Weigh-In Week 21

I must apologize for all the silence on the blog lately... My poor laptop finally caught one of those malware bugs that just won't quit! I've had great success in taming them in the past, but alas... no more. So I've reordered the restore CDs from Dell and shall give 'er a wipe soon enough. It's behaving remarkably well this morning though, so I figure I'll get on here and roll out an update. :)

Weigh-In Week Twenty-One:
Jay: 336.5 (-3.5 pounds [-35.0 overall])
Dee: 213.0 (-3.0 pounds [-18.5 overall])

No real exercise to speak of again this week, but we're hoping to get back on that horse again soon. The next two weeks will be a little hectic, as I'm planning to cram five days worth of hours into four days worth of work, in order to take off the next two Sundays.

Roll on!
--Jay :)

Weigh-In Week 20

Looking back, it has been a bit of a quiet week here on the blog. If only in real life... :)

This past week was the closing of our theatre production, including tearing down the set after the last performance. There was no structured exercise to speak of for the week, other than a bit of lifting and carrying things up a flight of stairs to our group's warehouse. We did manage to eat well all week, including at the pizza party after the set strike, where we rocked the salad bar.

Here's how we rolled:

Weigh-In Week Twenty:
Jay: 340.0 (-2.0 pounds [-31.5 overall])
Dee: 216.0 (-2.0 pounds [-15.5 overall])

I think my results last week were partially due to not being as hydrated as normal, and I tried to compensate for that this week.

Rock it!
--Jay :)

Weigh-In Week 19

It's turned out to be an excellent week! Usually, "play" weekends turn horribly wrong, because Dee and I used to think we were forced to grab fast-food and eat at odd times of the day to accommodate a show schedule. This time, we packed all our healthy meals and things into a cooler... heck, I even packed some salad veggies with a knife and cutting board! I was quite the chef sitting there on my hotel bed, using an armchair for a stable surface! :)

Here's how it went down:

Weigh-In Week Nineteen:
Jay: 342.0 (-6.5 pounds [-29.5 overall])
Dee: 218.0 (-3.5 pounds [-13.5 overall])

Lovin' it!
--Jay :)

Back to the jungle...

Well, Dee & I had another "jungle" moment this weekend (see previous post "It's a jungle out there..." if you haven't already). In packing for our weekend away from home, I mistakenly grabbed a container of minestrone instead of chili, leading to some holes in the meal plan. Fortunately, we were again saved by the chili at Wendy's, which we've found to be a fairly healthy alternative in the fast-food realm. It's nice to know that a few small goof-ups won't derail your whole plan.

--Jay :)

Exercise Update: Week 19

Not a whole lot to report this week... We opened our theatre production this past Friday, which always puts a bit of a damper on plans to do much of anything else. :)

Sunday 5/9 (day off - Mothers Day)
8:45 am - Dee did 1 mile on the Gazelle at Level 1 (13 minutes)
9:05 am - Jay did 0.5 mile on the Gazelle at Level 1 (10m 15s)
9:05 am - Dee did Core Rhythms "Quick Workout" (22 minutes)

Monday 5/10 (work day)
Dee walked/jogged about 1 mile with one of her "nanny" children

Tuesday 5/11 (work day)
8:15 am - Dee did 1 mile on the Gazelle at Level 1 (13 minutes)
8:35 am - Jay did 0.5 mile on the Gazelle at Level 1 (9 minutes)
8:35 am - Dee did Core Rhythms "Quick Workout" (22 minutes)

Wednesday 5/12 (work day)
7:50 am - Dee did Core Rhythms "Quick Workout" (22 minutes)

Thursday 5/13 (work day)
morning - Dee did Core Rhythms "Quick Workout" (22 minutes)

Friday 5/14 (day off)
no exercise due to theatre performance

Saturday 5/15 (day off)
no exercise due to theatre performance

I did splurge a bit on the Mothers Day dinner gathering, but made up for it by cutting small things like pudding for dessert throughout the week. :) We also did very well at remembering to pack our food while away from home for the weekend for the theatre stuff.

We won't be able to weigh in until tomorrow (Monday) morning for this week, so we shall see what we have in the morning!

Woo hoo!
--Jay :)

Minestrone Fail?!

Being pressed for time Tuesday evening, I tossed together a batch of Chicken Chili AND Minestrone within a very short time, and I was feeling pretty good about myself... until we cracked our Minestrone for lunch of Wednesday to find... no rotini. Oops!!! :)

Oh well, we still had the chickpeas in there and I didn't really miss them that much, plus we ended up saving about 30 calories per serving. But I think I'll try extra-hard to remember to put them in there next time.

Live and learn...
--Jay :)

It's a jungle out there...

Dee & I had a slight brain malfunction yesterday... We were right on schedule, with all food packed and ready to go for work... only to find that upon getting to work, our "dinner" bag was still sitting on the counter at home! No Chicken Chili?! No pudding and fiber bars for dessert?! What were we to do?!?!

