Day 15: Moderate Success!

The scale has decreased in number! Woohoo! Granted, I only lost like 1.5 pounds, but in light of my high calorie lunches I was happily surprised. Only 25 more to go...

Day 14: Manna

For lunch today, I had a coke and two slices of Davanni's sausage pizza. I went here to calculate my calories - it's 262 calories a piece, for a total of 524 calories. That is 6 WW points each, for a total of 12 WW points... and 3 WW points for my can of coke... Ugh good thing I hauled a box of food six blocks and up three flights of stairs!

My lunch was free today, courtesy of Manna at law school. Manna is a nondenominational reflection activity offered at law school, where professors and students will share. I spoke today about my road to law school. The outline was:

1. Jeremiah 29:11 - My road to law school began with "leaving" teaching... As I said today, I technically resigned, but they definitely brought it up first :-) But God had a plan!

2. Psalm 127:1-2 - My first year was spent obsessively working, to the detriment of Husband and my family. I learned that year that it doesn't matter how Much or how Long I studied, if God wasn't in it, I wasn't going to succeed.

3. Mathew 16:24-26 - My second year was spent trying to find peace amidst the seductive beckoning of the world. Fame, fortune, and approval are constant temptations, and it is so easy to think you can put everything on hold for "just a few more days/months/years" and then live the life you Really want. I was pretty close to losing the really important things once, and I Hope to avoid getting remotely close to that situation ever again!

Some good law school friends came, it was a really emotional presentation. Law school has been hard, but by the grace of God I'm still married with two kids, and have a great job post-graduation.


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Day...13?

The numbering has gotten quite off. But, on Friday, I will weigh myself to see if Quest 8 had any kind of impact. I have not made it downstairs to our home gym yet. And this week I have not been doing my back exercises... so yes, I will need to start "back" up tomorrow (ha ha... I know, I'm so funny).

Today I spent about $18 for lunch, but it was a calamari salad, and I didn't get pop.

Another positive thing from the week is that I have walked to law school every day because I am part of a new student group that plans reflection activities for the student body. Today was a great discussion about faith and stress.

This week, my stress level has amped back up. Next week I start school and move the teenager out. I'm wrapping things up at the clerkship and participating in student activities. This transition is very emotional, and a passionate desire for God's peace has been awaken as well.

Day 11: E & G's and the Firm Family Event

For lunch I had Erbert and Gerbert's Jacob Bluefinger, with wheat bread. I was appalled to find out here that I only saved 10 calories by having wheat instead of white! For 10 calories, I'm never choosing honey wheat again. For 100, maybe...

So that's 12 Weightwatcher points in sandwich. If I'd had white, it would be 14 Weighwatcher points. Sliced honey wheat is 9 WW points. So perhaps it is a good idea to do wheat - and an even better idea to try this "sliced honey wheat" which I think means I get a sandwich instead of a sub roll.

Tonight the law firm hosted a family outing to watch the local minor baseball team. It would be my family's first debut as a unit at a firm event. I joked with husband that I just wanted everyone to think we were a normal family - to which he replied that one look at us: two 30-year-olds with a 6'6" blond kid and our special-needs daughter - would reveal we were anything but normal! :-)

To ease my nerves, husband and I played the game, "What's the worst that could happen?" We decided husband and daughter both throwing up, and perhaps throwing in a bout of diarrhea. Luckily, the most exciting thing that happened was when a high-ranking partner was laughing behind us, and daughter turned to stare at him and then said to me loud enough for him to hear, "Silly man." I looked at her, looked and him, and said with a laugh, "Yes, he is a silly man." I turned back around, holding my breath, until I heard the partner laugh and say to himself, Yes, I am a silly man. Whew! So the family debut? Great success!


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Day 10: Forgetful Me

I noticed last week had two Day 6-es. Huh.

Today's update will be short. I had kind of a harried day. I had to get to work early, and I couldn't find my car keys. Then I forgot my planner at home. And a word document on my desktop that the teenager had to forward to me. And my wallet.

Since I had no money, for lunch I convinced co-worker to take me out for frozen yogurt at about 3:30 p.m. I was under the gun, and did a lot of "Serenity Now" chants...

Overall it was a good day, just kind of weird, and tiring. God is Great! And I'm going to bed.

Day 7: Happy August

Twinsfan and I were back in fine form this evening - the rain held off, the conversation was fun, and the Twins lost BIG TIME but oh well. We were comparing our company's "August" celebration - they had Cub's food cupcakes, and we had Cheesecake Factory cheesecake brought it. Yes, she does work for the federal government...

