It has begun…

At the end of last week I sat down and really thought about the kind of healthy diet I wanted to follow. I thought about what I had done in the past, what had worked, and what hadn’t. Decided to go with a simple balance, so far as 35% protein, 25% fat and 40% carbs. I’m coupling that with a reduced calorie diet, so I did some math and came to the following levels:

• 1400 calories per day MAX, even when exercising
• 35% = 490 calories from protein = approx 123 grams of protein
• 25% = 350 calories from fat = approx 38 grams of fat
• 40% = 560 calories from carbohydrates = 140 grams of carbohydrates
• 24.5 grams of protein per meal (123 grams/5 meals)
• 7.5 grams of fat per meal (38 grams/5 meals)
• 28 grams of carbohydrates per meal (140 grams/5 meals)*
• At least 4 grams of fiber with EVERY meal

With all of that in mind, I went onto SparkRecipes and used their AWESOME advanced search, which allowed me to plug in all those factors and get the calorie balance I was looking for in each meal. We then went to the grocery store and this week is my “pilot” week – I’m taking everything in stride to work out all the kinks.

• #1: I need to find broccoli slaw and make oat bran (oatmeal+blender), for this brownie recipe I found that sounded perfect. Had it on the schedule to eat it today, but couldn’t find the ingredients last night so I had to skip.
• #2: I’ve got to start prepping the night before, like I used to, because this morning was hectic and I don’t look very “polished” as I sacrificed my hair and makeup for making my food for the day.
• I bought this reduced fat mayo for a tuna salad I made – but the fat is still too high. Worried using yogurt as substitute will be too bitter – since it’ll be plain yogurt. Any suggestions? Not a great cook, so not sure which spices would do well with plain yogurt and tuna.

I’ve already messed up some today, by eating too much HEALTHY fats and not enough carbs or protien. So now I’m on the hunt for a low fat meal that can fill in the gaps

I’m going to do this though! I took a walk this morning, I’m going to take a walk this afternoon, and next week I’m adding jogging to my lunches. Slowly but surely!

*Considering tweaking the carb levels to 35 grams per meal, and not eating any carbs with dinner. I feel it would benefit my burn as well as my energy levels to ensure I get to sleep at a decent hour.

Somebody kick me into gear!

As I mentioned in my last post, physically I feel terrible.

• I’ve dropped my oral birth control
• Emotions are across-the-board-crazy
• Bloating
• Eating poorly
• Not exercising
• Not getting enough sleep
• Gaining weight

I’ve been diagnosed with a prolapse, which is causing all bits of discomfort – but which cannot be repaired by means other than kegel exercises until I’m done having kids because it’s not “severe” and having children will reverse any repairs done.

I’m trying to find that “oomph”, that push, that drive, that I had last year – but I’m still looking. I’m hoping with the weather turning it’ll soon get easier. Funny, that. I was sure once the weather got cooler I’d be all over regular exercise – when in fact I find I HATE exercising when it’s cold and gray. Need to get back to eating healthy, and exercising during my lunch. What’s sad is that when I’m exercising, I’m not reading as much I do most of my reading during my lunch time so I have to pick one over the other…

Game plan is to get back on track – diet wise. I need to start eating the right stuff more often. I find I’m hungry ALL the time and yet still tired and without energy after eating. Not good. Need to get back to eating a good serving of protein and fiber at every meal. With a better diet, I know the rest will fall into place.

I found this interesting simulator that will predict, based on a reduced calorie diet and exercise plan, how long it’ll take to lose a specific amount of weight. This is not a “new” idea or anything, but the simulator is tremendously customizable and provides an abundant amount of information. I was able to tweak it according to what I wanted to change – and I did a bit of give and take to make it realistic. It says that at my current weight I can reach my goal in six months by walking on my two work breaks, jogging during my lunch, and eating a little more than 1400 calories a day – seems do-able. However, even though it assumes your body fat percentage and predicts it in the future, due to the fact that it doesn’t have any specific inputs for diet (how much of each caloric type you’re consuming,) you cannot tweak the diet to work on your body fat percentage.

Started & Completed.

Like Erin, I am not dead – just unable to start & complete a blog post.

