But first - a recap of the first week.
I've stopped taking photos of my food. Fell a little by the wayside when the hurricane hit. But I've definitely stuck to my new portion size. I've also only eaten off a plate and I've increased my water intake.
Last night, the boy brought home Chipotle, which is, surprisingly, not all that bad for you as they use fresh veggies and free range, veggie fed meat. Normally, I can eat an entire bowl. But - last night, I removed part of the dish as normal to get to my new portion size. And - what I think was most telling that this is working - I was able to tell when I was full. I ate less than 3/4 of what I normally scarf down like it ain't no thang.
Chapter 3 involves light exercise - basically working it into your daily routine. I've started by parking farther from the building and going for afternoon walks with a colleague.
It also involves upping fruit intake. Not doing great on that one. I'm not big on fruit and I don't usually keep a lot of it in the house. I do usually keep grapes, some sort of melon and blueberries in the house - but that's all gone and ... we're a little strapped for cash at the moment. Oh well. I'd still like to work a piece of fruit into every day if I can. I have a much easier time working in the veggies. But, I won't move on to Chapter 4 until I master Chapter 3, so I really need to take charge there.
It'll be another week before I measure myself again, but for now, here's my Week 2 weight:
Weight: 153
Down: 3
And aligned goals -
1. Continue light exercise
2. Drink more water
3. Eat at least a serving of fruit every day
Anyone have any tricks for getting in that serving of fruit for a picky eater?
Purchase Now from Amazon: How To Really Lose Weight Without Dieting
Wednesday, August 31, 2011
Monday, August 29, 2011
Book Sleuth - The Postmortal
Found via GeekMom
Publishing by Penguin
Interesting because I absolutely love Drew Magary - he's one of my favorite bloggers to follow.
Purchase Now from Amazon: The Postmortal: A Novel
Saturday, August 27, 2011
How To Really Lose Weight Without Dieting: Week 1, Days 1-3
Weight: 156
Waist: 34 inches
I was supposed to take a picture of the measuring tape I used to measure, but I don't have one of those. So I decided to do it the ghetto way, with yarn that I cut and measured later using a straight ruler. Then I realized - what if I kept each piece of yarn throughout the weeks and could hold them up against each other? Suddenly, ghetto idea is ingenious! So, first piece of yarn is labeled Week 1 and you'll get a picture of it once I have the next measurement to hold it against. Next measurement is happens on Week 3, Day 1.
I am currently only following the steps in Chapter 2. Chapter 1 is a guide to how to work the program (or programme, since it's British, and we all know how much I LOVE that!) The first two weeks will consist of the steps in Chapters 2, 3 and 4. BUT - I'm not to move on to Chapter 3 until I've mastered Chapter 2. Since Chapter 2's step is really just basic portion control, I think I'll give myself a couple days before also incorporating Chapter 3. I'd like to master all three before the end of Week 1 so that by Week 2 I can be working on all three together.
Here's a photo of my Day 1, Week 1 flab: (yes, I use Dove. Soft underarms!)
And here's how I did with portion control for all of my meals. Side by side comparisons are my original portions and new portion as described in Chapter 2 of the book. Snacks were measured outright and I didn't take photos of those. But trust me - I stayed within the serving size and was still able to satisfy my craving without going overboard. I think these first few days were really about not denying myself while also changing my paradigm about how much and what I put into my body.
I guess you have to have a magnifying glass to read what I wrote there. Mostly just to do with the fact that something made me feel barfy at the wedding and so I didn't eat much. Some cheese cubes and a red potato and that was about it. The barfy feeling didn't keep me from DANCING, though!
Time for Chapter 3!
Purchase Now from Amazon: How To Really Lose Weight Without Dieting
Waist: 34 inches
I was supposed to take a picture of the measuring tape I used to measure, but I don't have one of those. So I decided to do it the ghetto way, with yarn that I cut and measured later using a straight ruler. Then I realized - what if I kept each piece of yarn throughout the weeks and could hold them up against each other? Suddenly, ghetto idea is ingenious! So, first piece of yarn is labeled Week 1 and you'll get a picture of it once I have the next measurement to hold it against. Next measurement is happens on Week 3, Day 1.
I am currently only following the steps in Chapter 2. Chapter 1 is a guide to how to work the program (or programme, since it's British, and we all know how much I LOVE that!) The first two weeks will consist of the steps in Chapters 2, 3 and 4. BUT - I'm not to move on to Chapter 3 until I've mastered Chapter 2. Since Chapter 2's step is really just basic portion control, I think I'll give myself a couple days before also incorporating Chapter 3. I'd like to master all three before the end of Week 1 so that by Week 2 I can be working on all three together.
