Well here we are into the 1st week of November. You know what that means, right? Yep, the holiday season is upon us. I know Thanksgiving is still 3 weeks away but it seems everyone is already gearing up for shopping, cooking, and lots of parties. Before we know it the New Years’ ball will drop and our resolutions will be front and center. Oh boy! Actually, I am not a big resolution person. I believe any day can be THE DAY to start over. However, this time of year always gets us motivated so I say run with it.
My goal is to enjoy the holidays but also work hard to keep myself under control. If this past Halloween is any indicator on what the holidays will be like for me then I am going to need to dig deep and focus. Just keeping it real. When I get around chocolate it is lights out for me. I see nothing else. Therefore, my goal will be disciplined and intentional eating.
Let’s move on to my weekly weigh in.
SW: 177
GW: 135
LWW: 144
CW: 143
PL: -1
Well it seems I am losing and gaining the same pound every week. Reflecting back over the last couple weeks I can see my challenges are weekends, picking here and there, and the need to step up my exercise game.
I need to keep better control on the weekends. I would not say I go hog wild but the little extras add up and prevent me from meeting my goals. Here are 5 other ways I sometimes sabotaged my weight loss.
As for exercise, I was able to get in 3 days but I need to do more and at a higher intensity. My goal was to get outside the last couple weeks and that does not seem to be working for me. I do love running outside but unless someone is making the effort to get me there I don’t go. Now that it is getting very cold I don’t see myself running outside much at all. I will probably just stick to my treadmill and indoor exercise routine. However, I need to make sure that when I am done with my workout I am a sweaty hog mess. A stroll on the treadmill listening to Frank Sinatra is just not cutting it.
This is what is on my planned exercise agenda for the week looks like. Fingers crossed!
Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday, Friday, and Saturday
Cardio
Run 2-3 times on treadmill (2-3 miles)
Core
100 crunches
2 (30 second) planks
2 (30 second) Russian twists
Arms
16-24 bicep curls with resistant bands
16-24 tricep extensions with 5lb weights
25 modified pushups
Butt/legs
50 squats
50 lounges
My Menu Plan
Breakfast
Blueberry and Cherry Green Smoothie
Make ahead tips
- Smoothies will be made the morning of. You can also make smoothie freezer kits.
- Oatmeal will be made today for the week. I will add the pb & j the morning I warm up and eat.
Midmorning snacks
Raw almonds
Or
Hardboiled egg
Make ahead tips
- Almonds were portioned out a could weeks ago.
- Hardboiled eggs will be made today.
Lunch
Turkey, Sundried Tomato, and Crumbled Blue Mason Jar Salad – new recipe
Make ahead tips
- Mason jar salads were made yesterday. For more “how to” info and recipes check out my mason jar salad tutorial.
Midafternoon Snack
Veggies and hummus
cheese
Make ahead tips
- Veggies were cut up and portioned into snack packs yesterday
- cheese was cut up yesterday.
Dinner
Buffalo Chicken Chili – new recipe
Chicken Sausage and Mushroom Calzones
Spicy Taco Lettuce Wraps
Cajun Chicken Pasta Skillet – still working on this recipe.
Make ahead tips
- pasta fagioli was made last week and frozen.
- chili was made last week and frozen.
- pizza dough will be made today for calzones
- chicken was cut up and frozen for cajun skillet a couple weeks ago.
- Taco meat will be made the night we eat.
Here is my fridge with everything organized for the week.
What’s on your menu this week?
Donna Krueger says
I just love your blog!!!!! So many ideas!! I really enjoy everything you post!! It gives me hope to keep going and be healthy!! So glad I found you, you really make a difference!! Thank You so much!!!
Tammy Kresge says
Thank you so much Donna! I really appreciate you taking the time to write to me. 🙂
Caroline says
Stupid question: Do you eat the smoothie AND the oats or one or the other?
Tammy Kresge says
one or the other.
Jackie says
Hi! I too am stalking your blog for that buffalo chicken chili recipe! Just made your classic turkey chili over the weekend and am enjoying several days of no-cook dinners as we finish it off.
