Guess what I'm having for dinner?

Well, even if you don't want to know I'm going to tell you.  Such is the power of the blog!!  Mwuhahahahahahaha!!!

Ahem.

So I'm having a turkey burger tonight with turkey bacon topped with turkey cheese on a turkey bun.  I may have made up a couple of those.  But there will be cheese and a bun.  And either BBQ sauce or ketchup/mustard/pickles.  Depends on how daring I feel.  I'm also having tots.  Tater, that is.  Swimming pools, mov--- oh, yeah, wrong association.

I dragged my sorry, exhausted carcass to the grocery store Sunday night.  By the way, why aren't grocery stores stocking more romaine hearts, hmm?  The last few weeks (I shop once a week, otherwise the fresh stuff spoils before I can eat it) by the time I made it to the store on Sunday evening the romaine hearts section looked like locusts had descended.  Now I know what you're saying:  shouldn't they be spraying for locusts?  Or maybe you're saying I should just get to the store earlier.  I'd love to.  In fact, when it's not crazy insane-o time at work I usually shop on Saturdays so that I have the option of not leaving the house ever on a Sunday.  Sunday is my day.  Except when it's crazy insane-o time at work.  Then there are locusts.

Although there were romaine hearts at New Seasons on a Sunday evening, but not at Freddy's.  I have to go by New Seasons tonight for my favorite greek yogurt, guess I should pick up some romaine while I'm there.  And then go home and let it spoil in the crisper.  Yep, that's the ticket!

Oh, back to the story.  So, when I was shopping this past Sunday evening I was racking my brain (origin of phrase?  anyone?)  because I realized that for the next couple of weeks I should get stuff that would be easy to fix, otherwise I was seeing a lot of Subway sandwiches in my near future.  The racking occurred because it's been a while since I've done the easy-to-fix stuff; I usually cook most nights and mostly from scratch.  Because I'm weird that way.  And it's typically cheaper and healthier.  The question Sunday was, what the heck do I get that isn't fish sticks?  (We wouldn't want to have another Fish Stick Incident.)

Turkey burgers were one option.  I usually make them with a whole wheat bun, two patties, a couple of strips of turkey bacon, a slice or two of swiss cheese, then condiments per my mood.  Sometimes mushrooms.  I'll usually make oven fries to go with them, and that's it.  Not exactly heavy on the fruit and veg (unless I have pickles or mushrooms), but I haven't died of scurvy yet so I think I'm okay.

Spaghetti with meat sauce was the other thing I thought of.  Again, turkey burger with mushrooms and a jar of Prego (it's supposed to be easy, remember, plus I like Prego) classed up with spices and some red wine.  I've developed a taste for whole wheat spaghetti noodles.  The whole thing gets a few pinches of parmesan. 

But then the siren call of the ham sounded.  And it sounded like this:  "Hey!  You!  Single person!  There's a ham over here for under $18.00!  Come and buy it... you know you want to."  And I did.  Because I love ham.  I particularly love a honey baked, spiral cut ham.  I will happily eat on it for weeks.  I'm not so big on ham sandwiches, the spirals are cut too thick for my tastes (I like shaved ham), but ham with mashed potatoes and gravy?  Or garlic mashed potatoes?  Or -- swoon, swoon -- scrambled eggs and ham?  And at the end of it all, the piece de resistance:  homemade split pea soup with ham. 

Excuse me while I mop up this drool.

Now I know that ham is not the healthiest thing out there.  Pork is good, sure, but ham has all those reputed carcinogens and gobs and gobs of sodium.  I tend to limit my hamming to the holidays:  Easter and Christmas.  (Best thing to come out of Christianity?  Ham.  And chocolate bunnies.)   One year I left my ham buying to the last minute and ended up with Hamzilla.  It was a $30.00 ham.  It was probably 20 lbs.  I have one of those apartment-size stoves and even with the rack as low as it could go the ham still touched the heating element in the top of the oven.  I nearly dropped it taking it out one time, the drippings made it so sloshy.  I would have had very happy dogs if I had.  I filled three gallon ziploc bags with ham, not including the bone that wouldn't fit in any ziploc bag I had.  I think I wrapped it in foil to put in the freezer.  When I made soup with that bone, it stuck at least three inches above the tallest (12") pot I have.  I had to keep rotating it during cooking.

