Diane is down 1/2 a pound
Tom down 1 pound
Jeff down many (and under 200, congratulations Dad!)
Though heading in the right direction, this the longest, slowest diet I have EVER done. Do you think it is turing 40 or not exercising that is making this such an exhausting ordeal?
Monday, January 28, 2008
Friday, January 25, 2008
Sarah's Blog
I want to live at Papa and Susies. Their house is prettier then ours. We have boring colors that all look the same. They have colors that don't look the same. They have pretty stuff and we don't. Upstairs on the 4th floor of my house there are no princesses, they are fairy's. At Susie's there are no princesses or fairy's and I like it that way.
Dear Susie and Papa - I love you. I hope you love me too.
Dear Susie and Papa - I love you. I hope you love me too.
Caps 2 / Maple Leafs 1
It was another great night at the MCI center. We got to see a decent game with a great finish, and as a bonus we were entertained in the 2nd intermission by a HOT DOG EATING CONTEST! It was also "dollar dog night" but none of us benefited as Jeff is on a diet, I am pretending to be on a diet, and Mike elected to purchase a $12 deli sandwich instead.
We got there early, so took our usual spot near the color commentators to watch the warm-ups. And, why would a working mom who misses her girls every second of the day, give up an additional hour with them to watch the Caps warm up? Ummmmm. Here's a hint ....................
Thanks Dad for another great game. It is always a treat to spend an evening in section 425.
And, most importantly, we saw good ......................
triumph over Evil!
Congratulations Boys!
Tuesday, January 22, 2008
current standings
Jeff - down 2 (7 total)
Tom - down 1 (6 total)
me - Down 1 (6 total)
Not exercising is a problem, as are my evening munchies. I willl do better.
Tom - down 1 (6 total)
me - Down 1 (6 total)
Not exercising is a problem, as are my evening munchies. I willl do better.
Monday, January 21, 2008
Good News ..................
My friend Neil Aquino over at TexasLiberal reminded us that in exactly 1 year ................ George W. Bush will no longer be President of the United States. I am optimistic that the Bush Administrations departure from Washington will allow my girls to live in a better world. None of my current choices are great, but none of them are as scary as Bush/Cheney. Things are looking up.
Sunday, January 20, 2008
The Other Boleyn Girl
My friend Patty send me an e-mail to tell me that The Other Boleyn Girl is coming to theaters 29 February! I am thinking of getting in line for tickets on the 22nd. Does anyone have a tent and cold weather gear I can borrow?
Thursday, January 17, 2008
Poor Tom
This morning I had an early meeting which meant that Tom had to handle all of the morning activities with the girls. While he is VERY active in the mornings and definitely does more then his fair share on a daily basis, we really do need a 1:1 ratio at all times.
I sent a quick IM asking how everything went this morning and got the following response. It took everything that I had not to laugh out loud .................
"So So. Neither one of them wanted to get dressed, they didn't like the colors, the cloths were too itchy, etc. Neither one of them would tell me what they wanted to eat. Sarah wouldn't go to the bathroom after she told me she had to go, then she freaked out because she thought I was going to open the door to the garage without her approval. The usual bull shit. Hopefully they'll be better tonight."
I sent a quick IM asking how everything went this morning and got the following response. It took everything that I had not to laugh out loud .................
"So So. Neither one of them wanted to get dressed, they didn't like the colors, the cloths were too itchy, etc. Neither one of them would tell me what they wanted to eat. Sarah wouldn't go to the bathroom after she told me she had to go, then she freaked out because she thought I was going to open the door to the garage without her approval. The usual bull shit. Hopefully they'll be better tonight."
Monday, January 14, 2008
1 week down - 1st weigh-in
Tom - down 5
Jeff - down 5
me - down 5
Maybe there is a pot of gold at the end of this (very) long rainbow?
Congratulations to us all.
Friday, January 11, 2008
What a Great Week to be a Caps Fan
Wednesday I sat in my usual seat in Section 425, sober, and completely enjoyed an exciting win over the Avalanche.
Last night, Ovie signed a 13 year, $124 million contract. My only regret is that I chose not to attend the Fan Appreciation Party where the announcement was made.
Go Caps!
Last night, Ovie signed a 13 year, $124 million contract. My only regret is that I chose not to attend the Fan Appreciation Party where the announcement was made.
Go Caps!
Wednesday, January 9, 2008
Weight Watchers and Chinese Food
Jeff, Tom and I are all trying very hard to stick to weight watchers. This week is especially important, because it is the first. From what I recall, after the first week, it gets easier and if you make it through the 2nd, you have it won. However, sometimes you have to eat! Today was horrible at work and by the time that I left the office I was starving (I got 3.5 points into me all day (1 cup of cereal and a non fat yogurt). Jeff met me downtown for the Hockey Game (they won, GO CAPS) and I dragged him to a Chinese restaurant. To Dad’s credit, he REALLY didn’t want to go! He didn’t want the calories and knew that Chinese is high in fat. But, he loves me and I was starving.