I’ve been reading a lot, and have finally finished all the books I started at the end of last year, during what I’m now going to call the Great Starting of Too Many Books (GSoTMB). Now, despite the fact that I said I wasn’t going to start the next book in Diana Gabaldon’s Outlander series (An Echo in the Bone) I did. I also started reading A Princess of Mars after seeing John Carter* at the discount theater. Soon, for my book club, I’ll begin reading Mudbound which I hope is good because I’m on a good reading streak.

In the last month my father has had one lung removed and my mother-in-law has had an angioplasty. Needless to say, it’s been a trying time for our family. Luckily, the lung was removed due to a tumor found at the end of last year which was inconclusively cancerous but has since been found to be NOT cancerous. It was the size of a softball and my father is  extremely lucky that it was found before it did any damage (x-ray for another procedure found the mass, he had no symptoms). Also good news for my mother-in-law as her condition will be treated via drug therapy rather than a stint needing to be put in place. Good news from the bad!

Physically – I feel like crap. But that’s for another post…

Evy’s birthday went well! She’s three now!

*John Carter was a good movie. It did horribly in theaters – but I think that has a lot to do with the advertising campaign. Its as though they sunk ALL the money into the movie and none into prompting it. Shame really, because Taylor Kitsch is attractive on an illegal level and I would like to see him in more stuff – but with a flop under his wing, will it ever happen?!

Its been quiet …

Its been quiet in my life lately, but not in a bad way, just in a… life way.

Easter was a nice surprise, as it snuck up on me, and I panicked, but everything worked out well. Had a great morning with my parents and my sister’s family and then a great afternoon at a friend’s BBQ. Though, I did feel a bit out of place. Sometimes I get in these “moods” where I’m really talkative – and in my opinion quick and witty – and yet others don’t seem up to the task of holding a conversation with me. I’d hate to learn I’m not nearly as entertaining as I believe I am – so if you know any different I kindly request you keep it to yourself

I’ve been reading a lot, and also writing letters. My recently completed book club selection, The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society, sparked my want to write letters again. I’ve only acquired two pen pals at this point, but I’m sure I’ll get more. Bought a load of stationary, don’t want it to go to waste! Onionskin is a joy to use, as I can trace pretty drawings and flourishes into my letters, which I was never able to do before. A shame really that it’s so damned expensive. I’ve found exactly two vendors who sell it, one sells smooth the other sells textured, and it would be an investment to purchase from them as they sell it by the ream and not just a few sheets. But oh the beauty of writing on it!

I’m considering moving my blog. It’s not that I don’t like WordPress, I just feel there are some limitations that are frustrating. Such as the restrictions on embedding, and also the way the editor allows you to insert pictures. I’ve opened a blog up on Blogger and I’m trying that out. I used it for my blog about Scotland, but I didn’t like the interface so I didn’t go back – however they’ve updated the interface and it’s a lot sleeker. I just wish my address was not .blogspot.com – seems so 1990′s even though I know that it was created in the early 2000′s.

How do custom domains work? Do I just buy one, and that’s it? Or do I have to do everything through a 3rd party site after that? I tried to use GoDaddy once, but their interface was so damn confusing I gave up after my first FREE year. It was certainly made for people doing much more complex things than a single personal blog.

Haha… I still think of Friends first.

I can probably link nearly everything to a reference in Friends, is that a problem for you?! Well if not, then here you go.

see more Failbook

Book 7, “The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society” – Finished!

Book Count: 7
Title: The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society
Author: Mary Ann Shaffer and Annie Barrows
Genre: Fiction
Pages: 274
Format: Audio
Synopsis: January 1946: writer Juliet Ashton receives a letter from a stranger, a founding member of the Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society. And so begins a remarkable tale of the island of Guernsey during the German occupation, and of a society as extraordinary as its name.
Finished: April 2012
Thoughts: Book club selection, which I thoroughly enjoyed. I’m surprised that I’d never heard of it before, considering its a book comprised entirely of letters between a set of characters and I love letter writing! I’m surprised that the story did not feel disjointed or stilted by the fact that it was only letters, even though some letters didn’t even get a proper response, the authors simply moved onto the next plot point. But perhaps that was the brillinace of it, and what made it such a quick, enjoyable read. It was filtered down to just the best and most necessary bits of the story.

