Pinot in the Park

 That is the name o the wine tasting event I am going to tonight.  The scale was finally down 2.5 pounds this morning but still up 4 pounds from last Thursday.  Anyway still fighting the good fight, I went for an 80 minute bike ride this morning.  Ate a Pria bar before and had breakfast at 10:00 of oatmeal, almond milk, 40 cal yogurt and berries.  I am off to a Dr's appt at 12 and then have to pick up the DH and go for a salad then to the bike store and tonight at 5:30 the wine tasting.  It is over at 7:30 and we are going to rush home to see the final Top Chef - we are rooting fro Stephanie, she is from Chicago and her old restaurant is about 6 blocks from my house, the new place is Takashi where I went to eat a couple of weeks ago and had the spring roll and fish.    Earlier in the week they said it would rain today but now it looks sunny and hot.  I need to take the car to get washed too.  

Pinot in the Park

 That is the name o the wine tasting event I am going to tonight.  The scale was finally down 2.5 pounds this morning but still up 4 pounds from last Thursday.  Anyway still fighting the good fight, I went for an 80 minute bike ride this morning.  Ate a Pria bar before and had breakfast at 10:00 of oatmeal, almond milk, 40 cal yogurt and berries.  I am off to a Dr's appt at 12 and then have to pick up the DH and go for a salad then to the bike store and tonight at 5:30 the wine tasting.  It is over at 7:30 and we are going to rush home to see the final Top Chef - we are rooting fro Stephanie, she is from Chicago and her old restaurant is about 6 blocks from my house, the new place is Takashi where I went to eat a couple of weeks ago and had the spring roll and fish.    Earlier in the week they said it would rain today but now it looks sunny and hot.  I need to take the car to get washed too.  

Busy day

 I went for an early morning bike ride 6:30 am.  Took the DH to work and have gotten my shower in and breakfast - Yeah before 10 am.  I am going to fix the hair and head out to the burbs to visit a friend and then tonight going to see Sex in the City with some other friends.  Yesterday was really great exercise and eating but the scale is up 2 more pounds - oy anyway nothing I can do just sticking with it another day hoping it is more TOM that will magically disappear in a couple of days.  I am going to a wine tasting tomorrow night so I sure hope the scale can move the right direction before that.  Gotta run

Fun weekend but a price to pay

 Had a great weekend, Ravinia was great.  I did eat too much cheese and a Dove bar.  Then the birthday party on Saturday was a blast, lots of dancing and drinking.  Of course I did not stop eating on Saturday no it continued on Sunday with 2 muffins and a piece of zuchinni bread.  Then carmel corn on the drive home.  Well damage done 5 pounds gained since Thursday morning.  Some of it is probably TOM which arrived promptly this morning so I am hoping after my excellent eating today and double workouts the scale will go down tomorrow.

I had a 100 cal Vita muffin top, yogurt, and Fiber one bar.  I ate 10 almonds in the car.  Then for lunch a sandwich with 1 piece of bread, low salt turkey, fat free mayo, chutney and a 50 calorie slice of cheese.  I had cucumbers and red peppers with yogurt mixed with salsa

Then for dinner a Lean Cuisine which I added red peppers and squash and salsa.  I also had a salad with Newmans Ginger dressing.  Fruit - blueberries, cherries and a 60 calorie Dulce de Leche pudding.  I went to the gym in the morning and then for a bike ride with the DH - Oh and I got drenched.  It started to rain and then it poured.  I was completely soaked and dirt everywhere.  I peeled my clothes off in the bathroom and took another shower.  It was a 87 minute bike ride and I was pedaling as fast as I could trying to get home in the rain so I am pretty sure I burned some calories.  I am going to a friends house tomorrow so I baked some carrot and zuchinni muffins to take with, not sure if I like them they are a light and healthy recipe from Martha Stewart 168 calories each, I ate about a half of one but they hadn't cooled all the way, we will see how they are tomorrow, the molasses is a little prevalent and they could be sweeter, but they may be different in the morning.  I also got a lot done in my garden this morning after the gym.  Glad I did my planting since then they all got a big watering.  Oh and did you hear about the iPhone new one coming out in July, I may actually break down and buy one mine is so old and the battery barley lasts 3 calls.  It is supposed to rain all day tomorrow so I think I will stick to the gym.  

The weekend is here

 Well got up earlier today and went with the DH for a bike ride at 7:40 - done at 8:45 then took shower, drove him to work, stopped at bakery for bread - nothing else - home to fix hair, oh it was comical there is nothing worse than frizzy curly bangs.  Then to the Chiro my last session, we both think the pain is gone.  Then to a different store to get a cucumber and cilantro then home, ate my breakfast, did dishes and now am making stuff for tonight's picnic at the JT concert (James Taylor not Justin Timberlake)  We are leaving fairly early tomorrow so probably nothing to update until Sunday.

the scale is staying the same even with all the exercise but I think it may be time for TOM so we will see.  It is supposed to be nice and warm here but rain on and off - well at least it isn't cold and rainy.  