Here's a photo of my Day 1, Week 1 flab: (yes, I use Dove. Soft underarms!)
And here's how I did with portion control for all of my meals. Side by side comparisons are my original portions and new portion as described in Chapter 2 of the book. Snacks were measured outright and I didn't take photos of those. But trust me - I stayed within the serving size and was still able to satisfy my craving without going overboard. I think these first few days were really about not denying myself while also changing my paradigm about how much and what I put into my body.
I guess you have to have a magnifying glass to read what I wrote there. Mostly just to do with the fact that something made me feel barfy at the wedding and so I didn't eat much. Some cheese cubes and a red potato and that was about it. The barfy feeling didn't keep me from DANCING, though!
Time for Chapter 3!
Purchase Now from Amazon: How To Really Lose Weight Without Dieting
Friday, August 26, 2011
How to Really Lose Weight Without Dieting
I know I promised an update today, but I completely forgot I'm leaving work and heading directly to my friend's wedding. I won't be back until the wee hours of the morning.
So instead, I'll post my first 3 days early on Saturday. The post is pretty much completed, photos of my food (and me) my start weight, waist size and initial thoughts. I'll just need to add a photo of my wedding dinner plate and then...
... all sorts of TMI. In a good way.
See you tomorrow!
Purchase Now from Amazon: How To Really Lose Weight Without Dieting
So instead, I'll post my first 3 days early on Saturday. The post is pretty much completed, photos of my food (and me) my start weight, waist size and initial thoughts. I'll just need to add a photo of my wedding dinner plate and then...
... all sorts of TMI. In a good way.
See you tomorrow!
Purchase Now from Amazon: How To Really Lose Weight Without Dieting
Thursday, August 25, 2011
Book Sleuth - Cults in Our Midst
Found via Celebitchy
Purchase here.
Another random find on a blog that you wouldn't expect. Has anyone read this? I think I'd be into it since I loved Raven so much.
Purchase Now from Amazon: Cults in Our Midst: The Continuing Fight Against Their Hidden Menace
Purchase Now from Amazon: Cults in Our Midst: The Continuing Fight Against Their Hidden Menace
Wednesday, August 24, 2011
Somewhere Off the Coast of Maine - Ann Hood
Rating: 3 stars
Shelf: Reading Now
Beautifully written, even if it did leave me feeling a little disappointed, a little left out on a limb. I was so taken in, entranced by Claudia, Elizabeth, Suzanne and their families, following their hopes, dreams and tribulations from the 60's all the way through to the mid 80's. But then the book just seemed to end. And I suppose each of their stories was brought to a point of closure - Claudia leaves, Henry gets his girl, Rebekah realizes that her life is good, Elizabeth goes into remission, and Sparrow comes to understand all that her mother, Suzanne, has fought for. But I still wanted MORE. I was brought to what only felt like the middle of the story and then the characters just left me. Abandoned me.
I wanted more.
Purchase Now from Amazon: Somewhere Off the Coast of Maine: A Novel
Shelf: Reading Now
Beautifully written, even if it did leave me feeling a little disappointed, a little left out on a limb. I was so taken in, entranced by Claudia, Elizabeth, Suzanne and their families, following their hopes, dreams and tribulations from the 60's all the way through to the mid 80's. But then the book just seemed to end. And I suppose each of their stories was brought to a point of closure - Claudia leaves, Henry gets his girl, Rebekah realizes that her life is good, Elizabeth goes into remission, and Sparrow comes to understand all that her mother, Suzanne, has fought for. But I still wanted MORE. I was brought to what only felt like the middle of the story and then the characters just left me. Abandoned me.
I wanted more.
Purchase Now from Amazon: Somewhere Off the Coast of Maine: A Novel
Tuesday, August 23, 2011
How to Really Lose Weight Without Dieting - Anne Lyken-Garner
I'm going to do something a little different.
Recently, I started really caring about what I eat. Or, trying to care, anyway. I'm a bit of a compulsive eater, with good intentions that I throw to the wind as soon as I see pizza, icecream, chicken wings, cake. But, I went through food bootcamp with a friend who taught me about buying a lot of good types of food - kicking out the HFCs and opting for all natural, corn-fed - healthy.
Then, I met Anne via Blog-Jog Day and she asked if I would like to review one of her books. She blogs on A Blogger's Books and The Relationship Supermarket. I just recieved How to Really Lose Weight Without Dieting from her - it couldn't be more perfect timing.
