotten a little deeper but not much. I can pull myself out of this and enjoy the good weather and outdoors. I really want to start blogging on a more regular basis. My Love Hunger book has been sitting on the bench in my bedroom for weeks and I need to finish reading through it. I know I'll feel better about my thesis too if I can get my health in gear.
I've had some random notes to write so I'll include them in this blog:
According to an expert on Iron Chef (the show I watch on the Food Network), it's almost nutritionally pointless to eat spinach in it's raw state. Many people that eat spinach salads are not getting the nutritional benefits found in the vegetable. The vegetable needs to be cooked or blanched in order for certain compounds to be released so iron, vitamins, and other good stuff are usable by the body. Is it bad that I only like spinach when it's in spinach & artichoke dip?
For the second or third time, the "Biggest Loser" calendar has posted a reminder to avoid dried fruits. They stress that they are concentrated in sugar and calories. I don't see an issue with dried fruits unless you're eating a pound a day. I think something like Craisins should be used as a quick snack or on top of salads. I also enjoy dried apricots but eat them in moderation. I maybe have them once every 3-4 months.
Another interesting point on my calendar was learning to say "no". We've talked about this in other entries and it's common sense when you think about it. My issue is that most of my social opportunities fixate on going out to eat. I also want to start dating again when my thesis is done and going out to dinner is a big part of that too. I'll have that strict budget too so eating out needs to be curbed.
Ok, that's enough for now!
Thursday, May 14, 2009
Another entry for the month of May
I really hate how I put off my need to blog. I have wanted to blog since the day after my last entry. As I eluded to in a comment for Nicole's recent entry, I am in a severe rut. I'm not sleeping well, exercising, or eating well. I'm also not progressing on my thesis like I should be. You would think I'd be enthused to be so close to the end but it's hard to be excited about something that I don't completely understand. I barely ran any of my analysis so writing a discussion has proved to be very tricky. I know I'll get it done but it irritates me that it won't be my best work.
I've been using food as a comfort measure. If I'm stressed out (which is my most common issue) I grab a Little Debbie snack, a push-up, or some other tasty treat to soothe myself. I hate to think what my weight is because I can certainly tell that I've gained over the last month. Some of my clothes are getting a little snug. I have great aspirations to exercise and even make plans to do so but never follow through. I've been extremely tired each morning so riding my bike with Gavin to school has not happened yet. I usually sleep as long as I can, which puts me behind schedule, so I don't use my bike at all. I typically feel tired and sluggish all day so the treadmill is only collecting dust, not mileage. I need to go to bed earlier, say 10pm. I'm also wondering if I'm getting appropriate sleep in terms of falling into deep REM sleep patterns. Or my B-12 levels could be low again.
I know that an increase in exercise and better food will help how I feel overall but I can't seem to flip the switch. I keep telling myself that things will be easier when my thesis is done and submitted but I also need to be realistic. As soon as my thesis is done I need to be searching for a job and also for a new place to live. It isn't like *poof* my stress will be gone. It's like we've said before...there is always something going on in our lives. There is never a great time to make a lifestyle change....there is always going to be something to make excuses about. I need to stop making excuses and just do what is right for me in terms of my health!
Just wanted to elaborate on the rut I've fallen into. Usually typing out my thoughts and feelings makes me feel a little better and helps me build up the motivation I need. Thanks for listening/reading!
I've been using food as a comfort measure. If I'm stressed out (which is my most common issue) I grab a Little Debbie snack, a push-up, or some other tasty treat to soothe myself. I hate to think what my weight is because I can certainly tell that I've gained over the last month. Some of my clothes are getting a little snug. I have great aspirations to exercise and even make plans to do so but never follow through. I've been extremely tired each morning so riding my bike with Gavin to school has not happened yet. I usually sleep as long as I can, which puts me behind schedule, so I don't use my bike at all. I typically feel tired and sluggish all day so the treadmill is only collecting dust, not mileage. I need to go to bed earlier, say 10pm. I'm also wondering if I'm getting appropriate sleep in terms of falling into deep REM sleep patterns. Or my B-12 levels could be low again.
I know that an increase in exercise and better food will help how I feel overall but I can't seem to flip the switch. I keep telling myself that things will be easier when my thesis is done and submitted but I also need to be realistic. As soon as my thesis is done I need to be searching for a job and also for a new place to live. It isn't like *poof* my stress will be gone. It's like we've said before...there is always something going on in our lives. There is never a great time to make a lifestyle change....there is always going to be something to make excuses about. I need to stop making excuses and just do what is right for me in terms of my health!
Just wanted to elaborate on the rut I've fallen into. Usually typing out my thoughts and feelings makes me feel a little better and helps me build up the motivation I need. Thanks for listening/reading!
Tuesday, May 12, 2009
The fact that it's been this long since the teaser should tell you something...
Ladies, being that you're children of the 80's you'll know what I'm talking about. Please tell me that you remember the commercial where the little old lady falls and calls out, 'HELP! I've fallen and I can't get up!' I remember when we were young (and much less mature) we would laugh at that silly old woman. Well, let me tell you, I have been feeling a little like Ms. I've Fallen a lot lately. Things have just been so overwhelming and it's all making me a little blue (which is why I feel like I have no energy for anything).
So, a little bit of honesty...I have been a slacker. I have not been doing well with my eating and I didn't work out at all last week. I know a week or 2 of bad behavior isn't going to ruin everything I've accomplished but it is enough time for me to get out of the swing of things. I forgot how nice it was to just go home after work. Amazing how much more time I seem to have at night when I leave work at 5 instead of 6:30. It's also amazing how much more time I seem to have when I just grab dinner from Subway or simply order a pizza instead of cooking. This is where the viscous circle begins. When I eat crap I am more tired and sluggish so I have even less energy for working out and cooking and blogging and then I grab crap to eat and drink lots of pop (caffeine baby) and that just takes me even further and further away from my goals. I could continue but I feel you get the point and my sucking is not the point so...MOVING ON!
