Maintain don’t Gain Challenge

So a few weeks ago at work I saw this poster...

I grabbed a flyer on my way out the door.  What is it?  Well, let me tell you.  For $10, you weigh in during a set date (November 13-22) then you weigh out during another set date (January 1-9).  If you maintain your weigh-in weight, you will get your $10 fee back.  If you gain weight, you lose your fee. If you lose weight during the challenge, you get a portion of the losers money.  

So, I had to break one of the Whole 30 rules.  You know, the one where you don’t step on a scale for the 30 days!  At my last doctor visit, sometime in September (or was it October), the nurse weighed me at 168.  Last week, for the Maintain Don’t Gain challenge weigh-in, I logged 160.4, as my weight!  Not too bad, for a start.  

I want to get through the next 10 days of Whole 30 and see how December goes.  My DH and I are in agreement that we’d like to stick to the clean eating.  I personally would love to get back down to 135 pounds.  That is what I was in college.  Maybe I will fit back into my wedding dress for our 20th wedding anniversary in 2018!  We will see.  

As of right now, I plan to maintain in December and do this Whole 30 thing again on January 1.  Who wants to join me?  (I have a college friend that contacted me after my first Whole 30 post.  She said she was in the same place as me- borrowed books from library but never really read them or started the program.  She started on my day two, I think.  She is doing great but needs our prayers right now.  She is on a trip overseas!)

Please follow me here on my blog and let me know if you’re going to join me for Whole30 in January.  Thanks!

Off n Running,

AnnMarie 

Surgery is set

Hello readers,

Those who are here to read about my running, I am going to update you now!  As you know, I have been sidelined for awhile.  I finally did something about during this year's Cross Country season when I could not chase my kid around the course without pain or consequences!

Long story short, I went to PT, he sent me to Orthopedic Doctor.  He had some blood tests done and an MRI.  MRI showed very little wear in the joint but did pick up a torn meniscus.  The scheduler called me the next day to tell me that we can't schedule anything until the insurance approves the orders.  Last week, Thursday, I got the call it was approved!

I will be getting the tear fixed on December 21, 2017.  From what the Doc said, I would be on crutches for maybe 3 days.  So, I took off work for one week.  I don't know yet if I will be traveling anywhere for the Christmas and New Year holidays.  But, I will be home the week my kids are off of school.  That I like!  It has been too long since I have taken off to hang out with them.  I miss that.  Even though now a days, they tend to sit in their rooms and play games or watch videos on their phones...  I will get to be home with them to watch movies and play board games with them!
I was contacted today by someone in the Orthopedic office about getting in to see my Physical Therapist after the surgery.  She said that Doc usually wants you to go in 1 to 3 days post op.  I sure hope my guy is in the day after my surgery.

My goal with all of this is to be able to run again.  Not sure how far, how soon, but if I can chase my Cross Country runner around her course next fall, I will be so happy!  Shoot if I can run across the field from one side of the track to the other this Spring, without any pain or limping, I will be even happier!  So, the dreams of running again for my sanity are going to come true.  I can't wait!


Off n Dreaming of Running,

AnnMarie

Sunday, again!

Happy fall Sunday blog readers,

Where has the month gone?  We are already over halfway done with our Whole 30.  WOW!  And I am happy to report that I have not knowingly cheated!  I say "knowingly" because in the beginning I was not as good about reading those pesky labels.  My DH is not being as strict as I am about this round.

As you know, I am a Girl Scout leader.  In the fall, in our Council, we sell nuts and candy.  (Cookies are in January!)  I ordered a couple of items from each of the girls to boost their sales and was so excited to get my cans of Whole Cashews.  Then I read the label: Cashews, Salt, Peanut Oil.  Wait, WHAT?!?!?  Why would you put peanut oil on cashews?  Yesterday, I was at Aldi, and DH likes the Lightly Salted Almonds.  I read that label and there is peanut oil on those roasted nuts too?!?!  Who knew?  Well, know I know and sadly the can of cashews will be wrapped up for the bus drivers Christmas gift.  So, I guess that is a small win, as I won't have to decide what to get her.  😉

So, I think I told you all that DH borrowed the Whole30 book from his bus buddy.  I found a book store in my area that is sadly going out of business.  I got the last copy of the book!  Woo Hoo for me!  We gave Bus Buddy the new copy, since we are wearing the copy they borrowed us out.  I am loving everything that I have tried, except the mayo recipe.  I cannot figure out how to get it to emulsify.  I am pretty sure I added the oil too fast and now I have a jar of separated mess in my fridge.  I am going to try again, as I really want to make Deviled eggs for one of my Thanksgiving treats.