I also have problems with going off the rails on weekends. My strategy is to make sure I have a couple of weekdays where I am 100 to 200 calories below what I’m allowed. I try to make it all balance out for the week (like a checkbook!). I don’t use myfitnesspal (I use livestrong), but I’m sure it’s similar. I have my account set up with my activity level as “sedentary,” and I only count actual exercise (running, walking my dogs, etc.) as an activity. I am set to lose half a pound per week, which I think is 250 calories less than what’s allowed to keep my weight the same. I “buy” a lot of calories with exercise, so I don’t do any weight training. I just don’t have the time, and cardio burns way more than weight training. So, after the 250 calories gets taken off the top for my half pound weight loss per week, I try to also stay 100 calories under my allowance (including my extra calories earned through exercise) at least three days per week. This helps make up for some indulgences over the weekend. I make careful note of the indulgences, too, and record those. I tend to be on the high side on Fridays and Saturdays anyhow because I don’t run on those days. A little obsessive, I know! I am so looking forward to the day when I can move on to maintenance. Getting close now!
Tammy Kresge says
The chicken chili recipe will be up tomorrow! I am working on it now 🙂
Siri says
So what made you come up with that particular list for your exercise? Do you have a strategy of what you want to accomplish each week? If so how did you come to decide on those items? And are you doing them all each day or just once for the week (ie 100 crunches total or 100 crunches a day?)
I stopped working out when I went back to work recently. I need to reincorporate it back into my life. I used to love gym classes, but have no time any more. Looking for inspiration for quick at home workouts. Thanks!
Deb says
For great at home workouts try FitnessBlender.com. The formats are so easy to follow and you can choose from 100’s of long or short routines.
Stephanie Swope says
Hi! I love seeing your fridge and snack pictures and I just think – wow that looks like a lot of work! Does the mental energy going into it get easier the more you do this? I am sure you have it down to a science but – wow. Just feels like a lot to me.
Amber says
Thank you for your motivational and reasonable goal articles!! I am determined to met my goal weight by the end of the year despite the holidays. Gained after nursing my fourth baby and frankly it’s not coming off as easy as it used to! I am using your tips to get it done.
Monica says
I am just now discovering your site and wish I would have found it a long time ago!!! I wanted to share with you something I have found in the exercise department and have fallen in love with. CrossFit! It’s sooo much fun and a great community! The workouts are always changing. Very rarely (if ever) will you repeat a workout therefore you won’t have a chance to plateau. But the most important thing is to make sure to find a coach who is going to be watching your form and not letting you do something to hurt yourself!
Rosa says
I so enjoy reading all your posts and your sharing all this good information with us. It is such an inspiration to read. I can feel the urgency of my getting started on planning weekly meals ahead! 🙂 Thanks, again, and I wish you success in reaching your goal weight. You can do it….hang in there! Pulling for you.!! ~Rosa~
jessica jones says
What is your recipe for the buffalo chicken chili??
I love this blog!!
Kathleen says
Hi Tammy,
I made a White Bean Chicken Chili and a steel cut oats chili recipe last night that I hope to fill in the gaps throughout the week. I truly enjoy your posts and suggestions. Your refrigerator is to die for – so beautifully organized!!! You are also able to communicate in a way that makes me feel as though you were an old friend just chatting about life and such. I would have to agree with MD in that when I alternated an exersize DVD to my treadmill work everyother day, it helped tremendously. I was using different muscles and it gave me a new focus. Thanks for your website – I really enjoy it!
MD says
Thanks for creating this blog. I have been struggling with how to eat well and its given me a lot of great, practical ideas.
I have an exercise suggestion. I used to hit the gym and do the same thing over and over. When I switched it up, I started getting different results. I decreased the amount of cardio I do, but I added intervals. I also do functional movements throughout the day (like squats or kettlebell swings) that I don’t necessarily count as exercise, which is targeted time with a specific goal in mind. It seems to be working really well.