A few pics from TX

I will add more later but for now

Here is a pic of me in my new shirt that I have been dying to wear, really like it.

Here is one of the dress I wore to the wedding, you can see why I had such a hard time finding a dress with a top that fits.  That is my Mom in the pic with me

Me with the Bride - she was really beautiful

Busy Busy

I really did get a lot done on the computer at work.  I am having a hard time getting to my blog every day.  Anyway enough whining no one will feel sorry for me.  I went for a 1 hour bike ride this morning and no gym.  Yeah - it was warm and got warmer we actually turned on the ac!  Tomorrow we are going to see James Taylor at Ravinia!!!  It is an outdoor music festival, you bring your food and drink - I am making a pork tenderloin recipe from Cooking Light, roasted asparagus, and light peanut noodles plus a dessert.  Then on Saturday we are going to Galena for a friends B-day bash.  It should be so fun, we are spending the night at a B & B and going to a big dinner and dancing thing!!  Woo hoo, lots of places to wear all my new stuff and I got her a birthday gift today.  Check that off the list. 

Really good eating day Pria bar and 5 almonds before bike ride, mini whole wheat bagel with laughing cow, lots of fruit with 40 cal yogurt for breakfast.  Big salad for lunch and a 80 calorie cottage cheese for protein.  For dinner - are you ready, the DH grilled Elk - 5 oz, really lean and it was delic we bought it at the farmers market, it comes frozen so easy to save for when you are ready!  Also splurged on some cheese and crackers and garlic bread.  Made coleslaw with ff yogurt and a little leftover rice and beans.  Feeling pretty good right now, just need to do the dishes and pick up a few things then maybe watch a movie. 

New routine

Well I think I may be getting into my new routine.  Went to the gym first thing, got in 48 minutes of cardio - I swear I was only going to do 40 but then some story came on the Today show, I really wanted to watch it and now I don't even remember the topic.  I also did ab work.  I think the ab thing may be actually helping.  My waist measurment went down an inch and some pants a bought before my Spain trip - Gap size 16 were really too big today but I wore them anyway.  I also just got back from another 60 minute bike ride with the DH.  So 2 days in a row with a lot of cardio.  My scale was down 3 pounds this morning from last Friday morning so that is great.  Maybe things are finally going to move - down that is. 

After my workout, straight to the shower and then breakfast then I had to go run errands, prescription pick up and shopping, stopped at Whole Foods for a salad at 2:45.  Then as I mentioned, got home and the bike ride, now it is 5:45 I am not hungry but I think I may scour the Hungry Girl Book to find a concoction for tonight, the DH won't be here.  Oh I just remembered I forgot to buy new SF syrup for my tea.  I guess tomorrow.  I also bought the Donna Hay magazine, it is a cooking mag from Australia but really cool recipes.  Not intentionally light but a lot of the stuff is or can be easily converted.  Just one of my favs.  I keep reading about the calorie shockers at all the chain restaurants.  Doesn't surprise me at all, you really have to stay on top of them if you want anything that is remotely within your calorie count for the day.  There was a Macaroni Grille at the airport and the DH said what about there - no way they are known for their massive amounts of calories.  I went to Mc Donald's and got the Southwest Chicken Salad instead, took off most of the chips.  The "server" was surly, when I asked what kind of dressing they had he says - it comes with creamy somehting or other"  I said yes I know but I do not want that kind, what low fat do you have - oh well we have...  It is amazing to me that you have to work so hard and be so diligent just to make sure you get the low calorie choice. 

A Drive By

 Just a quick post - I am back from the wedding in San Antonio - great wedding.  The bride was beautiful and everything was really nice.  I went to the gym in TX on Sat and Mon.  Sunday we went swimming at my cousin's house, which is in the same sub division that Eva Longoria is building a house in, tres tres chic.  It is hard to believe but I have not gotten on the scale, I decided I would wait one day after flying since it always adds pounds so I will report tomorrow.  I did really well eating while I was out of town and Mon and today have been perfect.  I have to work on eating something before I take the DH to work and then the gym.  Today it was 10 before I even had a banana.  Did 50 min of cardio at the gym, a few glute and leg exercises and then a 1 hour bike ride this afternoon.  I will post more later and pics.  Hope everyone had a great weekend, oh and I loved the heat.    

Jewelry and new shoes

Here is a pic of the jewelry I am wearing at the wedding, it was hard to get a very good shot, thought the brown sweater would help but I am not so sure it did.

My new shoes - cut outs in the heels totally take me back to when I was a kid and my Mom had shoes like this, I was too young to wear "heels"

Other new shoes

The halibut from dinner on Saturday, it was really yummy, wrapped in some kind of tofu then in broth with all those yummy veg.  The pic turned out so nice I just had to share