I am alive!

Hello, hello!

I am so sorry for being MIA for so long... I could make up something but basically it was just laziness and being so damn busy! I tried on the bridesmaid dress and... IT FIT!! I kind of wish it didn't so I would have to keep working my butt off. However, I have been snapping pictures of my cuisine so I do have a lot of catching up to do!

My friend (Britta), my sister (Meagan) and I have a little competition going on right now until June 30 for weight loss. Because we are all different weights, we are doing a % body weight lost calculation. I have lost... 4.8 lbs in 4 1/2 weeks (not so good!) but I am not gaining and I am really on track. It's so sad really if I think about it that I started this blog to lose weight at the end of January and I was at... 160 lbs? And so far (5 months later) I've lost what... 8 lbs?! Sad, pathetic, bad! I really want to get down to 145 by June 30 and 140 by September 19 (my 3 week trip to Egypt!) and then be not so much of a professional dieter but a professional maintainer!

Thanks to the much needed support of my hunny, Bevan, I am super into my calorie counting and portion control. I bought a food scale the other day and no wonder I have not been losing weight... my portion control is out of hand! I am wearing my Bodybugg everyday - all day - and really watching what goes in to my body and how many calorie's I burn. A pound of fat equals 3500 calories so I have been striving for a 1000 calorie daily deficit (which equals -7000 calorie a week, which equals -2lbs/week) but sometimes end up at about 800. I lost a quick 3 lbs in the last 78 hours by just watching my calories closely, I understand that this isn't really fat lost but it's exciting to see and an indication that I am doing something right!

Some people think it's extreme and time consuming to watch your calories or weight your food (when I excitedly told my mother that I lost some weight and was really watching my caloric intake she actually asked me if I was happy! As if being healthy and happy about my body would make me miserable?). I just consider it mindful and healthy to understand what is entering your body. I obviously don't know what is going on if I can only lose 6 pounds in 5 months so it's time for a wake up and I am getting it!

Current weight: 152.8

In other news, I have planted my first garden!! I planted spinach, kale, Swiss chard, lettuce (a variety), kohlrabi, rutabaga, broccoli, cauliflower, winter squash, cucumber, peppers (hot and sweet!), herbs, onions (mmm), beets, tomatoes (LOTS including yellow Lemon Boys - yum!) and carrots (purple ones!) It is all very exciting and I ate my first garden fresh salad that I GREW the other day! All of these delicious, organically grown (by yours truly!) veggies should make for some fun, creative dishes in the months to come - stay tuned!

My current work out regime? Along with the new calorie watch has come a new workout routine. I don't have much to lose so I am going to do it very right for a couple months and then work on the maintaining. I created 3 different workouts (which include wii active, abs exercises, punching bag drills, free boxing and kettle bells) which will be rotated 6 days a week (each workout twice a week). Bevan and our roommate Matt have also made 3 different workouts that they will be doing too. I am excited for all the support from my household!

A new activity that Bevan and I have discovered is geocaching! It is basically an adult, high tech game of hide and seek with a GPS. I love it! It gets us moving and outdoors. It's free and fun!! My days have also been busy with weeding, planting and landscaping. So I have been keeping busy and active!

Summer is starting and there are only 15 more days of teaching for me! I cannot wait! And I promise, more deliciously clean recipes to come!