100 pounds ago	January 2006

A very symbolic comparison :) On the "younger" picture I'm pregnant with my oldest son - the one with me on the "older" one :)

http://www.mealsforyou.com - recipies

http://quiz.ivillage.com/diet/tests/bodytype.htm - quiz to determine best exercise for body type.

www.fitday.com - food, weight and beyond tracking software, very simple w/out "water" like other sites.

Yesterday was a fairly good day, I walked outside during lunch the weather was gorgeous. Still didn't exercise this morning.
Decided to set a tiny goal to loose 2 lbs.

I am getting my act together once again. I don't know whether it was exhaustion from what seemed to be endless construction on our house, playing the role of a single mother to our three children last year, helping my sister with her wedding and now planning my oldest's bar - mitzvah, but I was hit by the darkest state of indifference toward myself. Maybe it was depression, maybe just inability dealing with life. I often found it hard to get out of bed in the morning and get dressed. I didn't watch my diet nor did I exercise.
The only positive event from it all is that I quit smoking for good, even socially.
Right now I'm gathering together my broken self, slowly making diet changes wearing sneakers to work so that I will take a walk during lunch. I keep track of my nutrition using fitday.com and plan to be able to get up 40 minutes earlier in the morning to use my elliptical.

Breakfast
- 2 whole wheat toast
- 2 egg whites
- 2 slices smoked turkey breast
- coffe w/ skim milk

Snack
- cottage cheese parfait w/ fresh strawberries glazed with quince jelly

Lunch
- mixed greens salad w/ cucumber
- 6 oz. white tuna

Dinner
- 2 white bread sandwiches w/hummus and tomatoes
- 8 oz. skim milk
- 1 square of dark chocolate

Activities
- "Zumba" live (cardio)- I'm not a big fan of this workout, but it's something different

Food wise today is a carb up day. I also made sure I got enough calcium. Dinner was not a well balanced meal though.

Fitness wise: - yesterday I pulled a hamstring during stretching, today running down the stairs made it worse. Will try to do pilates for dummies and tommorow I will rest from exercise, or maybe I will rest today, didn't decide yet.

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Breakfast
- lowfat kefir, w/ 3/4cup All Bran cereal and 1 small banana

Snack
- apple
- Light babybel cheese

Snack
- 2 egg hites

Lunch>
- chicken shnitzel
- sauteed vegetables

Dinner
- bread w/ hummus
- frankfruter
- 4 tiny pickles
- 1/2 tomato
- small piece of dark chocolate
- small glass of skim milk

Start Weight: 216 lbs
Last week: 203.8 lbs
Current Weight: 203.6 lbs
Weekly change: - 0.2 lbs
Total change: - 12.4 lbs

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Breakfast
- omelet w/ 2 eggs, parsley, young garlic greens and tomato w/ 1 oz cheese

Snack
- 1 "BabyBel" light cheese
- small green apple

Lunch
- mixed greens salad w/ cucumber and tuna

Dinner
- steamed broccoli sauteed vegetables (squash, carrot, onion, peppers, green apple, tomato and peas)
- 6 oz. roasted trout chicken breast and parsley shnitzel (6 oz)

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Activities: - "ZUmba Cardio Party"

Food wise this weekend was a total disaster, carb disaster, and not the good type either :)
I did exercise today: - Did Zumba Strength training and Abs workout. Yesterday I did my Kundalini Yoga. I feel stronger doing the exercises and some of them with a certain ease, although I worked very hard.

So my food for today
Breakfast
- 3 Blueberry pancakes

Lunch
- tomato, cucumber and radish salad dressed w/ sour cream
- 3 oz., roasted trout
- 1/2 cup beef stroganoff
- 3 baby potatoes
- 2 pc. white bread

Dinner
- tall glass of skim milk
- 1.5 doughnut

I worked out to "Zumba Cardio party" tonight, and after a day's relaxation, was able to workout energetically.

I've been trying and miserably failing to not eat starchy carbs after 3 Pm, all this week.
I had food I don;t usually eat often left over from the party - new cooked potatoes, smoked salmon, crepes, cocktail bread.
My schedule is pretty hectic, I get home around 5:15 - 5:20 to pick up my oldest son to have a bite to eat (I try not to eat after 6 PM) and to drive all the kids to their activities.
Since the party, my dinner consisted of potatoes, bread and lox for three days straight. I don't exceed my calorie limit, yet... Definitely need to plan for dinner. Found some great recipes in the "Eating Well" cookbook, that I want to try.

