Day 98 Limit Pushing and Pasta Cooking

Day 98

Limit Pushing and Pasta Cooking

I'm feeling really excited about Day 100. It'll be weigh day too! I never looked forward to weigh day like I do now. I'm counting on more forward progress! I always feel like I could have done more, ya know? But as much as I hate excuses, this is going to sound like one...I have to remember my size and my limitations. I'm still over 400 pounds. Not for long, but at least for the next 3 or 4 weeks I am. And I have to be careful, because I certainly don't want to hurt myself. I do look forward to some serious, crazy, boot camp style workouts in my near future. I want to be pushed to my limits, I just don't want to discover them by way of an injury or worse. Knowing where my limit exist, suggest going past it once to find out, and I'd rather not. But pushing my limits slightly, sure, we'll do that. I guess I'm always a little nervous about putting too much stress on my body too soon. I really need to do one of those medically supervised stress test. I need to see how fit I really am inside. The weight I've burdened my body with for so long can't be good. I'm very blessed not to have any cholesterol issues, at least at last check, but pumping blood throughout a 500 plus pound body for years had to have been a lot of work. I'll consult with my doctor on that topic.

I discovered a new favorite snacking option today! The Tostitos Bite Size chips are only 140 calories for 24 chips. That's quite a bit of those little things. I enjoyed salsa with mine for a really low calorie snacking indulgence. Chips and dip for under 200 calories? Yes, yes I can! I fixed a wonderful meal tonight that checked in at 750 calories total. Sean's Grilled Chicken and Pasta Marinara. It was a little on the heavy side, but as long as we had the calories coming, why not? It was very easy to do by the way. I fixed a bed of spaghetti with chunky mushroom Ragu and placed a perfectly baked/grilled skinless chicken breast on top. It was delicious! And a nice change of pace for us around here. I've always been a little cautious with pasta while counting calories. I guess it's because we always fixed it so incredibly loaded, that I couldn't imagine having it in an acceptable fashion. I mean really, we would never have spaghetti unless we added a pound or two of the fattiest, cheapest ground beef we could buy into the sauce. I went ahead and served tonights meal with a full chicken breast each, but I could easily trim this dish down to 500 or 600 calories by slicing the breast in strips and making one large breast serve two or three, and of course cutting the serving size of the pasta and sauce. It would still be a really satisfying meal.

I'm getting ready for a very busy first part of the week. Aren't we all? We never do Christmas shopping early, it's always a last minute rush! We've shopped right up until closing time on the 24th in years past. It's kind of fun doing that. I guess I like the “fly by the seat of my pants” kind of excitement. I often give my best performances in this mode. At the same time I don't recommend it! Strictly for trained professionals, this whole flying by the seat of your pants thing. I also know that I'm going to have to up my internal security force as many different calorie temptations will find themselves in front of me this week. Irene was given a gift of Velveeta, Rotel, and a big slow cooker to melt it real good! Her secret Santa at work couldn't have known what a high calorie temptation that is for me. You know about the relationship I have with cheese. We're crazy about each other. And if the cheese is melted and creamy, well, that's almost too much seduction to handle. But I'll be strong. I must be strong. I'll be strong, no problem.

I plan on working out early tomorrow because we have company coming around 5:30pm. And weigh day will be a little earlier on Tuesday because I have a broadcast that evening from 4 to 8pm at Wal-Mart. So here we go, the final stretch of the holiday season. Oh wait, New Years...I almost forgot. Oh boy, that'll be fun. Maybe we'll save the cheese dip for that party. I talked with Irene and yes, we're ready to quit smoking on January 2nd. I'm sure we'll be chewing a bunch of Trident! We can do it! Irene did it once, cold turkey for two years without one ounce of support from me. I kept right on smoking. I feel horrible about that, especially when she started again, but I'm here for her 100% this time. We'll do it together. But I certainly couldn't blame her if she blew smoke in my face everyday while I tried. I would totally deserve it! She wouldn't do that of course, but if she did, who could blame her? It'll be fun doing it together and maintaining our weight loss momentum at the same time. It really sounds kind of adventurous huh? I like adventurous. Good night and...

Good Choices,
Sean