When I got home I went right to Dotties Weight Loss Zone (my very favorite Weight Watchers site) As it turns out, things really weren’t that bad:
I had Won Ton Soup – 4.5 points and Jeff had Hot and Sour Soup – 2 points
We split a Szechuan Pork – 10.5 all together so I will round high and say we both got 6 points there
1 Cup Rice – 5 points
And, I had a fortune Cookie – 2 points (Jeff skipped his, but read his fortune
So, my dinner was 17.5 points (at the most) and I went into it with 3.5 – giving me a total of 21 points for the day, with 1 to spare. Not bad for a night out!
Jeff used 13 at the most, but I don’t think that he ate the rice.
Dottie also gives the following tips for ordering in a Chinese Restaurant:
Making the Best Food Choices at Chinese Restaurants
• Avoid fried foods ("fried" "crispy") - frying foods may double the calories of the food.
• Order "off the menu" instead of going for the buffet. To prevent the food at the buffet table from sticking and drying out, they tend to be prepared with more oil. Watch them "shine".
• Use chopsticks - you will eat slower thus allowing your stomach to signal when you're full. Remember - Confucious say: "Man who eat with one chopstick never have a problem with obesity!"
• Instead of ordering fried egg rolls, order steamed dumplings.
• Do not order "fried" foods. Most items at Dim Sum lunches are fried.
• Soups are very low in fat and calories (although sodium is rather high) so fill up on them (good choices are Won Ton, Egg Drop (higher in cholesterol), Hot & Sour, Velvet Corn).
• Instead of fried rice or noodles choose steamed rice or noodles. Always ask, even if it's not on the menu - you can always request it.
• Order boiled noodles (very similar to American wheat noodles) instead of fried noodles.
• If restaurants serve their food fast try to avoid them. They usually deep-fry them in advance and then stir-fry it in more oil before serving.
• Order dishes that contain more vegetables than meat. Most vegetables have 50 calories or less per cup whereas meat (beef, poultry and seafood) have 120-520 calories per cup.
• Try to avoid sweet and sour entrees - most are deep fat fried before the sauce (sugar laden) is added. If you have to have it, order the sauce on the side and only eat half of it!
• Avoid the "House Specialties" - they are usually very high in fat and calories as they contain more meat than vegetables.
• Avoid entrees with nuts - about 1/4 cup nuts will add about 200 calories and 20 grams of fat. Try water chestnuts - they only have 20 calories per 1/4 cup).
• Do not be afraid to ask the cook to prepare your dish with "as little oil as possible" - restaurants use 1-2 tbsp of oil (on the average - some use up to 4 tbsp) to stir-fry and that adds up to an extra 120-240 calories of fat.
• Always order steamed food (cooked over water or chicken broth) with the sauces on the side - you are in control this way. You can also request a sauce made of only thickened broth and no oil.
• If you are going to the restaurant with a group (of 6) and you are sharing the meal, try ordering 5 meals instead of 6.
• Order Chop Suey instead of Chow Mein. Chow Mein is topped with fried noodles whereas Chop Suey is not (so, if you order the Chow Mein keep off the fried noodles).
• Instead of meat try ordering the tofu - it is made of soybeans, high in protein and not too high in fat and calories - it soaks up the flavor of the foods that it is cooked with. Avoid dishes using fried tofu.
• Do not order foods with MSG if you are sensitive to it's effects.
• To flavor your meals try using one of these sauces (they are usually high in sugar and/or sodium): Black Bean Sauce, Hoisin Sauce, Oyster Sauce, Plum Sauce, Sweet and Sour Sauce - don't forget to order it on the side so that you remain in control.
When I got home I went right to Dotties Weight Loss Zone (my very favorite Weight Watchers site) As it turns out, things really weren’t that bad:
I had Won Ton Soup – 4.5 points and Jeff had Hot and Sour Soup – 2 points
We split a Szechuan Pork – 10.5 all together so I will round high and say we both got 6 points there
1 Cup Rice – 5 points
And, I had a fortune Cookie – 2 points (Jeff skipped his, but read his fortune
So, my dinner was 17.5 points (at the most) and I went into it with 3.5 – giving me a total of 21 points for the day, with 1 to spare. Not bad for a night out!
Jeff used 13 at the most, but I don’t think that he ate the rice.
Dottie also gives the following tips for ordering in a Chinese Restaurant:
Making the Best Food Choices at Chinese Restaurants
• Avoid fried foods ("fried" "crispy") - frying foods may double the calories of the food.