Fortunately, our friend the internet, along with the good folks at Calorie King, led us to an alternative, and we were able to find a healthy fast-food option. So, we ended up with a plain baked potato from Wendy's, and we split a small chili.

Upon returning home to the calorie counting spreadsheet, we actually came up short for the day! Further proof that healthy options can be found while eating out, but we wouldn't want to rely solely on fast-food, as the potato & chili didn't exactly keep us as full as our normal fare.

Oh well, it's good to know we didn't mess up our whole plan! :)

--Jay :)

Weigh-In Week 18

Well, it's a bit of an up-and-down week. Dee is, without being too blunt, at that point in the month where it's difficult to show any weight loss, even though she worked her bum off all week! I'm sure it will all come around and show nicely next week... :)

Weigh-In Week Eighteen:
Jay: 348.5 (-4.5 pounds [-23.0 overall])
Dee: 221.5 (+0.5 pounds [-10.0 overall])

We're having a Mother's Day dinner with the fam this evening, and have already selected what we'll be eating... the menu involves bbq ribs & chicken, rice, and sauteed broccoli, among other things. We've each decided to opt for one breast piece without skin, 1/2 cup of rice, and a nice big serving of broccoli, passing on any extras and dessert options. :)

Good times!
--Jay :)

Exercise Update: Week 18

The end of another productive week of exercise, most of which was indoors due to the existence of those evil yellow flies (see previous post). Here's how we rolled:

Sunday 5/2 [took the day off from work]
9:00 am - J & D walked about 1/10 mile before "yellow fly" attack!
9:30 am - Dee did 12 minutes on the Gazelle at Level 2 (0.4 miles)
4:00 pm - Core Rhythms "Full Workout" - J did 15 min., D did the whole 38 min.

Monday 5/3 [work day]
8:20 am - Dee did 15 minutes on the Gazelle at Level 2 (0.5 miles)
8:45 am - Core Rhythms "Quick Workout" - J did 5 min., D did the whole 22 min.

Tuesday 5/4 [work day]
8:00 am - Dee did 15 minutes on the Gazelle at Level 2 (0.5 miles)
8:25 am - Core Rhythms "Quick Workout" - J did 8 min., D did the whole 22 min.

Wednesday 5/5 [work day]
morning - Dee did 15 minutes on the Gazelle at Level 2 (0.5 miles)
morning - Core Rhythms "Quick Workout" - Dee did the whole 22 minute workout

Thursday 5/6 [work day]
morning - Dee did 15 minutes on the Gazelle at Level 2 (0.5 miles)
morning - Jay did 12 minutes on the Gazelle at Level 1 (0.7 miles)
morning - Core Rhythms "Quick Workout" - Dee did the whole 22 minute workout

Friday 5/7 [day off]
10:30 am - Dee did 20m30s on the Gazelle at Level 1 (1.5 miles)
11:00 am - Jay did 10m20s on the Gazelle at Level 1 (0.7 miles)
11:00 am - Core Rhythms "Quick Workout" - Dee did the whole 22 minute workout

Saturday 5/8 [day off]
9:15 am - Dee did 20 minutes on the Gazelle at Level 1 (1.5 miles)
9:50 am - Jay did 16 minutes on the Gazelle at Level 1 (1.0 miles)
9:50 am - Core Rhythms "Quick Workout" - Dee did the whole 22 minute workout

We're headed to host the entertainment at a sort of cast-type party this evening, and won't get in much more exercise than hauling some audio equipment, but Dee hit up every day this week, and I got in on at least a little bit for 6 out of 7 days. Not too shabby!

--Jay :)

No Flies Allowed!

Last Sunday, our morning walk was cut short by a routine summer visitor... the dreaded yellow fly!

"Yellow fly?" I hear some folks asking... "What's a... yellow fly?" Dee wondered the same thing when she moved here, and I had always assumed that these beasts tormented the entire nation. Apparently, not true.



Ah, there he is... vicious little bugger. I decided to read up on them, and discovered that they seem to be localized to the swampy, marshy East Coast area. This past Sunday morning had been a perfect morning for them... weather starting to turn warm, but mostly overcast and not much wind. Plus, our walking path happens to be near a whole lot of trees, which is where these pesky flies like to hang. And once a group of these guys finds you, they won't leave you alone until they've bitten you thoroughly.

Anyway, long story short... after being mercilessly tormented by a swarm of these beasts, we've moved our workouts inside for this week... and perhaps longer. We'll see if that makes any apparent difference in our grand plan here, but I think we'll both be okay. We've been rocking on the Gazelle with a little Core Rhythms thrown in for good measure. We shall see on Sunday morning how we've done for the week!

Watch out for those yellow flies!
--Jay :)

Recipe: Chicken Posole

Inspired by a dish that a co-worker brought to an office party, and our love for hominy... it's the perfect solution! :) Check keyword "recipes" for all our recipes...

