Day ONE

I struggled a little getting out of bed at 5:00 for my workout, but managed to make it to the gym by 6:00. I fell into my usual routine...a whole hour of cardio and no weight training. This is precisely why I signed up for personal training sessions. I need a nudge to go over into the free weight area with the fellas. The great thing about my gym is that the median age is somewhere around 60. Even in my current condition, I don't look so shabby in comparison to my fellow gym members.

After my hour-long cardio session, I came home and fixed myself a little green tea and steel-cut oatmeal with almond milk and strawberries. I love this stuff! I NEVER thought I would be able to fathom oatmeal without a ton of sugar (or Splenda), but this is pretty good!

I was a good girl for lunch and ate my leftover pasta. My trusty Fage was my afternoon snack and now, at 5:45, I am starving and ready for another.

I am testing the text update feature...does this thing work?

Mighty Leaf Tea

I have a propensity for purchasing boxes of tea, using three or four bags, and letting the rest languish in the cabinet when I move onto the next new tea.  This tea changed all that.



Mighty Leaf Green Tea Tropical is "smooth green tea leaves harmoniously blend[ed] with sweet tropical fruits of pineapple and guava". It is fantastic! I have finally weaned myself off Splenda (it was a struggle -- I felt like I was trying to kick a heroin habit) and this tea is actually quite refreshing without it. It is also lower in caffeine than most green teas which is a benefit to me, the person who has twice gone to the ER with palpitations, only to be told it's stress...and green tea induced.  The only downside to this wonderful blend is the guilt I feel that each biodegradable pouch is WRAPPED IN NON-BIODEGRADABLE CELLOPHANE! What the heck kind of sense does that make? It's also pricey at my local fancy-schmancy supermarket. If I recall correctly, I paid upward of $6.50 for a box of 15 pouches. It's still more cost effective than Starbucks, considering I brew enough each morning for a 24 oz cup of iced tea.

Artichokes and Tomatoes in Wine Sauce

I decided to have a "last supper" before my six week challenge begins tomorrow. So...I foraged through my fridge and cabinets and realized that I've done such a good job purging my home of junk that I had nothing unhealthy to cook! As a result, my last meal before my hardcore six week challenge is woefully good for me (but for the half cup of wine I simmered my veggies in): artichoke hearts, grape tomatoes, and capers simmered in white wine and garlic and served over whole wheat spaghetti.  I chased with unsweetened iced green tea, though I am toying with the idea of having a farewell glass of wine before bed.

 

Artichoke & Tomatoes in Wine Sauce

1 6oz jar artichoke hearts

2 Tbs capers

Approx. 20 grape tomatoes, halved lengthwise

1/2 c white wine ( I used Toasted Head Chardonnay)

1 Tbs crushed garlic

Crushed red pepper and salt to taste

I sauteed the garlic in a weeeee bit of olive oil, added the tomatoes, artichoke hearts, and capers and let it simmer for about five minutes. Then, I added the wine, salt, and crushed red pepper and let it all simmer with the lid on for another five minutes. To thicken the sauce a bit, I removed the lid and let it cook on low for about four or five minutes. Then, I tossed my drained pasta in it and enjoyed it...

I swear by Ronzoni Healthy Harvest Whole Grain Spaghetti. It's got 7 grams of protein and 6 grams of fiber per serving. As it's been about a month since I've eaten meat, I appreciate any source of veggie protein. It's got a shitload of carbs (41 grams), but I just tell myself it's the "good" kind and keep it moving. DON'T BE FOOLED! Ronzoni makes a "whole wheat blend" pasta and a "whole grain" pasta. The whole wheat blend is mixed with processed wheat flour.

 

This recipe made two servings. I will pack the leftovers for lunch tomorrow.

Six Week Challenge

Tomorrow marks six weeks until my 38th birthday. I haven't made definitive plans, but I am certain that they will involve me in a bikini on a beach somewhere...even if it's just the Jersey Shore. To that end, I plan to shed some body fat through an intensive workout and clean eating plan. I have been meat and dairy free for the last three weeks (except a minor lapse at a 4th of July barbecue on Sunday) and plan to expand that into a white flour and sugar ban. I am ignoring the scale and paying special attention to the mirror. My goal is to see some semblance of a stomach muscle in my two-piece swimsuit. Good luck to me..."BEFORE" pic is below.  I have blackened (whitened?) out my dreaded belly. I will unveil the before and after pics on August 17th.

I was cute in this bikini when I purchased it five years ago... Since that time, I seem to have gotten somewhat squishy about the thighs and belly.

I don't know why I look like I have a wayward breast implant or nasty bruise or hood-rat tattoo in this photo...maybe it's a shadow.