• Order "off the menu" instead of going for the buffet. To prevent the food at the buffet table from sticking and drying out, they tend to be prepared with more oil. Watch them "shine".
• Use chopsticks - you will eat slower thus allowing your stomach to signal when you're full. Remember - Confucious say: "Man who eat with one chopstick never have a problem with obesity!"
• Instead of ordering fried egg rolls, order steamed dumplings.
• Do not order "fried" foods. Most items at Dim Sum lunches are fried.
• Soups are very low in fat and calories (although sodium is rather high) so fill up on them (good choices are Won Ton, Egg Drop (higher in cholesterol), Hot & Sour, Velvet Corn).
• Instead of fried rice or noodles choose steamed rice or noodles. Always ask, even if it's not on the menu - you can always request it.
• Order boiled noodles (very similar to American wheat noodles) instead of fried noodles.
• If restaurants serve their food fast try to avoid them. They usually deep-fry them in advance and then stir-fry it in more oil before serving.
• Order dishes that contain more vegetables than meat. Most vegetables have 50 calories or less per cup whereas meat (beef, poultry and seafood) have 120-520 calories per cup.
• Try to avoid sweet and sour entrees - most are deep fat fried before the sauce (sugar laden) is added. If you have to have it, order the sauce on the side and only eat half of it!
• Avoid the "House Specialties" - they are usually very high in fat and calories as they contain more meat than vegetables.
• Avoid entrees with nuts - about 1/4 cup nuts will add about 200 calories and 20 grams of fat. Try water chestnuts - they only have 20 calories per 1/4 cup).
• Do not be afraid to ask the cook to prepare your dish with "as little oil as possible" - restaurants use 1-2 tbsp of oil (on the average - some use up to 4 tbsp) to stir-fry and that adds up to an extra 120-240 calories of fat.
• Always order steamed food (cooked over water or chicken broth) with the sauces on the side - you are in control this way. You can also request a sauce made of only thickened broth and no oil.
• If you are going to the restaurant with a group (of 6) and you are sharing the meal, try ordering 5 meals instead of 6.
• Order Chop Suey instead of Chow Mein. Chow Mein is topped with fried noodles whereas Chop Suey is not (so, if you order the Chow Mein keep off the fried noodles).
• Instead of meat try ordering the tofu - it is made of soybeans, high in protein and not too high in fat and calories - it soaks up the flavor of the foods that it is cooked with. Avoid dishes using fried tofu.
• Do not order foods with MSG if you are sensitive to it's effects.
• To flavor your meals try using one of these sauces (they are usually high in sugar and/or sodium): Black Bean Sauce, Hoisin Sauce, Oyster Sauce, Plum Sauce, Sweet and Sour Sauce - don't forget to order it on the side so that you remain in control.
Monday, January 7, 2008
I'm Fat
Well, in addition to being my brothers 38th birthday, today is the official end of the Holiday Season, beginning of another federal leave year, and the first day I am back on Weight Watchers! It is also the first day that Jeff and Tom are on WeightWatchers, because Jeff likes to join me and Tom eats less when there is no food in the house. I'm not sure how the girls will eat, maybe Susie will take pity on them.
A couple of years ago I had a lot of success on the WeightWatchers plan, and I really need it now. Of the 32 pounds that I originally lost, I have gained all but eight back! That is not only unhealthy, it shows a real character flaw on my behalf and is something that I plan to remedy, NOW!
Weight Watchers was kind enough to send me a $10 off coupon to rejoin, but I am going to see if I can spend all of my time on the Internet trying to figure out how to build a nice library of tools so that I can save $55. THEN, I will become frustrated and give Weight Watchers the money .............. I like to do things the long and hard way.
So first things first, weightwatchers needed to register their Patent (number 6,040,531) with my neighbor the PTO. Digging through the text and image pages you will find the formula:
P = (C/50) + (F/12) - (R/5)
P=points, C=calories, F=fat grams, R=fiber grams (cap the fiber at no more than 4 grams)
It's easy to estimate point values in your head by reading the nutrition labels on any food product. Divide the number of calories by 50 (round to nearest 1/2 point), add 1/2 point for 6 fat grams and deduct 1/2 point for 3 fiber grams. The result is the number of points (round to the next number if .5 or greater).
Included in the PTO paperwork is the points spread:
Under 150 lbs, 20 (at this time, I do not qualify)
150-174, 22
175-199, 24
200-224, 26
225-249, 28
250-274, 30
275-299, 31
plus you can eat as much as 35 more Flex-Points per week.
So, I get 22 points a day, with an additional 35 points per week for beer/wine. I also get additional points for exercise, but until I get exercise, I am not going to worry about it.