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Breakfast #1 (170 cal)
- 1/4 cup egg white, 1 egg, 1 cup mushrooms, 1/4 red bell pepper, scallion and parsley omelet.
- 1 Qt. water

Breakfast #2 (Starbucks Power protein Plate)(370 cal)
- mini whole wheat bagel
- 1 tbsp. peanut butter
- 1 egg
- 1 oz cheese
- 1/4 cup grapes
- 2 slices apple
- 1 grande fat free cappucino

Yesterday after my work out I went downstairs to watch a movie w/ hubby. He was polishing off the left over cake from the bridal shower, and poured me some tea, I was hungry so I had some grapes and a whole bar of dark chocolate, so calorie wise I was ok :) 1414 calories for yesterday.

Since today I'm taking a break from exercise, I will eat more lean protein and less carbs and fat.

Breakfast
- 2 pc. whole wheat toast
- 2 egg white omelet w/ roasted turkey breast and swiss cheese.
- coffee w/ skim milk/no sugar

Lunch
- baby greens salad w/ low fat dressing
- 4 oz. grilled chicken breast

Dinner
- Tuna salad
- steamed broccoli

I started my workout today just as I planned, "Pilates for Dummies" - I did about 10- 15 minutes of it, then did Zumba "Cardio Party". During the American Mix couldn't do leg lifts, just felt tired.
Tommorow I'm resting from exercise, instead I'm going to soak in a bath with sea salt.

I got a new workout, "Pilates for Dummies", it runs about 30 minutes but teaches all the moves. So today I'm planning on doing it before I do my Zumba "Cardio party" workout.

Food wise, yesterday I didn't get enough calories. I feel sort of nauseous at the thought of eating - it's a psychological effect after I saw the "progress" pictures I took Saturday. Its a very dangerous feeling of deep disgust with myself, so I do need to control myself, in regards of food.
Note to self* - I'm loosing weight healthfully, consume healthy food to keep body strong and healthy, exercise for muscle definition and heart strength.

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Breakfast
- 1 egg white and 1 egg - hardboiled.
- 1/2 piece pumpernickel bread

Snack
- 1 cup oatmeal

Lunch
- Garden salad w/ lite italian dressing (1 tbsn)
- 6 oz. grilled chicken breast

Dinner
- steamed broccoli
- 4 oz, broiled salmon w. sesame and ginger.

Just finished Zumba "Sculp and Tone" followed by "Flat Abs", feel great. Everything is definitely much easier to do than last week. Now I need courage enough t try the "Biggest Winner" workouts with Jillian Michaels...
Went to calculate calories eaten and activity calories, and it turns out that today I'm way way under in calories consumed - 900 calories, and I have burned maybe close to 600 calories with Zumba. Not good. Well, it's 9:53 and I'm not going to eat anything now, I could have a glass of milk though, it's calcium, protein and calories :)

"If you want your life to be a magnificent story, then begin by realizing that you are the author and everyday you have the opportunity to write a new page" (c) Mark Houlahan

I barely slept tonight. We had some really scary thunderstorms in our neck of the woods tonight, and today its raining cats and dogs. I am falling asleep at my desk, had a cup of coffee and still can't wake up. Just want to curl up in bed under a warm blanket with a good book for a whole day.
A couple of days ago I bought some absolutely gorgeous Felina lingerie for myself - Oh they had bra's in my size, so I bought 3 sets. I bought some new pants, open toed shoes and a cute blouse yesterday. Pants are DKNY that were on sale, original price was $109 and I bought them for $39.99, the fit was amazing, as if someone made them just for me and the price was a bonus :). The blouse is a very pretty sheer blue with white lining. Obviously I wore everything (except the shoes) to work, and got complimented on how good I look today :)) I feel great, it's the whole "I have new clothes mode and I know I look good" mode that makes this day bearable.

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Breakfast
- 2 egg whites and a serving of smoked fat free turkey
- coffee

Snack
- 1/2 cup Part skim Riccota with wild strawberries (yum)

Lunch
- Fish soup w/ potatoes and red bell peppers
- 4 oz salmon

Just did an hour of "Cardio Party" Zumba, I ate at about 6 PM, and then exercised at 7, now I'm not feeling all that great.

Saturday was hectic: - I didn't eat until about 5 Pm and then I ate couscous made with low fat broth,tomatoes and roasted pine nuts, and grilled rosemary chicken.

Sunday, I ate a few small appetizers during the bridal shower, a tiny sliver of cake and I drank a lot of water. After the party was over and everyone left, and the kids were in bed for the night - I had a piece of broccoli quiche with a piece of broiled salmon and a baby potato.... At 9 PM!!!!

Oh well... Just wanted a record of what not to do while trying to loose weight...

Start Weight: 216 lbs
Last week: 210.2 lbs (mostly water weight)
Current Weight: 203.8 lbs
Weekly change: - 6.4 lbs
Total change: - 12.2 lbs

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Breakfast
- 4 cherries
- 1 small piece pineapple
- 1/4 crepe w/smoked salmon cream cheese cucumber and chives

Snack
- 1/2 cup part skim ricotta w/ strawberries

Lunch
- 4 oz. sesame and ginger teriaki salmon
- 1 cucumber