A-Rod's Journal - come on in and make me accountable!

[A-Rod]

Hello to all - and a special hello to many old friends I'm delighted to see are still around. After a long break from this site, it's time to come back - and I'm looking forward to it.

My name is A-Rod. I'm 28 and female. I'm originally from Portland, Oregon but moving to the DC area next week for a new job. I work in the humanitarian relief/international development field with a focus on food security and health programming. I love cooking and entertaining, scuba diving, skiing, horseback riding, hiking and cycling.

I was a SB devotee and frequent poster on this site in 2006-2008 but several years of working overseas (Iraq, Ethiopia and Niger) and a busy life have gotten in the way - or, rather, I have allowed them to. During my original SB journey and healthier lifestyle, I went from a size 12/14 to an 8/10 through healthier eating and consistent, relatively demanding exercise. Over the last two years, being in places where it's difficult to eat well, and some general slack behavior and loss of willpower and good habits, I've crept up two sizes to a 10/12. It's time to get back to where I was before, and hopefully a bit more. I'm looking forward to turning over a new proverbial leaf (well, it's kind of the old leaf really) once I relocate - not living in hotels and ordering room service in third world countries, extended stays at my parents' house, or plentiful vacationing should be good for me. I am ready to re-commit to healthy diet and exercise.

I am looking forward to starting a healthy cooking blog in the next several weeks. Those who know me on here may recall that I love to cook; I have also noticed a real lack of great healthy cooking blogs or resources out there. So I am excited to share recipes and photos for SB-friendly and/or wholesome, healthy gourmet foods. I will be happy to share when it's up and running.

My goals are simple:
(1) Eat healthier, more wholesome foods with a paleo bent.
(2) Eat fewer grains. I'm generally a reasonably healthy eater but carbs are my vice and I know it.
(3) Eat less! Exercise isn't a good excuse to eat more, and I have GOT to quit picking at food while I cook. It's a horribly bad habit I have.
(4) Maintain a whole foods kitchen. No garbagey low-fat or low-carb products.
(5) Get back to being diligent with intense workouts.

In my effort to maintain a whole foods diet, I am not going the artificial sweetener route. This means small amounts of natural sugar, and I think this can be done in moderation and without detriment.

Thanks to all for reading, and I look forward to enjoying this journey together!

A-Rod

[wileybosco]

I'm with ya Sistah! Have enjoyed reading about your adventures on FB but happy to see you here. I read often and hardly post but hoping to do more.

[A-Rod]

Hey W! Back at ya! Glad you are still around!

So just to get into the habit of logging what I eat again:

B: WW light English muffin, 1 tbs. NPB, 2 tsp. honey, 1/2 banana, 1% latte w/2 tsp. sugar
L: Italian Wedding Soup
S: Apple
D: Not sure yet!
S: Tea w/splash of milk and 2 tsp. sugar

[Beaching It]

Welcome back A-Rod! Your work life sounds crazy but amazing! I know how hard it is to try to eat properly when travelling for work. So much easier at home with your tools, exercise, food, etc. I'm not much of a chef, but am interested in trying new SB friendly food. Love the Black Bean Brownies, and yesterday tried the P1 ricotta belgian waffle for the first time. Yum! Lots of good options that are SB allowed for sure. Good luck.

Lisa

[A-Rod]

Happy Sunday!

Food today:
B: 2 eggs, WW light English muffin w/Smart Balance, 1% latte w/2 tsp. sugar
L: Cup of chili w/cheddar and LF sour cream; flax tortilla chips
S: 5 crackers
D: Baked sweet potato
S: Tea

[WGirl]

Hi A-Rod.

I was here and posting during the same period you were. & like you I've wandered away from the beach and gained a size. After a couple of abortive re-starts, I've been back on board for a week, starting with a pretty strict P2.

Good Luck!

