Year 4, Day 64: Kicked Off the Elliptical

Well, it's been three years and it finally happened. A posse of folks gathered behind me and observed that I was on minute 57:00 of my workout and wanted me to observe the sign that says "30 minutes if people are waiting."   I finished my minute and deplaned, when the guy on a nearby elliptical said "I wouldn't have handled that as well you did."  To which I responded, "well, I had the runner's high."  But what I should have said to the gang is-- the 30 minutes begins when people are waiting or not?  Maybe next time.  Anyway, I did about 6.5 miles and was surely to hit seven if not interrupted.   I did lots of weight stuff at the gym, and I'm looking to do more core-strengthening.   Two weeks till the reunion.  Jeez.

Breakfast

Kashi Go lean

Heritage Flakes

Banana

Strawberries

Blueberries

Soy Milk

Coffee

Postworkout Snack

6 oz Stonyfield Yogurt

Superchunky Peanut Butter

Lunch: The Met Bar @ Natick with Ruby

Greek Salad with chicken

a bite of Ruby's burger

a sip of her chocolate milkshake (delish)

a few fries with ketchup.

Dinner

Flank Steak on the grill a la Robert

Cauliflower

Big Green Salad

Extraneously eaten while preparing dinner or cleaning up

sponge cake slices

some 50% reduced cheddar jalapeno (yep, that again)

some tomato sauce with sausages

Sometimes I fear I'm eating more on gym days than I'm even working off.  Eating at the burger bar with Ruby was a great, great time. She loved her milkshake. When I asked her if it was good, she answered 'it's better than good, it's perfect!'  One of the few shiny parenting moments.  Listen, you've got to take them where you get them.

Year 3, Day 228: Project Makes Me Go Off Leash

Emily and I were supposed to play tennis or see a movie tonight, but instead we went to "the collection" which is the new name for the Natick Mall, which is still half Natick Mall and now, half Newbury Street. Very chic. We went to the Met Bar and I ordered a hamburger with 'nearly everything' that came in the smallest, non-threatening bowl I had ever seen. I thought it was going to be this huge mass of food, but it was tiny. I wanted to order the guacamole burger with this or that change, but they don't allow changes, so I was forced to order the burger I wanted a la carte. Kind of ridiculous for a burger bar.

Breakfast
Kashi Go Lean!
Heritage Flakes
Strawberries
Blueberries
Banana
Unsweetened Soy Milk
Coffee

Snack
1.5 Boston Lite Popcorn
1/2 Honey Crisp Apple
3 Sticks Beef Jerky

Lunch: New Ginza
Edamem
Sashimi Plate
2 x Salad

Dinner: Met Bar
2 Buffalo Shrimp (took off the fried part)
Cheese burger with chili, jalapenos, fried onions, guacamole

Dessert:
Brownie SUndae

Then we got to talking about the project behind our house and ordered a dessert- a brownie sunday- that came unassembled, just three hot brownies (a butterscotch brownie, chocolate brownie and congo bar) and a bowl of ice cream. Not much to look at it but sure tasted good. And for a few glorious moments while we were eating it-- everything was OK. Isn't that how I got to be 50 lbs overweight in the first place?

Year 2, Day 294: 2nd to Last Friday Off of the Year

Today Emily and I went on a date, as nothing is happening at work (we all had the day off) and nothing is happening anywhere—except for "doorbusters" which is the offensive name for sales that start early with and are 'too good to miss.' Of all the days to have off, today was the day the JCC decided to redo their gym LIGHTING and so I was forced to go somewhere else for a workout. They had set up two alternatives—the YMCAs in Newton and Needham. I wasn't really that keen on going to either one of them but I had settled on the one in Needham because I knew how to get there and it was closer. Emily suggested I go to Wellbridge Athletic, which she joined to play tennis in April but the membership has been collecting dust (though still being paid). I took her guest pass and headed over there but they waved me in with a nod. They have all the most modern equipment in a sun-flooded room that was perfectly temperate. All the units have TV and there is an endless supply of free towels in two sizes (the JCC makes you pay $1). There were three different ellipse machines and just like Goldilocks I had to figure out which one was best for me. When I did, I realized it was going to be a much harder workout than I'm used to. It had a lower-arms setting and when I did I was VERY out of breath. I did do 60 minutes, but because I dropped my ipod, had to get rid of my gum, and accidentally hit 'end' instead of 'pause' I had to do it in three increments of 15, 38 and 7 minutes, respectively. I was huffing and puffing, and watching the clock intently, which is never a good sign. I have no idea how many miles I went because I didn't know how to work the contraption. After the workout I did three sets of 5 15-lb ab crunches on the ab-cruncher. I had to stop because I thought if I did any more the blue and pink stars around my head wouldn't go away. I met Emily and we went for a nice lunch and a movie.

Breakfast
Kashi Go Lean!
Heritage Flakes
Banana
Blueberries
Ikea Muesli
Unsweetened Soy Milk
Coffee

Postworkout Snack
3 Tablespoons SC Peanut Butter
6 oz. Plain Yogurt

Lunch: The Met Bar
Greek Salad with Chicken

Movie Snack: Boston Lite Popcorn

Dinner:
Eva Chan's Spareribs
Eva Chan's String Beans and Cauliflower
Bok Choy

I don't know why, but the holidays have put me in a bad mood for some reason, even though I am enjoying them, have a lot of time off, haven't gained any weight that I know of and have gotten great gifts for my kids. Really, I have no reason to be bitter and mean and yet I am. Though it is rare that I would say anything bad about Russo's, I must say that the salad I had today at the Met Bar may have been the best salad I ever had. It was literally perfect. The lettuce, the amount of feta, the done-ness of the chicken, the red onion, it put all my best efforts to shame. I realized I was hack-of-a-salad-maker and these people were geniuses. We then went to the movies (we saw Borat) and I insisted on doing my thing, which is bringing the Boston Lite Popcorn in instead of buying it. Though most people do this for the savings, I do this to avoid the calories. Popcorn popped in coconut oil (like they do at movies) is as bad for you as you can make popcorn. It is delicious, though.

Then we had a surprise "almost last night of Chanukah" at our neighbor's house where I ate the world's best Chinese food. Crazy.