The book is a program and so, in order to really review this book, I'm going to follow the program week by week and update you all on my progress. I'll give a brief review of the chapter(s), just enough to give you an idea of what I'm doing but not enough to give away the essentials of the program. I'll even update you on my weight and waist size, something a girl rarely ever does.
The first step is to start a journal. THIS will be my journal. I'll post the first round-up of journal entries this Friday.
It's going to get really real up in here.
Purchase Now from Amazon: How To Really Lose Weight Without Dieting
Recently, I started really caring about what I eat. Or, trying to care, anyway. I'm a bit of a compulsive eater, with good intentions that I throw to the wind as soon as I see pizza, icecream, chicken wings, cake. But, I went through food bootcamp with a friend who taught me about buying a lot of good types of food - kicking out the HFCs and opting for all natural, corn-fed - healthy.
Then, I met Anne via Blog-Jog Day and she asked if I would like to review one of her books. She blogs on A Blogger's Books and The Relationship Supermarket. I just recieved How to Really Lose Weight Without Dieting from her - it couldn't be more perfect timing.
The book is a program and so, in order to really review this book, I'm going to follow the program week by week and update you all on my progress. I'll give a brief review of the chapter(s), just enough to give you an idea of what I'm doing but not enough to give away the essentials of the program. I'll even update you on my weight and waist size, something a girl rarely ever does.
The first step is to start a journal. THIS will be my journal. I'll post the first round-up of journal entries this Friday.
It's going to get really real up in here.
Purchase Now from Amazon: How To Really Lose Weight Without Dieting
Monday, August 22, 2011
Miss Peregrine's Home for Peculiar Children - Ransom Riggs
Rating: 4 stars
Shelf: Reading Now
A new and unique YA fantasy series that is incredibly well written and spellbinding.
Jacob, an American teenager, has only just stopped believing the fantastical stories his Grandpa Portman used to tell him about World War II - a lovely, sunny mansion in Wales, invisible boys, floating girls, and a bird who liked to smoke a pipe watching over them all. It isn't until tragedy strikes the Portman family that Jacob finds out the truth about his grandfather and himself.
The book is loaded with a dreamy, eerie sort of mystery - aided by real photographs brought together by the author through various peculiar photograph collectors. Even beyond the photographs, the details and beautiful storytelling make this book truly come to life.
Purchase Now from Amazon: Miss Peregrine's Home for Peculiar Children
Shelf: Reading Now
A new and unique YA fantasy series that is incredibly well written and spellbinding.
Jacob, an American teenager, has only just stopped believing the fantastical stories his Grandpa Portman used to tell him about World War II - a lovely, sunny mansion in Wales, invisible boys, floating girls, and a bird who liked to smoke a pipe watching over them all. It isn't until tragedy strikes the Portman family that Jacob finds out the truth about his grandfather and himself.
The book is loaded with a dreamy, eerie sort of mystery - aided by real photographs brought together by the author through various peculiar photograph collectors. Even beyond the photographs, the details and beautiful storytelling make this book truly come to life.
Purchase Now from Amazon: Miss Peregrine's Home for Peculiar Children
Tuesday, August 16, 2011
Book Sleuth - Rules of Civility
Found via Omnivoracious
Published by Viking Adult
Has anyone read this? Loved it? Hated it?
Purchase Now from Amazon: Rules of Civility: A Novel
Friday, August 12, 2011
Book Sleuth - Paradise Lust
Found via FilmDrunk
Published by Grove PressPurchase Now from Amazon: Paradise Lust: Searching for the Garden of Eden
Thursday, August 11, 2011
The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society - Mary Ann Shaffer and Annie Barrows
Rating: 5 stars
Shelf: Reading Now
The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Society is the story of a literary society borne from the Occupation on the Channel Islands during World War II. It is told in a series of letters to a London writer, Juliet, who then travels to Guernsey to meet and write a story of all of the Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Society's colorful characters.
It is both funny and extremely heartfelt - I laughed out loud as often as I had to wipe the tears from my eyes. It was so beautifully written and so alive. The characters and the authors and writings that gave them hope in the darkest days of the war - Oscar Wilde, Shakespeare, Charles Dickens, Jane Austen, Anne Bronte.
I wish I could meet these fictious people of Guernsey and Juliet. I have fallen in love with this book.
Purchase Now from Amazon: The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society
Shelf: Reading Now
The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Society is the story of a literary society borne from the Occupation on the Channel Islands during World War II. It is told in a series of letters to a London writer, Juliet, who then travels to Guernsey to meet and write a story of all of the Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Society's colorful characters.
It is both funny and extremely heartfelt - I laughed out loud as often as I had to wipe the tears from my eyes. It was so beautifully written and so alive. The characters and the authors and writings that gave them hope in the darkest days of the war - Oscar Wilde, Shakespeare, Charles Dickens, Jane Austen, Anne Bronte.
