brandyb1027

Breakfast - Half a breakfast burrito Snack - Yogurt Lunch - Two half sandwiches - Half plate of salad with champagne vinaigrette dressing - Home made potato chips - 1/4 cup jelly beans

Breakfast - Two eggs, scrambled with butter - Sausage patty Snack - Melon Lunch - Chicken - Salad with dressing - White cheddar popcorn - Half and Half drink Dinner - Chicken salad with dressing - Hummus - Tuna salad - Garlic bagel chips - Cherry juice mixed with seltzer. Yech. Would be better if the juice had sugar, I think. Shall try again - Chocolate truffle Food: No fast food At least half a plate of veggies for lunch and dinner every day Fitness: Actually do my PT shoulder exercises 3x a week 2x Hiking or workout Saturday Morning Planned for Saturday Life: Clean up something in the apartment daily Read a book for at least an hour every evening Halfway through

Soooo. Hi! Yea, I've been MIA, but I have a REALLY good reason. I was on vacation! I was writing down everything I was eating, but it was stressing me out, so I said fuck it and just enjoyed myself. Here's where we are at for today, at least Breakfast - Half a breakfast burrito - Pineapple Snack - 3 pieces candy - Vending machine bag of smart pop white cheddar popcorn (Need to replenish snack drawer) Lunch - Roasted chicken breast - Super Spinach - Honey Mustard Dressing Dinner - Chicken - Salad - Bowl of fruit - Some white cheddar popcorn, but it seemed too salty - Four cookies <- They made me happy Food: No fast food At least half a plate of veggies for lunch and dinner every day Back on track for this Fitness: Actually do my PT shoulder exercises 3x a week 1x Hiking or workout Saturday Morning Life: Clean up something in the apartment daily Will do some when I get home Read a book for at least an hour every evening Planned for this evening, but I am not feeling well, so we will see how it goes

Soooo. Hi! Yea, I've been MIA, but I have a REALLY good reason. I was on vacation! I was writing down everything I was eating, but it was stressing me out, so I said fuck it and just enjoyed myself. Here's where we are at for today, at least Breakfast - Yogurt and granola I forgot about a class I had, so I couldn't eat my actual breakfast. I need to get in early enough tomorrow - San Pellegrino Lunch - Roasted chicken breast - Super Spinach - Honey Mustard Dressing - Apple - Peanut Butter Snack - Roasted chicken breast - Mayo - Water crackers - Peanut button (to finish off the crackers) - San Pellegrino I almost hit the vending machine for some chips. So happy I didn't Dinner - Chicken - Corn - Hummus - Garlic bagel chips Food: No fast food Even when traveling! At least half a plate of veggies for lunch and dinner every day Sadly, I missed a few meals and missed some veggies over the weekend, but today was good Fitness: Actually do my PT shoulder exercises 3x a week Missed 1 workout Need to do today's Hiking or workout Saturday Morning Walked at least 10 miles over the 4 days I was out of town. Count it!! Life: Clean up something in the apartment daily I wasn't home!! I did some cleaning today, too Read a book for at least an hour every evening Did not do. I read for about 4 hours on Sunday, though. That should cover Friday, Saturday, Sunday, and Monday, RIGHT?? Read a bit today before bed.

Nice! Congrats on the change I am fighting with a craving right freaking now. I "want something sweet", but I am not hungry. At ALL. There is no reason for me to eat anything. My mini woot is that I got up to go to the kitchen to get my yogurt and kept on walking. I didn't get the yogurt or the pineapple or anything. I am NOT hungry! Stupid brain. I leave work in 1.5 hours, so I am committing to fighting this until dinner. Then, if I choose to have a snacky plate, I can eat some pineapple or have a square of dark chocolate afterwards

Breakfast - 2 eggs with butter - 1 sausage patty - Roasted sweet potatoes - 1 cup of cantaloupe - 1.5 sourdough pretzels with peanut butter *After I ate the cantaloupe, I felt hungry, even though I wasn't really. I had a small snack with some fat in it and that helped. Maybe I need to eat the fruit first instead of after... Lunch - Chicken breast - Chicken drumstick - Salad with ranch Dinner - Salad with Thousand Island - 2 Babybel cheeses - Water crackers - Tuna salad - Celery - Carrots - Hummus - Garlic bagel chips - Cajun Trail Mix 4-week challenge Food: No fast food At least half a plate of veggies for lunch and dinner every day Fitness: Actually do my PT shoulder exercises 3x a week 2 done Hiking or workout Saturday Morning Out of town this Saturday, but I will be walking around Asheville, NC, so I am going to count that! Life: Clean up something in the apartment daily To be honest, this was laundry and pre-trip cleaning (any dirty dishes or trash) Read a book for an hour every evening Working on it. Will finish before bed