I also got one of those salad kits, since they were out of romaine.  I got a thing of pre-grilled, pre-sliced chicken breast to into it.  It was all very tasty for dinner last night.  I also have scallops and shrimp (shrimp cocktail, shrimp casserole, grilled shrimp, coconut shrimp, BBQ shrimp... I watched the second half of Forrest Gump recently) in my freezer and soba noodles in my pantry.  I figure the turkey burgers will get me through the rest of the week until I have the time to cook (or heat, technically) the ham on the weekend.  Then it's pretty much a hamapalooza for the rest of December.  Or until I get sick of ham.  When that happens, maybe I'll get a turkey.  And that should get me through the first couple of weeks of January. 

Cheers,
the CilleyGirl

CilleyGirl Presents: Kracked Kristmas Karols, Day uh.... ??

Diet Christmas

(to the tune of "White Christmas")

I’m dreaming of a large pizza
Just like the ones I used to eat.
Where bacon glistens
and mushrooms listen
to hear if the sauce is done.

I’m dreaming of a large pizza
With every food log that I write.
May your meals be skinny and lite
And may all your weigh-ins be right.

 
Christmas cheers,
the CilleyGirl

CilleyGirl Presents: Kracked Kristmas Karols, Day 4

Little Runner Girl

(to the tune of Little Drummer Boy)

Run, they told me, pa rum pum pum pum
Good for you, you’ll see, pa rum pum pum pum
So I ran real slow, pa rum pum pum pum
Not much weight came off, you know, pa rum pum pum pum
rum pum pum pum, rum pum pum pum.

But I kept at it, pa rum pum pum pum
Kept at it.

And now here I are, pa rum pum pum pum
Now I run real far, pa rum pum pum pum
And I’ve gotten fast, pa rum pum pum pum
With a smaller ass, pa rum pum pum pum
rum pum pum pum, rum pum pum pum.

Want to run with me, pa rum pum pum pum
At Eugene?

So we train for it, pa rum pum pum pum
People think we’ve had a fit, pa rum pum pum pum
Crazy, yes are we, pa rum pum pum pum
Crazy, ha! You’ll see, pa rum pum pum pum
rum pum pum pum, rum pum pum pum.

You'll be in awe of me, pa rum pum pum pum
Me and my bum.

Christmas cheers,
the CilleyGirl
 
P.S.  I'm taking a poll:  I can either do all twelve days of Christmas in one post, or I can be cumulative and reveal the next day each day.  Since I've only got one other one waiting in the wings so far, I think this will be the way to go.  Any objections?  Not that I really care if you do object, but 'tis the season and all that humbug.

The evolution of a bootay

I'm putting this together Sunday night for my Monday post since I doubt I will have any time whatsoever to write up anything tomorrow.  Plus I mentioned a while back I was going to post various race pics throughout the year to show how I've changed since I've started running, and all the pics are on my home laptop.  It was more than I thought it would be.  The changes, that is.  Let's see if you agree.

This is from the very first race I ran, the one that got me started on this journey:  the Fanconi Anemia 5K on February 8.  Ignore the weird, breath-y face I have; I think I'm channeling Louis Armstrong.  In this picture I weigh about what I do now, although it was mostly chub and very little muscle.  I must note, however, that I have on silk longjohns and two shirts.  But still, mostly chub.

Race for the Roses 5K in April.  That is truly not a flattering picture.  Enough said.

10 Cane Rum Run in June.  I should have left the jacket in the car.  Lots of breastage but my legs are slimming down nicely.

This was from the Lacamas Lake 4-miler in July.  Still about the same weight but it's more muscle.  This is probably my favorite racing picture.  You'll notice I've learned to wear a hat.  And usually not a fuel belt.

Ack!  Starlite Run in August.  Okay, this is truly not a flattering picture.  I should have worn a hat.  The fuel belt was necessary, though; it was in the 90s with 90+% humidity at 7:00 at night.  And this was at the end of the run.  It's not an easy course.  I'm a lovely shade of fuchsia, aren't I?  But my calves look awesome!

My second favorite racing picture, from August's Crawfish Crawl.  Also my very favorite race tee; I wear it all the time working out.  Look at those legs!  My ferret's gotten smaller, and even my face has gotten slimmer.

From October's Catalyst Challenge.  I've got the Louis Armstrong face again.  I can't explain it.  This was the race where the lady with the crutch kicked my ass. 

One last picture, from the EA Sports 5K Challenge in November where I PR'd.  Look at me smile!  It's not because I'm on my way to a PR, though.  I'm thinking "It's f*cking cold and I'm so slow but I think there are still two people behind me!  And I have pink shoes!"  My iPod wasn't working properly so I had no idea about my pace.  We were running into a strong, freezing headwind for half the race and I was walking a lot; I thought for sure it would be my worst time yet.  Looking at this picture, I realize that (1) I really enjoy running even when it doesn't seem like it's going so well and (2) I look much better in capri tights. 