I wish I could meet these fictious people of Guernsey and Juliet. I have fallen in love with this book.
Purchase Now from Amazon: The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society
Wednesday, August 10, 2011
My Own Field Trip to Borders
Wasn't really even that great. I'm surprised, this late in the game, that the books are still so expensive. I was hoping for some real steals. Not so. 30% off is good, but not great.
For $20 bucks I ended up with two paperback novels:
World War Z
Pretty Little Liars
I feel like I should have been able to buy at least four paperbacks for that price, what with the situation. Don't you?
For $20 bucks I ended up with two paperback novels:
World War Z
Pretty Little Liars
I feel like I should have been able to buy at least four paperbacks for that price, what with the situation. Don't you?
Tuesday, August 9, 2011
Blog Chicks Rule!
A friend of mine posted this link to his facebook page, stating - "Like I didn't already know this, thanks to:..." and listed a wonderful list of other social media ladies. Me included!
The article is about the power of women in social media. Check out the article and the lovely infographic here.
The article is about the power of women in social media. Check out the article and the lovely infographic here.
A Passage from The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society
"Later, I came to see that Mr. Dickens and Mr. Wordsworth were thinkin gof men like me when they wrote their words. But most of all, I believe that William Shakespeare was. Mind you, I cannot always make sense of what he says, but it will come.
It seems to me the less he said, the more beauty he made. Do you know what sentence of his I admire the most? It is 'The bright day is done, and we are for the dark.'
I wish I'd known those words on the day I watched those German troops land, plane-load after plane-load of them - and come off ships down the in the harbor! All I could think of was damn them, damn them, over and over. If I could have though the words 'the bright day is done and we are for the dark,' I'd have been consoled somehow and ready to go out and contend with circumstance - instead of my heart sinking to my shoes."
Purchase Now from Amazon: The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society
It seems to me the less he said, the more beauty he made. Do you know what sentence of his I admire the most? It is 'The bright day is done, and we are for the dark.'
I wish I'd known those words on the day I watched those German troops land, plane-load after plane-load of them - and come off ships down the in the harbor! All I could think of was damn them, damn them, over and over. If I could have though the words 'the bright day is done and we are for the dark,' I'd have been consoled somehow and ready to go out and contend with circumstance - instead of my heart sinking to my shoes."
Purchase Now from Amazon: The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society
Monday, August 8, 2011
And the Winner Is...
Using random.org to generate the winner .....
Congratulations Vanessa Morgan!
Thanks to all of you who visited my blog and deemed me worthy enough to follow. I've said it about a million times - I'm a rabid blog follower. Nothing could have made me happier than sifting through all of your blogs this Sunday and adding them all to my Google Reader. I hope I find my next Book Sleuth book or next review on one of your sites.
Congratulations Vanessa Morgan!
Thanks to all of you who visited my blog and deemed me worthy enough to follow. I've said it about a million times - I'm a rabid blog follower. Nothing could have made me happier than sifting through all of your blogs this Sunday and adding them all to my Google Reader. I hope I find my next Book Sleuth book or next review on one of your sites.
Sunday, August 7, 2011
Welcome to Blog Jog Day!
Hey you guys! Thanks for stopping by my blog on this blog jog day! Please peruse use the link cloud under the banner to hop around and enjoy my thoughts on reading, writing and publishing. A new feature you might enjoy is my Book Sleuth feature, where I find new and interesting books throughout the blogsphere and post them here.
Once you're finished enjoying my blog, then click over to The Wildcat's Victory to see what the next Blog has to offer!
Lost in the links? You can always go back to the main Blog Jog Day Blog and find a new link to jog from.
Follow my blog AND leave a comment on this post to let me know what you're favorite book is and why, OR what features you'd like to see here at Reading. Writing. Publishing. A Blog. Comments enter you for a chance to win a $10 gift card to Barnes & Noble. Winner will be chosen at random and posted tomorrow, August 8th.
Thank you for stopping by my blog!
Once you're finished enjoying my blog, then click over to The Wildcat's Victory to see what the next Blog has to offer!
Lost in the links? You can always go back to the main Blog Jog Day Blog and find a new link to jog from.
Follow my blog AND leave a comment on this post to let me know what you're favorite book is and why, OR what features you'd like to see here at Reading. Writing. Publishing. A Blog. Comments enter you for a chance to win a $10 gift card to Barnes & Noble. Winner will be chosen at random and posted tomorrow, August 8th.
Thank you for stopping by my blog!
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