We were discussing the things people do to be cool. Like go to sushi bars. She has friends she knows do not like sushi, but they go to sushi bars because its cool. I, on the other hand, like Sushi bars. In my world, the cool kids run marathons, drink Diet coke and play fantasy football. Where as I run to catch the bus, drink regular coke, and couldn't name five current NFL players. Oh well, I am a self-professed dork. Don't get me wrong - I do want to start running again, I'd like to only have one pop a week, and I'm still undecided about this Fantasy Football thing - but I want to do these things because I'm FREE to be ME, not because I'm forced through social peer pressure to do things to fit in.

Anyways, as for the quest - I ate the other half of my lunch from Tuesday, and managed to hold off taking a trip to the frozen yogurt counter, although the only reason I held off was because I walked into the kitchen and realized it was Happy August, and I saw a beautiful raspberry swirl cheesecake... While I ate pretty atrociously at the game, I also walked back and forth to my car several times throughout the day, for a total of about 2 miles. We'll see if I managed to keep off any of my sick weight.

Day 6: Noodle Bar

I says to my Asian co-worker, hey, let's do lunch. She says, where to? I says, let's do this Noodle Bar I saw a sign for. It's in the hotel restaurant. She says, What's a noodle bar? I give her "Seriously?" look, and explain it's like a pasta bar, with noodles and sauces. She says, isn't that just like a salad bar? I says, let's just go and you'll see.

So we go to the hotel lobby. I don't know what the restaurant name is, so I ask the guy behind the security desk. I ask, Where's the Noodle Bar?

He gives me the "Seriously" look and says, "We don't have a Noodle Bar."
Yes, you do.
No, we don't.
Sir, I saw the sign that you have a noodle bar in your restaurant.
Ma'am, we don't have a noodle bar.

At this point co-worker intercedes and asks where the restaurant is, he says fifth floor, and we're off. I'm steaming. And now becoming a little afraid. We arrive on the fifth floor... and I see a woman explaining to two other young women how the Noodle Bar works. Hooray!

Of course, I proceed to tell the hostess that the guy downstairs tried to steer us away. And our waiter. And the chef who was making our noodles (I was 5% sad it wasn't an Italian Noodle Bar, it was an Asian noodle bar). Everyone I told said, "Was his name Tyrel?" I said I didn't know.

On my latest rant to the chef, where my co-worker and I are trying to explain what he looked like (she said he had a goatee, was older; I was trying to find a politically correct way to say he was black) when this, er, guy came around the corner and said, "You found it!"

I looked at his name tag and it said Tyrel. I said to the chef, No that's not him. But then I looked again, and he knew who I was, and suddenly I realized, it WAS Tyrel (in my defense he put glasses on). And I was so incredulous that we didn't recognize him (and he did NOT have a goatee) that I forgot to be embarrassed that he caught me complaining about him. He was much nicer, I was much nicer, and we all lived happily ever after.

Noodle Bar. Lots of veggies, very fast, and only $10 (we got a 20% coupon, but then paid it back in tip). AND No DQ treat - although I really want one (probably because every night when I come home Husband is having a Dilly Bar).


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Day 6: Half a Lunch & a Mini-Blizzard

For the first time ever, in the fridge at work, there is a Styrofoam box with my name, and today's date written on it. With food inside. I know.

As a person attempting to be free of some extra self, it was a solid victory on the calorie front, as well as the finance front. Such a novel idea... stretch one lunch into TWO?

The idea came when I went to the Greek place and asked how much it would be for one lamb kabob and a side of yellow rice. The total was $3 more than getting the Lamb Kabob plate, which included 2 kabobs, yellow rice, 2 pitas and yogurt-sauce dip. Penny-pincher beat out calorie-counter, and I bought the Kabob plate and took it to go.

As I was eating at my desk (alone, as co-clerk and intern are back at school), I had this weird idea that, since I truly had twice as much as I originally wanted, I should eat only half! Yes, there was a moment when I thought my discipline would fade... as I looked at the other kabob, the yummy rice... and then I closed the box, wrote my name on it, and speed-walked to the kitchen fridge. VICTORY!!!!!

Tonight, I wanted a Buster Bar. ChoirFriend and I were planning to go to DQ either tonight or tomorrow for the new mini-Blizzard. I realized there was a strong possibility I would end up eating a Buster Bar tonight and a blizzard tomorrow, so we went for our blizzards tonight (I had a mini Buster Bar blizzard). The DQ Calorie Calculator says the Turtle Pecan Mini Blizzard is 430 calories - that seems to be the most comparable, pecans = peanuts, chocolate cone coating = fudge, caramel topping = chocolate. Which is still unbelievable. BUT I just looked up a Buster Bar, and it rings in at 480 calories, so yes people - it was a 50 calorie save for the night! (And, if i manage to avoid a second DQ treat tomorrow, a theoretical 530 calorie save... I believe that is 25% of 1 pound).

Day 5 and End of Quest #7

Well, I stepped on the scale this morning and I lost three pounds. So a diet of rice, sprite, bananas, applesauce and toast is a winner! (I didn't even push the save button, I know it would be cheating). I'm feeling better, and will likely gain back those three pounds in no time. Sigh!