Thanks! Yes. Yes it does. Bedtime is embarassingly early - lol. I have weird sleep. Sometimes I have trouble falling asleep, sometimes I pass right out. But I HAVE been sleeping like a rock lately. I am giving credit to my new blanket. It's magic The combo I am doing seemed to work great at camp (and I got even less sleep than I do now). I am actually trying to limit the carbs (not get rid of completely). I don't need to have potatoes or rice or pasta at every meal to feel satisfied anymore. I know I wasn't getting enough veggies or protein doing that and I don't want to fall back into that trap again. I think I also need some extra rest. I have only slept in 1 day in over two weeks - three weeks after this weekend. I have tried workout out fasted, but these workouts are too intense for me to do that. I feel nauseous and light headed. A protein shake with almond milk does work for me. It gives me enough calories to make it through the workout. But you are absolutely right, it is what science is for! Nothing like trial and error. I just need to actively do it instead of trying to figure out what happened after I have a great session.

HA! Right? It should be a jaw workout. I used to have protein powder, but I've just been lazy. I do an hour in the morning. Usually it's hardstyle kettlebells, but sometimes they mix it up with some bodyweight like today. I definitely need something. I don't know if I am just tired lately or I need the protein instead of the carbs first thing. Plus, with a shake, it seems to get digested quicker so I can use the fuel quicker, you know? Also - thanks! (I can't believe I forgot that part)

Weigh in day! Down 1.4 pounds - WOO! Workout: - Clif bar - I need to get protein powder.... Breakfast - 2 eggs with butter - 1 sausage patty - Roasted sweet potatoes - Yogurt with granola (still hungry a half hour after I ate) Snack - Mini Snickers Lunch - Chicken Drumstick (I am finding that I don't like these unless I have just ripped it off a rotisserie chicken) - Chicken Breast - Salad with Ranch - Peanut M&M's (6) Snack - Mini Twix - Mini York Peppermint Patty OK - No more candy. That's plenty Dinner - Chicken Drumstick - Chicken Breast - Roasted potatoes Snack - Salad with dressing - Small amount of Cajun Trail Mix 4-week challenge Food: No fast food At least half a plate of veggies for lunch and dinner every day Fitness: Actually do my PT shoulder exercises 3x a week 1 done Hiking or workout Saturday Morning Out of town this Saturday, but I will be walking around Asheville, NC, so I am going to count that! Life: Clean up something in the apartment daily Read a book for an hour every evening

Thanks That's kind of what I was thinking, too. Overall, it's such positive changes that I want to keep going! That I can't wait to do it again! LOL

Well, in my first week, I had one day that I didn't complete everything on the list. I am not sure what that means in the Challenge world - if I fail or keep going. I am currently still going. All my updates are posted in my Battle Log. I've gotta say, I am really liking the clean apartment! Of course, now that everything is picked up, I'm gonna have to start some scrubbing soon. The hardest is the PT exercises. I thought it would be the Fast Food, but I am still riding the afterglow of camp. Veggies are really easy because I can just have a salad!

I didn't get rice at lunch! At a Cuban place! It was sooo tempting, but I went with a side salad.

Yesterday - I chunked up a baking potato and roasted it. I usually make that the center of my meal, but I only ate half of it (what??). That also means I have some for tonight...

Breakfast - 2 eggs with butter - 1 sausage patty - Roasted sweet potatoes *Totally different than yesterday. Completely filled me up Lunch - Grilled chicken with onions - Side salad with Ranch (instead of rice - go me! - Two bites of plantains (yech) - 2 pieces of grilled/buttered bread Dinner - Chicken breast and drumstick - Carrots and Celery - Hummus and Garlic bagel chips - Grapes - Roasted potatoes (still some leftover ) - Cajun snack mix After Dinner - I forgot I had chocolate in the freezer!! I FORGOT I HAD CHOCOLATE IN THE FREEZER! When I remembered, it was 10pm (still reading the book), so I only had one square. - 1 squares of chocolate 4-week challenge Food: No fast food At least half a plate of veggies for lunch and dinner every day Fitness: Actually do my PT shoulder exercises 3x a week 1 done Hiking or workout Saturday Morning Out of town this Saturday, but I will be walking around Asheville, NC, so I am going to count that! Life: Clean up something in the apartment daily Read a book for an hour every evening I plan on finishing the book I have been reading. I don't care how long it takes - lol

Thanks! 😊

Thanks! This is basically my first foray into barbell work, so it was pretty satisfying.