Was texting with my sister-in-law last night.  We are spending a few nights with them for Thanksgiving.  She has a son in college, a son who is a Sophomore in High School and an eighth grade daughter.  My brother, owns a farm and these kids help out AND are active in athletics and other school activities.  Add my three and we need to cook up a few feasts a day to feed this crew.  So, we laid out a meal plan.  I did tell her that DH and I are doing the Whole 30, so we will be bringing some of our own ingredients.  She suggested tacos/nacho bar for one night.  I just found this great recipe I want to try for Sweet Potato chips as your nacho chips.  If this works, I will be snacking on chips and salsa again really soon!

I love Pinterest.  For Thanksgiving, we will be going out to a restaurant to celebrate my parents 50th wedding anniversary.  This will be our brunch/lunch time meal.  For dinner, we are all pitching in and bringing food to serve the masses.  I am going to try these stuffed mushrooms, I found them this morning on Pinterest.  I am also going to bring the Chicken Pot Pie soup I Pinned and my family LOVES!  And I will see if anyone is bringing a veggie tray.  I need to try the Ranch dressing from the Whole 30 book, so we can dip our veggies legally, if we want to.

Today is a Girl Scout meeting.  We are going to be finalizing the plans for the Winter Wonderland Brunch that is in less than 2 weeks.  Ack!  I have 8 registered girls, and I know that 2 of them are not going to be at the meeting.  We have a lot to do with so few girls in attendance.  Wish me luck.  And have a great week everyone.  Happy Thanksgiving, if I don't get time to blog again before then!  I have been thinking a lot about the new year coming and what that might look like for me and my family.  My son, needs to get a fire lit under him so he can rank up this spring before tennis and baseball season.  My oldest daughter needs to get started on her Gold Award project so that we can have it approved and work all next summer on it.  My youngest wants to earn her Bronze Award this summer before she bridges up to be a Cadet Scout.  Whew that makes me tired, but also makes me excited to see what the kids dreams are and where life will take them.  I will be having my meniscus repair surgery on December 21, 2017.  So, I hope to get on the road and actually run a bit in the new year.  We will see.

Off n Running,
AnnMarie

The test results are in...

I am not sure how much I have shared live and how much I have plotted to share in my head!  BUT... Some time in September, I think, I FINALLY made an appointment with the Physical Therapist.  Last August, the pain in my leg/hip/knee got so bad I could hardly walk. So, I stopped running.  I thought I will give it a rest and stopped cold turkey.  I was still working my office job and sitting a lot.  I felt like and 80 year old woman getting up from that office chair.  In January, the Mother Runners at Another Mother Runner, offered a "STRIDE INTO THE NEW YEAR" program to kick start 2017.  I joined in the fun.  I got onto the facebook group and started the program.

This is a run/walk program.  I had never done that sort of program before.  I am a go out and hit the pavement hard kinda gal, usually.  Since my fall in 2014, I have learned to slow it down.  I do not have to be the fastest.  Take time and look at the scenery, is my new mind set.  The first couple of days went well, then I started running more and walking less.  My knee didn't like that at all.  I think I made it half way through the plan and stopped.  I was so disappointed.  I was really hoping to do some running this year.  I wanted to defend my age group title at the Run for the Paws in July!

As usual, life, husband stuff, kid stuff, work stuff all took over my plate.  We adopted a dog and taking her for walks has been my main form of exercise this year.  I did join Burn Bootcamp in June for a free month, but there were days when my knee was not happy about that!  Started doing a program with them again in September, and that is when I said ENOUGH ALREADY!  and call E my Physical Therapist.

I made a series of appointments with him.  He gave me some exercises and stretches.  I pulled 2 days of standing at events/work.  And by full days, I mean I worked at Petfest from 8am until 6pm and mostly stood the whole time.  Then next day, I had a 12-8 shift at my job behind the front desk, no sitting there.  Saw E the next day, and was in so much pain!  He did some testing and sent me to see the Orthopedic Doctor.

Last week I had a MRI on the knee, and could not get in to see Doc until yesterday.  E was right, Doc was right, I have a torn meniscus.  Doc said his scheduler will give me a call.  Now we wait.  My DH was not pleased with this diagnosis.  So, now we wait!  I pray that I can get it repaired before the new year.  Then I can recover and start planning my comeback.