Susan

[JeffInJax]

Hello and welcome back! sounds like life has been busy but interesting and there isnt anything wrong with that. Glad to see you here on the forums, dont be a stranger and im sure ill sotp by the journal from time to time! Stay Strong

[Chris55]

Hi, A-Rod! Welcome back! Your life sounds hectic, but immensely rewarding. You've packed a lot into your 28 years!

I do SB without artificial sweeteners. Don't like them, don't trust them at all. So I make the most of the natural sweetness of fruit, use little drizzles of maple syrup or agave (like the taste and it supposedly doesn't screw up your blood sugar), and sometimes some brown sugar. I like using sweeteners with a strong flavor so I can use just a tiny bit. Luckily years ago I weaned myself off putting sugar in my coffee and tea.

I look forward to seeing some of your recipes. Chefk's blog here in the journals has been loads of fun, but she seems to be MIA right now. The great thing about SB is that you CAN eat wonderfully tasting healthy food.

[vickil]

HEY A-ROD!!! How cool, it's awesome to hear from you!!! I resurrected my old journal instead of starting a new one. Not so sure that was a good idea! My yo-yo pattern is soooo evident. Good luck, we did it before and we can do it again!!!

[A-Rod]

Hey y'all - bit of a break as I've been moving cross-country and getting settled. Lost a few lbs. in the process with being too busy to eat, having to wait a long time for all my kitchen stuff to show up, and running around to stores and painting the apartment. Nice bonus.

I still have NOT been motivated to work out at all. I don't know why I can't get my exercise motivation back ... but by the time I get home from work it's the last thing I want to do. The gym in my apartment isn't bad but also not totally great, and the gym in my work building is pretty expensive. Bad excuses all but not helpful to wanting to go to the gym every day. I just need to find a system and stick to it.

Food today:
B: Yogurt, berries, sprinkle of granola; skim latte
S: Coffee
L: Chicken/apricot/chickpea tagine with mushroom brown rice
S: Small cocoa, tea
D: Tortilla soup
S: Yogurt and berries, tea

[A-Rod]

Happy Tuesday ...

Food today:
S: 1% latte
B: Coffee, dried apricots & walnuts, oatmeal-raisin cookie (didn't get breakfast before I left!)
L: Chicken tortilla soup w/avocado
S: Carrots & white bean dip
D: Pork tenderloin, roasted potatoes, kale

[A-Rod]

Food today:

B: Latte, 1 pc toast
S: Coffee, banana
L: PB&J, carrots/cucumbers with white bean dip
S: Coffee
D: The roast pork dinner I was going to make last night

[wileybosco]

Meals sound yummy and healthy A! As far as exercise goes you need something fun and challenging. What about sailing, crew or something w/ boats. I remember you on the dragon boats with a smile on your face!

[A-Rod]

It's true, I am better when I'm on a system/routine ... which is why I bit the bullet and joined the gym in the building where I work. It's a nice facility, they have cycle classes twice a week, and I'm much more likely to work out when it's integrated into my commute/work routine.

Plan today:
S: Latte
B: 2 pcs LF WW banana-nut bread (very good recipe albeit a little sugary, though I cut back by 25%), dried apricots, coffee
L: Small turkey sandwich on WW with sprouts, cucumbers and avocado, carrots, apple
S: 2 tangerines, cocoa
E: 30 min elliptical + 15 min run or weights
D: Asian chicken salad (lettuce/cabbage, carrots, bell peppers, chicken, almonds, sesame-soy-ginger dressing)
S: Popcorn or yogurt/berries

[A-Rod]

Happy V-Day everyone. Nothing exciting going on here.

Plan today:
B: Latte, WW toast
S: Yogurt w/berries and granola sprinkle; tiny tiny mini cupcake; coffee
L: Chickpea, parsley, feta, olive, pine nut and cucumber salad (really wishing I'd used cranberries instead of the olives!)
S: LF WW banana-nut bread; coffee
E: Spin class (only 40 mins at my new gym and that's not long enough for my liking)
D: Thai green curry with prawns and bamboo shoots; jasmine rice; beer