Workout: - Luna Protein bar Breakfast (should be similar most of the week - yay meal prep!) - 2 eggs with butter - 1 chicken sausage patty - Roasted sweet potatoes * didn't fill me up Maybe because today was workout day. Also, I just remembered I have yogurt! I can add some yogurt in with bfast Snack - Cantaloupe - Pretzel with peanut butter Lunch - 2 Chicken Thighs - Stir fried veggies Dinner - Chicken breast - Salad with Ranch - Roasted potatoes I am feeling nibbly, but not really hungry. Might just end up with some cantaloupe while I am reading 4-week challenge Food: No fast food At least half a plate of veggies for lunch and dinner every day Fitness: Actually do my PT shoulder exercises 3x a week Skipped it, but still have time to make 3 Hiking or workout Saturday Morning Not Saturday Life: Clean up something in the apartment daily Read a book for an hour every evening Back on it!!

Breakfast - 2 egg scrambled - Butter for the eggs - 2 Sausage patties Snack - Some popcorn - A few pieces of pineapple Lunch - 1/4 cup mac and cheese - Hummus - Bagel Chips - Zero calorie beverages I didn't really have "dinner" Just meh..... - 1/2 container of Talenti - 1 Cup of trail mix This day SUUUCKED in regards to food, motivation, etc. I did manage to get meal prep done (bonus - made 5 lunches, only need 3) and clean up after myeslf, but other than that, I would call this day a fail. 4-week challenge Food: No fast food At least half a plate of veggies for lunch and dinner every day No veggies today Fitness: Actually do my PT shoulder exercises 3x a week Skipped it, but still have time to make 3 Hiking or workout Saturday Morning Not Saturday Life: Clean up something in the apartment daily Read a book for an hour every evening Skipped it

Breakfast - 1 egg scrambled - Butter for the eggs - 1/2 mason jar of pineapple - 1 Chicken Sausage patty Snack - Half a Clif Bar - Some popcorn - Some trail mix Lunch - 2 Chicken Thighs - Salad with Balsamic Vinaigrette - Herbert's Blackberry Lemonade - Less than half a piece of cake. It wasn't delicious, so I tossed it. I've never done that. I usually still eat it all. Dinner - Yea, I went out. The photo was dinner, but I barely ate half the potatoes. Then, I had 3 cocktails and one Ginger Beer beer. Then, I went home. I am slightly buzzed, but just barely (a first for me - when I am at the pub, I usually go until I am stumbling home). And another big achievement - no smoking!! Booze and tobacco go hand in hand with me. I missed it. I even looked at the pack on the porch when I got home, but luckily it was empty. It wasn't perfect, but it doesn't have to be. It was a nice night and I enjoyed it 4-week challenge Food: No fast food At least half a plate of veggies for lunch and dinner every day Doneish - Dinner wasn't half a plate as you can see, but I ate all of them. Fitness: Actually do my PT shoulder exercises 3x a week DONE! Hiking or workout Saturday Morning TSC Completed! Life: Clean up something in the apartment daily Read a book for an hour every evening DONE!