Off n Running,
AnnMarie

Day 7 - Morning

Good Morning,
What a week it has been at my house!  I am sorry I let you (my readers) down.  I really planned on sitting down at this computer every night to recap my Whole30 progress and here we are a week into it and I have blogged, what twice?!?!  SO SORRY.

My son, is a Freshman.  He was invited to earn an extra class credit this school year, by being in the Jazz Band.  The Jazz Band meets BEFORE school 3 days a week.  This cuts into my blogging time.  LOL!  My son is also a Boy Scout, and I mentioned he played for the school soccer team.  He intends to go out for the tennis and the baseball team this year, too.  Boy Scouts meet every Monday from 7-8:30.  He was lucky enough to go to the National Jamboree this past summer.  He met boys from all over our great nation.  He still Snapchats with some of these fine young men.  About a month ago, he was on a camping trip and got to see some of the Jambo boys again.  This is the price I pay to have well rounded kids!  LOL!

My oldest daughter, swam for the team at Sectionals on Saturday.  She got best times in both her individual events (200 Freestyle and 100 Backstroke).  She swam the last leg of the 4 X 100 Freestyle Relay, and swam a 0:59!  She is still in shock about that one.  She will be going to the State meet this weekend, as an Alternate for the Relay that qualified.  Then on Sunday, I am going to sit down with her and we are going to start working on her Girl Scout Gold Project!  I will try to blog about that another time.  If we are lucky we can get her schedule her presentation to the Girl Scout Council in December or January.  This will be her off season time, before she starts Track in the Spring!

And let's not leave out my baby girl.  She goes to a local gymnastics gym two times a week.  She LOVES gymnastics!  We were told that as an Xcel gymnast, there will be a National competition this year.  So, my PeeWee has set the bar high and is working hard to get there!  As a family we have never been to Tennessee!  Her Girl Scout troop is planning a Winter Wonderland Brunch.

I worked a bit extra last week on top of running these three superstars all over the place.  And I stuck to the Whole30 plan!  On Saturday, we were tempted to just go out for dinner after a long day at the pool.  I looked up a couple of restaurants on my smartphone and got to their menus.  We would be that annoying couple making so many substitutions, that we decided to just go home and make hamburgers.  I had those in the freezer!  I also had some potatoes, that I sliced up to make homemade fries.  I "whipped' up the "legal" ketchup recipe and we had a nice dinner.

Shoot - I have to go walk the dog, before getting my boy to Jazz band!  Check in with you all soon,

Off n Running,
AnnMarie

Day 2 recap...

Happy Friday everyone,
Tomorrow is the Swimming Sectionals.  Tomorrow is the day we find out if our Swimchick goes to state again this fall or not.  She seems pretty relaxed about the whole thing, and ready for tomorrow.

Today is day 3 of the Whole 30 for me.  Today has been tough!  I had to work, and didn't bring along my lunch leftovers.  Now I am "starving"!

Yesterday, Day 2, I had leftover chicken hash for breakfast, leftover chili for lunch and I made shrimp fried cauliflower rice for dinner.  Everyone LOVED it.

Off N Running,
AnnMarie

Whole 30 day one recap...

I made it through day one!  I had a massage client come in and hand me two Hershey Nuggets, "to recharge before your next massage".  How sweet, but I did not eat them!  Super proud of myself on that one!

I made the chili from the Whole 30 book for our supper one night this week.  I had a very long work day, so I did the crock pot version.  A few things I would do differently next time: 1) When I brown the meat, I will not crumble it so finely.  As leftovers, this is too fine!  2) If I am going to cook this all day in the crock pot, I might not brown the meat all the way, so that it can cook a bit more in the crock.  3) The recipe says to put the seasonings in the pan with the onions.  Again if crock potting this, I think I might just put the seasonings in the crock, because I can't taste any chili flavor!  The family has not really commented on this dish, so I am not sure what they thought of it.

For Day 1 Dinner, I made the Chicken Hash recipe.  This took WAY longer than 15 minutes prep!  I can see now that having a meal prep day is going to be key to stay on this program.  This dish was DELICIOUS!!!!  Everyone in the family loved it.

I had 3 eggs scrambled with some mushrooms and peppers.  For lunch, I had leftover chili.  I think I had more water to drink on Day 1 and that helped me feel fuller.

I will try to get photos and page numbers of the recipes for you next time!

Off n Running,
AnnMarie