Go Tim....

Your doing good.

How are you monitoring your food intake?

Tom -

I’m trying to use the Twelve Hour Diet and “limit my food universe” as Scott would say.

Breakfasts and lunches are pretty easy because I have limited my choices to a few things that are very convenient (oatmeal, Lean Cuisine entrees, Clif bars for snacks), and all of which have the nutritional information printed on the packaging.  So, I know that I’m eating 300 to 400 calories for these meals.

Dinners are harder.  I avoid the really bad stuff and try to use portion control to keep the overall meal size down, but I don’t have a good feel for the actual calorie count, and I don’t think I am getting enough veggies.

Any advice for dinners that are convenient and easy to measure for their calories?

- Tim

Hey Tim....

sounds like your going in the right direction....

in regards to dinners....and calorie counts.....

I have a few dinner ideas - but most of all keep it simple.

I eat cous-cous a quick and easy rice like starch.  I’ll add this to chikcen (baked, without skin or bbq) add some brocolli, or green beans, or zuccini or peas, some spices and your all set.

You can mix it up each night adding a salad as the veggie, using shrimp or salmon or Tilapia, as your protien.  They are easy to fix (dozens of ways).

If you make extra, you can have lettece tacos (just like regular tacos, just use romane lettece as the torilla! - yummy)

If you have to have red meat, keep the overall ounces low.....it’s packed with protein, but also high in fats (not all that are healthy for you). Pick a lean cut.

Pasta is good too (mix in some shrimp and you have a meal!) just watch your portion sizes (i only eat two ounces of angel hair - wheat).  Any good maranara sauce added to it (or some extra virgin olive oil).

deserts for me vary, but fruit (i LOVE frozen bananas- very sweet), mixed with non fat yogurt and some dry roasted almond slices (high in Vitamin E)

I always make some extra stuff for my lunch the next day too.

I’ve gotten into the habit of writing EVERYTHING that goes into my body into http://www.fitday.com.  It’s easy to use and I am aware of what i eat everyday (good OR bad).  This exercise alone, keeps me honest, and usually on top of my total calorie intake daily goals.  Start checking out the labels of EVERYTHING you eat...after a while, you can judge what works for you or not.

I mix it up, usally never repeating the same meal (execpt for lunch the next day sometimes)in a week .  Always trying new low fat, calorie things
Hope this helps!

Day 7:

Repeat of Abs from Day 2, 45 minutes on the treadmill.

Song of the Day:  “Parabola” by Tool.

- Tim

I’m going to have to look up some of those songs....NOTHING sounds good while i do ABS

Tim, you’re doing great! Moving more than not, and that’s what matters! How do you feel after a week on the challenge?

For my supper, I like to have a protein (tonight was New York strip steak) and a veggie (sugar snap peas sauteed in some extra virgin olive oil with some garlic and almond slivers), Hubby cooked, so it was super easy for me!  Normally I steam some veggies to go with the meat. And I eat a lot of veggies with my supper, yummy!

Bree

Day 8:

W/T - First time doing the Shoulder exercises from “Seven Pounds...”

Cardio - 25 minutes on the treadmill.

Song of the Day: “Down” by 311.

Bree -

After one week, I would say that the supersets are really making me “feel the burn.” Also, in my previous efforts at weight-training I had not focused on one specific muscle group per workout.  The Chest/Back and Leg days last week didn’t knock me out, but then I did supersets earlier this week for Arms and again this morning for Shoulders and geez I am feelin’ it!

- Tim

Day 9:

W/T - Leg day.

Cardio - Treadmill, 35 minutes.

Song of the Day: “The Greatest View” by Silverchair.

- Tim

You are doing great! I look forward to hearing the results of all your efforts. I’m happy to hear that your feeling it, but not too much to make it not worth doing.

Bree

Day 10:

I’m going to miss my gym workout today because I have an all-day off-site conference to attend.

“The plan” is to count this as a Rest Day and go running in the mornings both Saturday and Sunday - looks like the weather will be cooperative, so let’s count on it!

- Tim

Enjoy your rest day, Tim. I hope you get your run in tomorrow.

Have fun running!

Day 11:

40 minutes of trail running.

Song of the Day: “You Think I Ain’t Worth A Dollar, But I Feel Like A Millionaire” by Queens Of The Stone Age.

- Tim

Sounds like a great Saturday activity

How is your diet going?

Keeping me honest, Tom?

The diet has been fine.  A pound or two lost so far.

I’ll mention that at the conference yesterday I turned down the cheesecake dessert!

- Tim

Most of all, we have to be honest to ourselves, but a little bit of accountability never hurts..

Good job on the cheesecake.

I’ll tell you something that helped me....its the 3 bite rule

I dont want to deprive myself of things, but dont want to overindulge either…

So if there is cheesecake, i simply use the three bite rule.  one bite, enjoy it and wait, second bite, try to taste every ingredient, and enjoy....by the third bite, after I’ve waited, my taste buds are satisfied, and I put the rest away.... it seems to work for me!

Day 12:

35 minutes of trail running.

Great weather for being outside today!

- Tim

Day 13:

W/T - Chest/Back Day.

Cardio - 25 minutes on the treadmill.

Song of the Day:  “St. Jimmy” by Green Day.

- Tim

Great workouts....

(and songs too!)

Looks like your motivated@!

Day 14:

W/T:  Abs Day.

Cardio:  45 minutes on the treadmill.

Song of the Day:  “Finest Worksong” by R.E.M.

- Tim