That sucks about the timing. In the after-camp questionnaire, there were some questions about location and timing. Who knows, maybe it will change next year! I can kind of understand it as a first step against spammers. Just need a way to weed out the extra anxious people - lol I am defintely still struggling with the eating. It's a whole new way of thinking for me. I have been counting calories in some form for so long it is weird not weighing anything. Right now, it is just trying to get rid of any guilt associated with food. Like, it's ok to buy bagged lettuce and pre-cut veggies and fruit if it gets me eating them. It's ok to eat some fat every meal. Skin is gooood! I still find myself trying to reward with food. I think that will be a big one to over come. I deadlifted like a beast today, so I was going to go out for a celebratory meal, but instead, I went to the store, bought some hummus, trail mix, a piece of cake and went home to make the food I had planned. The trail mix was to have something in my stomach while I cooked. The hummus is because it was a good deal and the cake was for deadlifting. Not great, but still better than a whole cheat meal. Who knows, it might be too sweet for me anyways. I think it's going to be a struggle for a while. I just have to be prepared for it. It won't be a perfect journey, but it will happen. I just need to remember that to reward my body, it likes good for you food The only advice I have is some questions to ask that I got from camp - Before eating a treat or snack or something that isn't the healthiest, ask yourself: 1. Do I really want it? Am I really hungry? Am I using this because I am feeling something else? 2. Will it taste as good as I think it will? 3. Will I feel better after I eat it? No guilt, no bad feelings. If so, go for it. It has really helped me with snacking - When eating, if you think you need more, ask yourself - Am I really still hungry? Am I just thirsty? Can I have sex in 15 minutes if I eat more? Makes you rethink eating more because it's there. It has helped me from over eating. - When I think I want more, I also might stand up or walk a little before a snack or second serving. It does take time to actually get that full feeling - One last thing from camp: Before eating, take 5 deep breaths. Focus on the delicious food in front of you. Enjoy it, take your time eating. Hope that helps

PR bitches!! So excited. Competed in my First StrongFirst Tactical Strngth Challenge. EVERY ONE OF MY DEADLIFTS WERE PRS! First, 150 - 5 more than I had ever lifted. Jumped to 160 - still kind of easy, but getting there. Jumped to 175 - because someone suggested it. I pulled it, but my grip was the problem. It started to fail, but I held on with my hook fingers. SO WOOOOOOT!!

Breakfast - 2 eggs scrambled with bacon chicken sausage (yea, you read that right. Chicken sausage with Bacon included) - Butter for the eggs - 1/2 mason jar of cantaloupe Lunch - 1.5 sausage - 3 sourdough pretzels - small but of tuna salad - grapes Dinner - The rest of my lunch!! - Cheese, cheese with salami, celery, carrots, hummus, mini triscuits, bagel chips, half a sausage - Almost a full can of Arizona Lite Arnold Palmer. It didn't taste right to me, so instead of forcing myself to drink it, I dumped it Snack - Popcorn! - Half a Clif Bar 4-week challenge Food: No fast food At least half a plate of veggies for lunch and dinner every day Did not do so good at this today Fitness: Actually do my PT shoulder exercises 3x a week Non-PT day Hiking or workout Saturday Morning It's not Saturday yet!! Life: Clean up something in the apartment daily Read a book for at least an hour every evening Done

Yesterday - Dinner failed as in the chicken I made tasted bad (not sure how to save the rest of it). I had some hummus and ice cream instead. (NOT THE WOOT). What I wanted to do was eat ALL the things! I didn't. I drank some water. I brushed my teeth, but I didn't eat everything in the kitchen. In the past it would've been easy to do. Today - Oktoberfest celebration. I had 1.5 sausages, pretzels, and a little bit of the lunch I packed. I had to actually make a conscious effort to not eat all the sausage, lunch, and pretzels. I am full and satisfied with just 1.5 sausage, about 3 sourdough pretzels, and some tuna salad. If I get hungry again during the afternoon, I have most of my lunch and some pretzels. Plus, I was able to participate in a company team building. I feel very good right now. Last year, I way over ate, so this is definitely an improvement. WOOT!!

Hi!

Thursday 9/29/2016 Breakfast - 2 eggs scrambled with bacon chicken sausage (yea, you read that right. Chicken sausage with Bacon included) - Butter for the eggs - 1/2 mason jar of pineapple Lunch - Chicken Drumstick and breast - Salad with Ranch Snacks - Yogurt and granola Dinner - Damn Fine Chicken (from nom nom paleo) I had one small drumstick because I didn't like it. It didn't seemed cooked all the way through. It was sooo tough. This was supposed to be lunch tomorrow, too. Not sure what I am going to do now - Stir Fried cauliflower, broccoli, and snap peas - Hummus and garlic bagel chips - Small serving of ice cream 4-week challenge Food: No fast food At least half a plate of veggies for lunch and dinner every day Fitness: Actually do my PT shoulder exercises 3x a week 2x this week! Hiking or workout Saturday Morning It's not Saturday yet!! Life: Clean up something in the apartment daily Read a book for at least an hour every evening Doing now