TRADER JOE'S MUST HAVE FIND!

These are the cutest little things ever!    

Just heat them up in the Oven or Microwave and DONE.    Very easy, quite tasty and totally portioned for a Lap-Bander! 

Perfect 10 different Ways!!!!!

Calories 220 Fat 13g Carbs 12g Protein 13g

 

We Grow Older and Wiser

As I write this post I want to start out and I say that it is funny how as life goes, you learn lessons of what is really important.

I have always been somewhat of a Diva! I was raised by middle-class working parents in Akron, Ohio and had a very modest upbringing.  

But for whatever reason, I have always liked the finer things in life.   New cars, which I have never been without one since I started working for attorneys at 21.    My first car was a brand new off the show room floor RED and SILVER 1992 Saturn.    I got the loan myself and made every single payment.    Of course, it looked somewhat like this one, but SHARPER, because mine had silver undertones and big ass sun roof!   

Then there is my Self-Diagnosed Purse Obsession.    I cannot tell you why, but when I see this store my endorphines begin raging and I have the most uncontrollable urge to enter shop and buy!

I have numerous purses, wallets, key chains etc... all proudly purchased and stored away in my closet.    Because that is what you do with a $5,000 purse collection .... right?? is wrap them up and stuff them all in the top of your closet.

Then there is Michael Kors which is my newest obsession!   I have several of these purses, wallets and oh YES the WATCH.    I put myself in the poor house last year for my 40th.   Had to have this watch!    I love it and would not trade it for anything, but did I mention, I hate jewelry.    I like jewelry, but I hate to wear it.    So this $500 little gem sits in my jewelry box.   

I am writing this post in the hopes I can at somepoint see the money I have spent over the years and quite frankly wasted.   Begin to re-focus myself on what my new 41 year old self deems important.   

When this change?   When did I grow up?   I still want these things, but now I have a visual, a clearer understanding of exactly what the cost is to own these things.    $250.00 if ALOT of money to spend on a material item.  



Right now, there is NOTHING more important to me then getting to my goal weight.

I am having to choose between what I want and what I need and this is a very uncomfortable and new feeling for me.   

See, I dont have any children and a pretty great paying job.   I still want to buy purses, new clothes, travel, and have Starbucks Coffee every day.     However, my $$$$$ is now being spent on healthy food choices, fresh salads and produce, gym memberships, new Trek bikes and a totally awesome personal trainer.

It is very possible, in the near future I may also be giving up my daily Starbucks run to help pay for my indoor cycleing classes.  

OK...WTF Did I just say!!!!!!      Them is fighting words right there... Oh I love my morning latte.

I am not happy at my new gym, its so impersonal, so commercial and so focused doing "just acceptable" in many areas.    So, once again the Spoiled Diva in me comes out.

I'm sorry, but when you have a true PASSION for something, mediocore is not going to cut it.     I am NOT happy with the Indoor Cycleing, aka Spinning at this Gym.  It is mediocore at best.   The bikes are average, the instructors are below average...the sound system sucks. I'm not motivated nor impressed.

Which brings me to my new deleima!!!!   Starbucks or CYCLE?    There is an AWESOME Cycling Studio located in Fabulous Royal Oak, MI that I will find what I am looking for.    Check it out for yourself ....

http://www.gocyclestudios.com/

I'll keep you posted of the decision to come!    

Moral Support

With me being so passionate about biking and indoor cycling, also owning my 2nd Subaru (aka Rubi Subi), and my husband Buns is my biggest supporter!    

I had to find this commerical and post it to my blog.   This reminds me so much of me.   

Thank you Subaru for this one.   I could watch it 100X and not get bored. 

CALLING ALL LAP-BANDERS TOO THE DANCE FLOOR!



I NEED 24 TIPS OR 2 TIPS ON EATING OUT WITH A BAND?

 Eating out! God this is really starting to become challenging for me. I find myself in situations where I am eating out for business, for friends and family, sometimes for convenience and other times for pure enjoyment.The reasons are endless. 

I am just completely clueless on what to order at a Restaurant. 

Do you order healthy food and eat a nice size portion?  Do you order what your in the mood for and eat a small portion?  

I have to plan a whole lot when I know I'm going out to eat. 

Monday, I took staff members to Maggiano's Italian Restaurant for a new hire orientation meet and greet.   I researched the menu before going and bounced it up against nutrition (this took 15 minutes).   Their dinner size salads are calorie ridden hidden little DEVILS!    1,440 calories in a Maggiano's Salad, 1,213 calories in The Maggiano's Spinich Salad and the list just kept on going...... as I searched frantically for a good choice.   Wont even mention what the pasta dishes contained in a calorie content.