It was also another audiobook (borrowed) and I’m so glad that I was able to get the audiobook as I felt like it really enhanced the story. There’s something about British literature (or, should I say literature with British characters) that is 100% better when read in a British accent.

Book 6, “Arcadia Falls” – Finished!

Book Count: 6
Title: Arcadia Falls
Author: Carol Goodman
Genre: Fiction
Pages: 368
Format: Audio
Synopsis: After the death of her husband which left her nearly destitute, Meg is forced to make hard choices for her and her teenage daughter Sally. With few other options and the appeal of free housing, she takes a job as a teacher at Arcadia Falls, a school for the arts, which has a controversial past. As long-buried secrets emerge, she must face down her own demons and the danger threatening to envelop Sally. As the past clings tight to the present, the shadows, as if in a terrifying fairy tale, grow longer and deadlier.
Finished: March 2012
Thoughts: One thing I think I like the most about Goodman’s novels is that they feed my appetite for the artist’s life How silly does that sound?! Almost every novel I’ve read by her centered around a field of art and she’s talented enough to show something rather than tell. She also has great way of wrapping in some historical factor such as Greek mythology, Italian poetry, or folklore. I always fall in love with her locations and passions, and that’s a gift I recognize.

After reading quite a few of Goodman’s novels, I find that they’re now predictable to a certain point, but that’s not always a bad thing! I enjoyed this book and was drawn in by the story and the characters. As an audiobook, it was easy to listen it and I thoroughly enjoyed the narrator. In a novel FULL of women, I was still able to differentiate between each character and that’s saying a lot.

Books 1-5 – Finished!

Catching up on my 50 in 365 posts, excuse the book review tidal wave!

Book Count: 1
Title: Before I Go To Sleep
Author: S.J. Watson
Genre: Fiction
Pages: 368
Format: Printed
Synopsis: Every day Christine wakes up not knowing where she is. Her memories disappear every time she falls asleep. Her husband, Ben, is a stranger to her, and he’s obligated to explain their life together on a daily basis–all the result of a mysterious accident that made Christine an amnesiac. With the encouragement of her doctor, Christine starts a journal to help jog her memory every day. One morning, she opens it and sees that she’s written three unexpected and terrifying words: “Don’t trust Ben.”
Finished: January 2012
Thoughts:  Loved this book, it was such a breath of fresh air in regards to the fact that my reading had become a bit stale at the end of last year (Note: EIGHT romances in a row). It was quick, riveting, not hard to follow and had a satisfying ending. Most importantly, it got me journaling almost every day

Book Count: 2
Title: Hotel on the Corner of Bitter & Sweet
Author: Jamie Ford
Genre: Fiction
Pages: 301
Format: Printed
Synopsis: A young Chinese-American boy befriends a young Japanese-American in Seattle in the height of World War II and watches as the nation criminalizes an entire nationality.
Finished: February 2012
Thoughts: This was a book club selection and I wasn’t as entertained by it as I would have wished. It was easy to put down, and I wasn’t as invested in the characters as I would have liked. The writing was fluid and easy to read, it just didn’t hold my attention long enough for me to really enjoy it.

Book Count: 3
Title: Firefly Lane
Author: Kristin Hannah
Genre: Fiction
Pages: 528
Format: Audio
Synopsis: In the 1970′s two girls become friends and travel through the next 30 years of their life together, experiencing the ups and downs of friendship, love, and family.
Finished:  February 2012

Thoughts: Another book club selection, this was actually a selection from our first year of the book club – the person who picked it dropped out long before we could get to it. But since some of the girls had already purchased it, we decided to put it to good use. This kind of book was not for me. It seems it was put in place just to make someone cry, and I HATE that. Its why I don’t read Nicholas Sparks or Jodi Picoult – I don’t like books that make me cry because they have death in real life situations. And insult to injury, I borrowed this audiobook from the library and I really didn’t like the narrator. She couldn’t seem to make the two main females sound unique from one another and every man sounded like they were drunk and a life long smoker.