My summary for Quest #7 is this:

First, I stink at packing a lunch. Unless its something I really like eating, I won't pack it. So perhaps a manageable goal, for now, is to pack my lunch once per week, consistently. That seems manageable.

As far as cutting back on the sides, I am doing a little better at that. Coupled with my desire to eat less, I have been content with just a sandwich - instead of a sandwich, chips and a cookie. Although, when it's free... I usually don't exhibit as much restraint.

And it was good for me to keep track of my expenditures. I didn't quite realize how fast those sit-down lunches add up... when the receipts sit in your dark purse for weeks, you can live in denial for a long time.

Day 4/14: Lunch of the Summer: Woohoo!

It happened people. Remember how I said this week I needed someone to pay me $5 to have lunch? Well, I walked away from this lunch with a new associate's salary, plus benefits!!!

The whole event was a suspenseful play. Act I was when the recruiting partner alluded he would know next week whether I could work during the school year, and when co-clerk and I got emails for Friday afternoon lunch to "answer any questions we might have." We dared to hope.

Act II began when the partner walked into the library to take us to lunch. I let out a big "Woohoo!" (Hey, I was hungry). We rode down the elevator. I asked where we were going, and the partner pointed to the nearby seafood restaurant. Without thinking, I let out another "Woohoo!"

I think I'm nervous.

Act III begins with the three of us sitting down in the restaurant. After some small talk, the speech begins. It seems like this is it. As he spoke, my mind wandered to Husband's marriage proposal... Wait, here it is... "And this is our formal offer..."

It seemed like I was supposed to say something. I looked at the partner and said, "It's taking a lot of effort to hold my third cheer in."

He smiled and did it for me. "Woohoo!"

For an encore of humor, I can barely contain my excitement after lunch. I managed to contain my excitement until co-clerk and I parted ways with the partner in the elevator bank. I turned to co-clerk and said, you know that part in Love Actually (click here) She nodded, and I proceeded to turn around and skip and jump and wave my arms in the air and then... unlike the movie scene... I forgot to mouth my excitement and semi-screamed, "IT HAPPENED" in the elevator lobby.

And as we popped out on the other side of the elevators on our way to get coffee, we saw the partner also walking, and DEFINITELY in earshot.

Sigh. I am such a dork!


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Day 3/13: Scrapbook Fever!

For lunch, Co-clerk and I were taken to a Brazilian Steak House. I wore knit. It stretches. I ate practically the rest of the day in an effort to counteract the massive amounts of protein consumed.

It is way past my bedtime. But I have four pages done of London - I am in Scrapbooking Heaven! Tomorrow might be tough...

Also, I had to use my aggressive bus catching tactics this afternoon. I saw the bus cross my street - it was EARLY - so I ran up the street about half a block until traffic subsided enough that I could dart across, and then I sprinted to the bus... as the doors closed ahead of me I heard a voice yell, "NOOOooooo!" and it wasn't until the busdriver re-opened the door and I collapsed into it that I realized that voice was my own.

Quick side note, last night my sister AngelOwner (and her dog Angel) picked me up from one park and ride and brought me to the other... I had parked in the "wrong" one since I left later that evenings. What a fabulous sister! Pretty sure husband would not have been thrilled about that phone call...

Ugh it's midnight!

Day 2/12: Too many celebrations!

For breakfast I had yogurt. The day looked promising.

For lunch, co-clerk and I took Intern out, as it was his last day at the office. We went to a restaurant with the BEST macaroni and cheese - I got my mac & cheese with a side of King Crab sandwich, thinking it would be more healthy then the cream of mushroom soup. I was wrong - the King Crab was not slabs of seafood, but shredded crab in a heavy mix of mayonnaise and other tasty fats. I'm too lazy to check my total; I know I spent $26 for myself and half of Intern's meal, plus tip.

And dinner was over Office Happy Hour - essentially calamari and wine - in honor of Co-clerk's last week. Then to SassyRed's Going Away Party... and Monday night was ChoirFriend's Fabulous Fortieth Birthday party at the local pizza pub...

In conclusion, this week is really not a good week for beginning the new diet.

Quest #8: Back Pain = Lose Weight

It's time.

The moment when I can no longer pretend everything is A-OK. My lower back is acting up, and what is one factor? Potbelly. (The teenager says guys call it a beer-belly. I call it my Buddha... because I'm Asian).

In case you didn't remember, being overweight actually spurred this blog, see here.

Once summer started, I stopped doing my 30 minutes of activity. And I've been doing some significant overeating in the evenings (Did I mention last night husband made home-made blueberry waffles, with whipped cream and pie filling toppings, and fatty bacon, and sausage?)

I am in a state of pain that I no longer wish to reside in. I'm now going to crawl away, ice my back, and pass out.


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