I ended up ordering a side size Spinich Salad w/o bacon 175 calories, a side order of Spaghetti Marinara 420 calories (2.5 Cups cooked pasta) w/ unsweetened Iced Tea.

I can only imagine entering this Restaurant un-prepared, what I may have ordered and then my day's calorie count would have been over the MOON.

What happens when a spare of the moment "restaurant situation" comes up?      Looking for band friendly restaurants and/or band friendly menu options and/or your go to restarurant meal.    

Totally convinced that Eating Out needs to be avoided at all costs while you are in "loosing mode"!  

But, how do we survive "life", "work", "friends", "family", "birthdays", "anniversaries" any "obligations" that revolve around FOOD and still Lose Weight?       

I am finding myself wanting to be a recloose, a hermit crab, not wanting to do anything with anyone for failure of sabatoging my entire week's effort with 1 meal.   

Midnight Cooking?

I might be strange, but I woke up at 1:20 am and realized I had nothing prepared for my meals for Friday.

I layed there another 10 minutes thinking of how many ways I could get around this, what could I eat instead.   Nothing good was coming of this thought pattern.

So, I made some egg beater scrambled eggs with turkey bacon and cheese for breakfast.

Then, 3 Jenno O turkey meatballs with marinara sauce from TJ's. 

Ok, I am officialy calling it...WIERDASS.

Good Night!

{p.s. Buns is Pissed, grrr!}

Bury my Head with The Bog

I've had just a horrible week and I just want to bury my head in bed and lay with Bog the Basset.  He gets it, atleast that is what he told me.

Dealing with stress and the band for the first time was interesting. 

I clearly saw the path I take when I'm stressed out.   I ate like total and complete shit this week, made horrible choices.   I'm not going to even list the shit I ate and attempted to eat its embarrasing.

What caused this stress?   A sudden break in my routine and financial issues.   

#1 You all know I'm a workout and spinning freak, a control freak and very routine.   When my routine gets messed with I can become very difficult!    I went to spin class on Tuesday night just like normal, but Wednesday 8/1, I was given news that my gym just closed it doors.     This just drove me bat shit crazy for 3 days, because I need to exercise to continue forward with my weight loss goals.     Then, of all the days, yesterday I get up at 4:30 am drive to my PT session with Mark that starts at 5:30 am ......tick tock...tick tock NO SHOW.    Damn it!      I'm not mad because he forgot me, that is expected to happen at some point, but the timing of him "forgetting me" was AWFUL!   Ofcourse, I started to immediately think, well now he is gone...just give me a plate of biscuits and gravy and lets call this SHIT WHAT IT IS..... GAME OVER.  

PANIC MODE until I got a text message which stated "i'm an idiot, tomorrow 5:30 am?"   

Between these two incidents this week, I have just gone completely over the deep end with my food choices, I just cannot cope.

#2 Financial.    I am not sure what else could come due for me to pay in 6 weeks lets make a list:     quarterly car insurance due 8/1, medical bills from my surgery due now, annual car tags due 9/1, a medical bill for Buns shows up for $107 from a service dated July 2011...okay? $225 electric bill (its hott as balls this Summer); annual heartworm test & meds for 2 of my 4 dogs..which this routine exam resulted in the Vet telling us that Roscoe must have his teeth cleaned ASAP, and have an absess removed that was very painful for him, my neice was in town and I always spoil her and finally a trip home to visit friends and family.

Listen this bitch has a good job and makes some $$$$$, but for the love of God I'm not Rich by any means.   This was just WAY WAY TOO MUCH for us to take on in a 4 week period.   So stressed!


Ok, so the good news is:    I'm broke, but everything is PAID.   I signed up for a new gym last night and it is really nice.    They have spin classes and a few of my workout friends from my prior gym have also signed up for a membership as well.    So, hopefully seeing some familiar faces from time to time, will help me with this change in routine.

www.lafitness.com

I've got boot camp today with Mark at 10:30 am and then we are getting together 3X next week (mon/wed/fri)..., plus I'm going to spin class tomorrow morning and again next week. So i'm praying that the fat devil will show some mercy on me when I get on the scale next Friday morning.    If he doesn't you all will be the first to know.

A PICTURE THAT SAYS 1000 WORDS

I saw this picture this morning pop up over Facebook and have been unable to get it out of my mind.   

I truly believe this exactly what is wrong with our women bodily image these days.  Who in the HELL looks like picture #1.    I personally don't know one person thru family, friends, co-workers or just every day life that looks like this.   

I once interviewed a girl for a job years back that looked like picture #1.   I have interviewed hundreds of people since, and I still remember her...Jayme with a "y".    She was so tall and thin and gorgeous.  I remember her because she was so abnormal looking to me.   I did not hire her, assume she went to Hollywood to be with the other un-naturals.  

DOVE Rocks my world!    Nice Job.