I am at a point in the journey where I seriously need to do some moving on. I was doing well, and then I slipped, and then I was doing well, and then I slipped and now, I have to get my ass in gear and MOVE ON!!! I have always loved the saying that you don't drown by falling in the water, you drown by staying there and that is so true. I think it's really important for us all to remember that we won't fail to succeed by slipping occasionally. We won't fail if we keep pressing on and getting back on track even when it seems like we don't want to. We won't fail until we decide to throw the towel in and give up completely. I obviously can't speak for anybody but myself but I am definitely not ready to call it quits yet. I stepped on the scale this morning and I was at 296.3, not the lowest I've been but I've still made progress from the start and I'm not ready to forget that or let it go to waste.
Having said that, how am I going to get back on track? What is my motivation. Well, I have the same motivating factors that I've had all along but now I have a new and improved source of motivation. I mentioned in my teaser that a new study that I'm part of at work shed some light onto my current situation, and although the study itself is quite technical and pretty hardcore physiology I'll share the basics with you. Basically we're testing patients for endothelial dysfunction (a promising marker of subclinical cardiovascular disease). Anyway, when the company rep was here demonstrating the equipment last week we all had the chance to test ourselves (mostly so we can tell the participants that we've been through the test and it's not that bad). Anyway, with this test a score of 1.76 indicates dysfunction and anything over 2.0 is good and 1.77-1.99 is a grey area most preferably referred to as 'borderline'. Anyway, my 2 colleagues went first and got very good scores of 2.63 and 2.81. I was apprehensive to have this test done because I was actually quite nervous about what the results would be. When all was said and done my score was 2.04...whew! Now, I realize that this is in the normal, healthy category and I realize that the grey area isn't dysfunctional but I would feel a lot more comfortable if I could get my number up--well, glory of glories...it is much, much, much easier to improve endothelial function with diet and exercise than it is to address CVD. Needless to say, if I want to get this number up I better get my butt going.
Wow, so this has been a very long blog (but I haven't written in a while so I'm trying to make up for lost time). I guess the moral of the story is that I'm getting my life back on track and hope to sailing smoothe before the summer hits!!! Stay strong ladies and keep up the good work!!
So, a little bit of honesty...I have been a slacker. I have not been doing well with my eating and I didn't work out at all last week. I know a week or 2 of bad behavior isn't going to ruin everything I've accomplished but it is enough time for me to get out of the swing of things. I forgot how nice it was to just go home after work. Amazing how much more time I seem to have at night when I leave work at 5 instead of 6:30. It's also amazing how much more time I seem to have when I just grab dinner from Subway or simply order a pizza instead of cooking. This is where the viscous circle begins. When I eat crap I am more tired and sluggish so I have even less energy for working out and cooking and blogging and then I grab crap to eat and drink lots of pop (caffeine baby) and that just takes me even further and further away from my goals. I could continue but I feel you get the point and my sucking is not the point so...MOVING ON!
I am at a point in the journey where I seriously need to do some moving on. I was doing well, and then I slipped, and then I was doing well, and then I slipped and now, I have to get my ass in gear and MOVE ON!!! I have always loved the saying that you don't drown by falling in the water, you drown by staying there and that is so true. I think it's really important for us all to remember that we won't fail to succeed by slipping occasionally. We won't fail if we keep pressing on and getting back on track even when it seems like we don't want to. We won't fail until we decide to throw the towel in and give up completely. I obviously can't speak for anybody but myself but I am definitely not ready to call it quits yet. I stepped on the scale this morning and I was at 296.3, not the lowest I've been but I've still made progress from the start and I'm not ready to forget that or let it go to waste.
Having said that, how am I going to get back on track? What is my motivation. Well, I have the same motivating factors that I've had all along but now I have a new and improved source of motivation. I mentioned in my teaser that a new study that I'm part of at work shed some light onto my current situation, and although the study itself is quite technical and pretty hardcore physiology I'll share the basics with you. Basically we're testing patients for endothelial dysfunction (a promising marker of subclinical cardiovascular disease). Anyway, when the company rep was here demonstrating the equipment last week we all had the chance to test ourselves (mostly so we can tell the participants that we've been through the test and it's not that bad). Anyway, with this test a score of 1.76 indicates dysfunction and anything over 2.0 is good and 1.77-1.99 is a grey area most preferably referred to as 'borderline'. Anyway, my 2 colleagues went first and got very good scores of 2.63 and 2.81. I was apprehensive to have this test done because I was actually quite nervous about what the results would be. When all was said and done my score was 2.04...whew! Now, I realize that this is in the normal, healthy category and I realize that the grey area isn't dysfunctional but I would feel a lot more comfortable if I could get my number up--well, glory of glories...it is much, much, much easier to improve endothelial function with diet and exercise than it is to address CVD. Needless to say, if I want to get this number up I better get my butt going.
Wow, so this has been a very long blog (but I haven't written in a while so I'm trying to make up for lost time). I guess the moral of the story is that I'm getting my life back on track and hope to sailing smoothe before the summer hits!!! Stay strong ladies and keep up the good work!!
Thursday, May 7, 2009
Yo...
This is gonna be quick...I've been in a meeting for the last 3 hours for a research project that I'm doing the data collection for here at the hospital. I've been doing some thinking lately and the test brought something interesting to my attention. I don't have time to do it justice now but I will blog tonight or tomorrow night filling you in...this is just my teaser!!!
later!
later!
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