Book Count: 4
Title: Forgotten
Author: Cat Patrick
Genre: Young Adult
Pages: 304
Format: Printed
Synopsis: Each night at precisely 4:33 am, while sixteen-year-old London Lane is asleep, her memory of that day is erased. In the morning, all she can “remember” are events from her future. London is used to relying on reminder notes and a trusted friend to get through the day, but things get complicated when a new boy at school enters the picture. Luke Henry is not someone you’d easily forget, yet try as she might, London can’t find him in her memories of things to come. When London starts experiencing disturbing flashbacks, or flash-forwards, as the case may be, she realizes it’s time to learn about the past she keeps forgetting-before it destroys her future.
Finished: March 2012
Thoughts: I liked this story, particularly with a young adult in mind. The conflict was not repetitive, the dialogue was current, the romance was appropriate (I’m sorry – I don’t think that YA should include sex), and it was a quick read. Highly recommend for the young ‘uns.

Book Count: 5
Title: Boneshaker
Author: Cherie Priest
Genre: Sci-Fi
Pages: 416
Format: Audio
Synopsis: Boneshaker derives its title from the Bone-Shaking Drill Engine, a device designed to give Russian prospectors a leg up in the race for Klondike gold. Unfortunately, there was one hitch: On its trial run, the Boneshaker went haywire and, long story short, turned much of Seattle into a city of the dead. Now, 16 years later, a teenage boy decides to find out what is behind that mysterious wall. Can his mother save him in time? Zombie lit of the first order.
Finished: March 2012
Thoughts: I got this audiobook from Audible for only $5, knowing nothing about the author. It was also my first venture into Steampunk fiction. It was a good listen, enjoyable narration by Kate Reading, and a good change of pace in genre. I’m not sure I would buy another from Priest, since I felt the book was a bit padded and anti-climatic.

No Customer Reviews? No Thank You.

That’s going to be my new motto, in regards to shopping online. I shop a lot online and it’s frustrating to get a product and realize how much it sucks.

Most recently, I purchased two things from the Spanx website. Now, if you don’t know what Spanx are then you either don’t have many issues with your shape (I don’t mean that in a bad way! If you’re happy with your body – ROCK ON!) or you’ve been living under a rock. Spanx is a brand of shapewear that is pretty smart in design in comparison to what women used to have to wear for shapewear.

I already own a Spanx shaper, which works well for the reason I bought it, so I thought to try out some other things on their website. I’ve been looking for a more comfortable shaper with less control to wear under my clothing for everyday, so I choose a high waisted, mid thigh panty and ordered two sizes just in case it was too tight in my suggested size. After looking at what else they had, I also nabbed a wireless bra.

Oh, what a joke. The panties were just as difficult and uncomfortable to get on – even if they did feel “okay” when they were on – and the larger size did nothing. It was strange because I felt like they had less control, but were JUST as tight and unforgiving when pulling them on. How is that possible?! The fact that they were only $2 less than the “super” shaper I bought was also disappointing. I think that if there were customer reviews I would have been warned of that.

The bra was laughable as well. This was intended for small busted (“A” cup!), perky breasts and NOTHING else! But then, why do they need a bra in the first place? It might have been different if it wasn’t all hosiery - so there was a bit of support somewhere - but that wasn’t the case. The straps. The bottom. The cups. Everything stretched. It was basically a non-supportive sports bra, but one that was prone to snag and needed to be hand washed.

I almost feel cheated when products don’t have customer reviews – I mean, what are you trying to hide?

Gotta Keep ‘Em Updated

When I say that title, I hear it to the tune of The Offsprings, “Come Out and Play” from one of my favorite albums, Smash.

Anyhoo – I finally updated my Books widget, to accurately reflect what I’m reading now. I went through a bit of a dry spell and now it’s picked back up again. I don’t know if I’ll reach my goal of 50 books this year, but between the new found love of my library, my Kindle, and Audible on my smartphone I’m sure to hit at least 20, which will be the best yet since starting the challenge in 2008 before Evy was born.

It’ll be exciting once I get to a point in my life where I can read like I used to – before I fell out of love with books and then had a kid. I had only rediscovered it when I intentionally got knocked up… what was I thinking?! Oh yeah, I really wanted to be a mom

Let me know if you guys have read, are reading, or want to read any of the books featured in the widget.

Also, you can follow my progress via Goodreads.