Box Lunch Review
Lean Cuisine Cafe Classics: Sweet and Sour Chicken. By the standards of boxed lunches, it is excellent. Comes with white rice and sweet and sour sauce, and tastes like it should be a lot more than 6 points!

I had that one yesterday. Today I had the Salmon with Basil Sauce again, which I also like. I think it was Monday I had the Chicken with Peanut Sauce, also a good one! I am trying to save money and calories this week, which is why I am bringing these to work. I have also figured out that I need to supplement them with snacks, so today I have also had Grape Nuts with raisins and milk, celery and peanut butter, a venti soy misto, a cup of Yoplait Peach Cobbler yogurt, and half a can of Coke. I have a granola bar and low fat graham crackers for later.

I would prefer more fruits and veggies, fewer carbs, but I don't have any grocery store money until tomorrow, and I just ate up the last of my veggies and fruits. Still, pretty good week overall!

I will tackle the headphones argument in the comments below.
- posted by mo @ 2:23 PM

 
Totally Not My Fault
I finally went out for a bike ride on Saturday, even though it was a little rainy out. I was determined to do a 10-mile ride, and then maybe a shorter ride the next day. I was primed, and pumped, and rarin' to go, and all those things. The weather was gloomy but lovely, and I had my iPod, and life was good.

Until.

I got approximately and exactly 2.5 miles out, and my tire blew. Which pissed me off because A) the tires and tubes are practically brand new, and B) I had just gotten the damn bike back from the damn shop! Damnit!

I decided to take a "shortcut" back to my car. While I was wandering around, possibly lost, a black cat actually crossed my path. Then it started to rain. Brilliant! I found the road again eventually, and got back to my car exactly 2.5 miles later. So the shortcut was more of an equidistant loop, but at least I didn't end up getting too lost.

I guess next weekend, my bike is going back to the shop, and I'll see if they can replace the tubes or what have you. Also, I am going to buy a tire repair kit and get them to show me how it works. It's really embarassing that I don't know how to fix a flat. But the last time I was in the shop, I was too broke to buy the tire repair kit.

In the meantime, I am tutoring tomorrow night, Wednesday night and Friday night. I would promise to go to the gym, but I don't see when that's going to happen. Lunch break, maybe? I'm really sad, because I was looking forward to the feeling of having really pushed myself this weekend.

On the other hand, eating has been going a lot better. I stocked up on groceries and have been snacking on things like peanut butter and celery. Virtue!
- posted by mo @ 12:22 PM

 
Today Is The Greatest
I have to report a few failures. Firstly, the failure of not having gone out to bike ride this week. I had the absolute best of intentions, but both days that I was planning to go, I ended up having to work late. I could have (should have) gone to the gym instead, but I didn't. On the positive side, I thought it was going to rain this weekend, but it turns out it's just a chance of occasional showers. So I think I should be able to go on my longer ride this weekend, as planned.

Secondly, the failure of not having made the best food choices. I did make some good ones: snacked on rice cakes and fruit, ate Lean Cuisines for lunch, ate fruit instead of pastries at the breakfast meeting. And I also made some bad ones, involving soda pop and bagels and homemade sorbet. (The problem with making homemade sorbet is that you then have to eat it. You can't exactly bring it to work and then share it, as it will be melty.)

One thing that struck me today though, in a way that it hasn't before, is that it is never too late to make a new beginning. It's not like you can gain so much weight, or re-gain so much weight, that it's too late to start losing it. It's harder the second time, maybe. Annoying to feel like you've slipped and only now regained your footing. But it's not ever too late, and that fact is powerful.

On one hand, this lets you say things like "I'll start on... Monday" and then happily eat an entire pint of new Haagen-Dazs light ice cream in S'mores flavor, which is delicious but if you eat it by the pint, not so "light." But it also lets you wake up in the morning and decide TODAY is the DAY. And it always can be true. Today could always be the day that you turn everything around.
- posted by mo @ 12:18 PM

 
Hey That's My Bike
So hey, I got my bike back this weekend! And on Sunday, I went for the first ride of the season, 3.9 miles. The weather was beautiful, the view of the San Francisco Bay was beautiful, and my butt hurts. In a beautiful way.

I do have to work my way up to much longer rides before too long, but I know that it's important to start with manageable goals. My goal is to get out there at least one more time during the week for a short ride, and then do a longer ride on the weekend. I'm not going to set mileage goals for now, just getting back in the habit of getting back on the bike and getting out there.
- posted by mo @ 4:14 PM

 
Springtime
Not too long ago, I had some really relevant and deep things to post here. Now I've forgotten what they were! I think things are still settling down in the post-vacation maelstrom of activity. You wouldn't think two students for the May SAT would screw up my life so much, but they have. One in particular, who I need to meet with six times in the next three weeks. Yow.

In moments where I am being honest with myself, I realize that in order to lose weight, I need to go back to Weight Watchers meetings. But I'm back at the point where I am scared to step on the scale, and making excuses (like being out of money) not to go. I feel like that's always been the best way to address my issues, to make myself accountable. I am no good at e-dieting. I am not ready to go it alone.

I also feel like all the chips are in place. I am picking up my bike this weekend, and the weather is beautiful and I am ready to start riding again. I feel satisfied with my life. Good job, happy relationship, so on and so forth. I am not totally out of control. I am also not totally in control, and I want to be moving towards something. Like health, and endurance, and a really hot pair of jeans.
- posted by mo @ 2:50 PM

 
Blame It On The Waffles
In case you're disappointed by the lack of Live Sex Show references, let me assure you that while in Amsterdam, I saw a woman smoke a cigar with her "area." And really... what can you add to that?

I had to go to the doctor yesterday because I had a bad fall and hurt my hand. It's not broken or anything, just badly bruised. But while I was there, they made me get on the scale and find out I'd gained 10 pounds over the course of my vacation. Why can you gain 10 pounds so easily, in two weeks, but then it takes months to lose them again? So cru-el.

As I promised, I am going to be getting serious about weight loss and athletic training, as of now. I haven't yet formalized a plan, except to get back to the gym at least a couple of times every week, and write down everything I eat, then take it from there. I did do a lot (lot lot) of walking on vacation, so it's not like my muscles have atrophied. That's a start.

I really do feel like I'm starting all over again, from square one. I think I need to feel that, because if I keep coasting, I am just going to re-gain the other 40 pounds and then... well, that would suck.

Oh also, I'm thinking of going vegetarian. I spent a lot of time in Europe thinking about the types of meat that they serve there. (We went to a restaurant that served horse, and to another place that served something totally emotionally disturbing, which nobody ordered.) The more I thought about it, the more uncomfortable I felt. I haven't made any decision yet.

Hope everyone is well!
- posted by mo @ 3:03 PM