Chicken Posole
~Makes 8 servings, 1.5 cups each



Ingredients:
1.25 lbs boneless skinless chicken breast
1 large can (49.5 oz) Swanson's 100% Natural Chicken Broth
3 cans (14.5 oz each) hominy
4 medium carrots, diced
1 medium green bell pepper, diced
2 Tbsp. oregano (or blended Italian seasoning)
dried minced onion
garlic powder
black pepper
1/2 Tbsp. salt

1) Place broth, hominy, carrots, bell pepper, and spices in a large pot and get boiling!
2) Grill chicken until cooked through, and dice.
3) Add chicken to soup pot and simmer together 10-15 minutes.

Quick and easy!

Nutition Information (per 1.5 cup serving)
Calories: 182
Fat: 2
Fiber: 6.5
Protein: 16

Yum-o!
--Jay :)

Recipe: Veggie Minestrone

Here's a quick minestrone that I put together to break up those chicken noodle soup blues... :) Click keyword "recipes" to see all our recipes!

Veggie Minestrone
~Makes 8 servings, 1.25 cups each



Ingredients:
2 cans (15.5 oz each) Garbanzo beans
1 cup dry rotini pasta
1 large can (49.5 oz) Swanson's 100% Natural Chicken Broth
1 can (15 oz) tomato sauce
1 can (14.5 oz) green beans
1 large handful fresh spinach, rough chopped
4 medium carrots, diced
1 medium green bell pepper, diced
dried, minced onion (or substitute fresh onion)
2 Tbsp. Mrs. Dash Italian Medley seasoning

1) Place broth, tomato sauce, Garbanzo beans, green beans, carrots, bell pepper, spinach, minced onion, and seasoning in large pot and get boiling!
2) Once boiling, add pasta, reduce heat and simmer 10-15 minutes until pasta is cooked.

Quick and easy!

Nutrition Facts (per 1.25 cup serving):
Calories: 187
Fat: 1.5
Fiber: 9.5
Protein: 9

Dig it!
--Jay :)

Recipe: Chicken Barley Soup

This is a slight variation on the chicken noodle recipe... Remember: keyword "recipes" to see all our recipes all together...

Chicken Barley Soup
~Makes 8 servings, 1.25 cups each



Ingredients:
1.5 lbs boneless skinless chicken breast
1 large can (49.5 oz) Swanson's 100% Natural Chicken Broth
3 cups water
4 medium carrots, diced
1 medium green bell pepper, diced
1 cup barley, quick cooking
1 big handful fresh spinach, rough chopped
dried, minced onion (or substitute fresh onion)
salt (we use a lower sodium variety)

1) Place broth, water, carrots, bell pepper, and spinach in large pot and get boiling!
2) Grill chicken until cooked.
3) Dice chicken and add to soup pot.
4) Add barley and minced onion to soup pot. Add salt to taste.
5) Simmer for 10-15 minutes until barley is cooked.

Yum yum!

Nutrition Facts (per 1.25 cup serving):
Calories: 163
Fat: 1
Fiber: 3.5
Protein: 19.5

--Jay :)

Weigh-In Week 17

Ah, the end of another productive week... after surviving set build (which is usually a time of "grab whatever you can" for meals, such as pizza and doughnuts) and still managing to eat healthy! Here we be...

Weigh-In Week Seventeen:
Jay: 353.0 (-4.0 pounds [-18.5 overall])
Dee: 221.0 (-2.0 pounds [-10.5 overall])

The funny thing is... we've lost HALF our total weight loss, just within the past two weeks, since we started the ol' "count your calories" routine again. We found that's what worked best for us last time too, so we're sticking to it for now!

Bring it!
--Jay :)

Exercise Update: Week 17

Just wrapped a weekend of helping build and paint the set for the latest theatre production... A little light on exercise this week, but we worked our tails off at the build. :)

Sunday 4/25 [took the day off]
8:55 am - 1 mile walk (both of us & Jay's mom, about 21 minutes)
2:30 pm - Dee did 20 minutes at Level 2 on the Gazelle
4:55 pm - 1 mile walk (both of us, 16m 45s)

Monday 4/26 [work day]
Dee walked 1 mile with the kids she nannies for :)

Tuesday 4/27 [work day]
9:00 am-ish - 1 mile walk (both of us, 18m 15s)

Wednesday 4/28 [work day]
8:30 am - 1 mile walk (both of us & Jay's mom, 20m 23s)
Dee took a looooong bike ride with the kids she nannies for :)

Thursday 4/29 [work day]
Dee did 20 minutes at Level 2 on the Gazelle

Friday 4/30 [day off]
Walked up & down flight of stairs a few times for set build!

Saturday 5/1 [day off]
Spent the day lifting flats, bending and painting, etc.

Lookin' good... lookin' good...
--Jay :)