I think that both Tom and Jeff are starting our with 26 points per day, but I will let them tell you that. As of this writing, I have consumed 6 of my 22 daily points. I will keep you posted!
D
A couple of years ago I had a lot of success on the WeightWatchers plan, and I really need it now. Of the 32 pounds that I originally lost, I have gained all but eight back! That is not only unhealthy, it shows a real character flaw on my behalf and is something that I plan to remedy, NOW!
Weight Watchers was kind enough to send me a $10 off coupon to rejoin, but I am going to see if I can spend all of my time on the Internet trying to figure out how to build a nice library of tools so that I can save $55. THEN, I will become frustrated and give Weight Watchers the money .............. I like to do things the long and hard way.
So first things first, weightwatchers needed to register their Patent (number 6,040,531) with my neighbor the PTO. Digging through the text and image pages you will find the formula:
P = (C/50) + (F/12) - (R/5)
P=points, C=calories, F=fat grams, R=fiber grams (cap the fiber at no more than 4 grams)
It's easy to estimate point values in your head by reading the nutrition labels on any food product. Divide the number of calories by 50 (round to nearest 1/2 point), add 1/2 point for 6 fat grams and deduct 1/2 point for 3 fiber grams. The result is the number of points (round to the next number if .5 or greater).
Included in the PTO paperwork is the points spread:
Under 150 lbs, 20 (at this time, I do not qualify)
150-174, 22
175-199, 24
200-224, 26
225-249, 28
250-274, 30
275-299, 31
plus you can eat as much as 35 more Flex-Points per week.
So, I get 22 points a day, with an additional 35 points per week for beer/wine. I also get additional points for exercise, but until I get exercise, I am not going to worry about it.
I think that both Tom and Jeff are starting our with 26 points per day, but I will let them tell you that. As of this writing, I have consumed 6 of my 22 daily points. I will keep you posted!
D
Happy Birthday Little Brother!
Hmmmmm. 38. You have come a long way, and despite a few "near misses" seem to have landed squarely on your feet. Hope that you have a wonderful day with your family, and we are all thinking of our "Uncle Joey".
XOXO Sis
Get Your Own! | More Flash ToysWednesday, January 2, 2008
Happy New Year!
Hi Everyone and Happy New Year -
We are in the process of taking down holiday cards, putting away our new socks, stocking up on wrapping paper for next year and removing old toys to make room for the new. By the end of the weekend we will have put the tree away and moved the living room chair back to its original location. Chrishanukkamas will officially be over. The saddest part is not the end of the Holidays, but the return to work and end of our long and delightful visits with family and friends. I am truly blessed to have the people that I do in my life, which I was reminded regularly over the past couple of weeks. I had several amazing meals and laughed a lot. It was a good month.
This years resolution is to try and recognize/appreciate what I have EVERY DAY. I will let you know how that is going. Tom describes the month of January as a "Month of Sundays". Summer is too far away and the Holidays are behind us. Work is tomorrow and will (seemingly) go on forever. This year I will make the most of my weekends with the girls, continue to have "days-o-fun", and take more pictures.
And ................. there are a few REALLY cool things on the horizon:
1) Restaurant Week is January 14-20 (get out your charge cards Trader Joe!)
2) The Country Music Marathon is in April (which means I HAVE to get into shape ..... Diet starts 7 January)
3) LOST returns January 31
4) Baby Bee turns 3 on 14 March 2008
5) My friends and I are going to have a Mom's night out ............ SOON!
We are in the process of taking down holiday cards, putting away our new socks, stocking up on wrapping paper for next year and removing old toys to make room for the new. By the end of the weekend we will have put the tree away and moved the living room chair back to its original location. Chrishanukkamas will officially be over. The saddest part is not the end of the Holidays, but the return to work and end of our long and delightful visits with family and friends. I am truly blessed to have the people that I do in my life, which I was reminded regularly over the past couple of weeks. I had several amazing meals and laughed a lot. It was a good month.
This years resolution is to try and recognize/appreciate what I have EVERY DAY. I will let you know how that is going. Tom describes the month of January as a "Month of Sundays". Summer is too far away and the Holidays are behind us. Work is tomorrow and will (seemingly) go on forever. This year I will make the most of my weekends with the girls, continue to have "days-o-fun", and take more pictures.
And ................. there are a few REALLY cool things on the horizon:
1) Restaurant Week is January 14-20 (get out your charge cards Trader Joe!)
2) The Country Music Marathon is in April (which means I HAVE to get into shape ..... Diet starts 7 January)
3) LOST returns January 31
4) Baby Bee turns 3 on 14 March 2008
5) My friends and I are going to have a Mom's night out ............ SOON!
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