Hope you've enjoyed my trip through time :)

Cheers,

the CilleyGirl

CilleyGirl Presents: Kracked Kristmas Karols, Day 3

E! True Hollywood Story:  Rudolph*

You know Croissant and Brioche
And Donut and Cupcake,
Galette and Fruit Tart
And Muffin and Snowflake**.
But do you recall
The most famous reindeer of them all?

Rudolph the big-assed reindeer
(reindeer)
had a very shiny taint.
(like a starfish)
And if you ever saw him,
(saw him)
Skinny you would say he ain’t.
(he’s a big’un)

All of the other reindeer
(like they should talk)
Used to laugh and call him names.
(like fat ass)
They never let that fat-ass
(told you)
Join in any reindeer games.
(like Twister)

Then one foggy Christmas Eve
Santa came to say:
(speaking of a fat ass)
“Rudolph if you’d lose some weight,
You wouldn’t drag down the sleigh with your big fat ass.”
(Santa actually isn’t very nice, contrary to popular belief. But he keeps the list so he doesn’t care.  He also can't rhyme.)

So Rudy flipped off Santa
(look who’s talking)
and he shouted out with glee.
(glee glee glee)
Santa, this job is sucky –
(sucky)
I’m off to Beverly!
(Hills that is. Swimming pools. Liposuction.)


*(if you don't know this tune, I can't help you)
**Snowflake was adopted. He’s very sensitive about it.

Christmas cheers,
the CilleyGirl

Ho Ho 5K

I'm all signed up for the Ho Ho 5K in Tigard next Sunday, December 13.  I love the logo on the shirts:

I also love the baby blue color.  It's not a tech tee but it is a nice grade of cotton.  It's not as weighty as the ones from the Shamrock run this year, which for me is a plus.

If you're in the Cilleyland area and going out for this run, let me know!

Cheers,

the CilleyGirl

November goals recap; December goals maybe?

I'm finally getting around to recapping my November goals.  Good thing I didn't have a goal to timely recap my goals, eh?  Onward!

Goal: Keep a food diary. 

PASS!  There were times this was hard to do, but only because of the limitations of the food diary software.  I ended up having to input a lot of items, which took more time than the task in general should have.  I've switched programs now, and the new one seems to be a much better system. 
Goal: Aim for 2000 to 2100 calories a day. 

PASS!  My average calorie intake for the month of November was 2124.  My average expenditure was 2676.  Based on that, the program says I should have lost 4.4 lbs.  I didn't.  I lost 1.6 lbs.  That's okay.

Goal: No fast food drive throughs, with the exception of McDonald's breakfasts (but only on a day I have already done a run) and Taco Bell (but only on bellydance nights).

FAIL!  Bah.  Fighting flu-like symptoms, I willingly went to Burger King on November 15, although being sick I would have ordered the same had I gone inside.  I did do Taco Bell on non-dance nights, but I also didn't go to Taco Bell on three dance nights because I didn't go to class.  I also did at least one other drive-thru adventure right around the last day of November.  That involved a pre-migraine situation.  No excuses, though; it's probably a big part of why I didn't lose more weight in November.  But my clothes do fit pretty well lately. 

What's up for December?

With that pesky migraine, I've taken a few days off between monthly goals.  The stress at work is piling on, leaving me with little time to set up for good choices if that makes sense -- it's been tough to grocery shop, to prepare meals.  I also don't want to add to my stress by setting goals that I'm about 99% certain I will fail at.  So I think I'll be a bit poopy and do this for my December goals, starting on December 7:

Goal:  Keep a food diary.

Reason:  It's keeping me accountable.  I also don't beat myself up as badly when I can see exactly the extent of the damage I did, rather than figuring that I ate a billion calories and I'm a loser.  With a food diary, I can see that I only ate half a billion calories.  Depending on the day, I may or may not subsequently still feel like a loser ;)
Goal:  Consume no more than 2500 calories a day. 

Reason:  2500 is supposed to be the maintenance level, what I burn by existing.  I won't lose any weight, but I shouldn't gain any weight either.   My intent is to still aim for 2000 to 2100 calories per day, but again not put any extra stress on myself. 

Goal:  Run five times between December 7 and December 31.

Reason:  Sleep and things like bathing, laundry, etc., have been winning in the choice between that and the gym.  But I need to burn off some stress and stay in shape; real marathon training starts in just over a month.  I don't want to lose what progress I've made over the past few months.  I plan to run more than five times this month, but this is a workable goal that will still require I expend some effort to meet. 

Well, that should do it for now.  Stay tuned for more Kracked Kristmas Karols!

Cheers,
the CilleyGirl