"Life is a journey, not a destination."

BREAKFAST

(Not pictured)

Peanut butter and banana sandwich:

1 whole wheat Arnold Thin

1 banana

3/4 cup Dannon Light and Fit vanilla yogurt

1 tbsp Skippy's Natural peanut butter

The past couple of days I have been craving peanut butter like crazy and had to get my fix today. I ate the last banana, which I only had two out of the entire bunch. Luckily I had a chance to stop tonight to get some bananas and apples, which I was also out of. Fruit this time of the year is so disappointing though, not enough variety..I may be resorting to some frozen or canned here soon.

LUNCH

Leftovers:

Slice of meatloaf with tomato sauce

About 3/4 cup canned green beans

About 1/4 cup mashed red potatoes

I know mashed potatoes and meat loaf aren't the most nutritious, but the meal isn't that bad either. I separated my potatoes so I wouldn't feel the urge to eat all of them. At least I ate lots of green beans.

SNACK

(Not pictured) 

With the holidays of course a few people brought some things to work today. Peggy brought spiced cake, but the frosting has coconut on it...I don't like coconut. Tom brought some homemade chocolates and that is something I can't resist! I had 3 select pieces: 1 mini Christmas tree with holiday sprinkles, 1 average size caramel cup, 1 small cup with some fruit filling and walnuts. I really appreciate homemade goodies. =] I thought about baking something else soon to bring in, but we'll see.

DINNER

Lean Cuisine's chicken enchilada suiza meal

I wanted something quick that didn't dirty the kitchen and I've had a few of these in the freezer for awhile, so I figured why not? I personally like this for the rice, I don't know why. The chicken enchilda is nothing like chicken though, it's hard to explain...and I don't care for the sour cream sauce all too much so I leave most of it on the side. 

Tomorrow is Christmas Eve! On Thanksgiving I didn't get to see the entire family (That lives here anyway) so it will be nice to see them all. Oh, I can't forget my main dish tomorrow...pierogi! I love being part Polish. My pap always makes his own kielbasa too so I'll be snagging some of that, and some chocolates or cookies. Yum, yum, yum. Just so everyone knows, I do not like ham unless it's in lunch meat form and even then I don't care for it. Hope everyone has a great Christmas!

Before I forget I neglected to mention a nice gesture given to me tonight. My Dad and I were picking a few things up at Walmart and I needed another tin for hard tack candy, but the selection was a bit scarce. I found a nice snowman tin, but they were all too big so I settled for another one. While looking at gift bags a woman came up to me with a tin and it was a small version of the one I was looking at. Yes, she tracked me down just to give me the last tin of the one I liked. How nice!

"The great question is not whether you have failed, but whether you are content with failure. "

BREAKFAST

1/2 Arnold whole wheat thin

1/2 Tbsp Skippy's Natural creamy peanut butter

Apple slices with cinnamon 

1/2 apple on the side

LUNCH

Burger:

Arnold whole wheat thin

Morning star black bean veggie burger with lettuce, jalapenos, and onion

Salad:

Iceberg lettuce

Onion

Broccoli

Carrot

2 Tbsp. Kraft fat-free caesar italian dressing

I exchanged Christmas presents early with Matt and his family tonight because I'm unsure if our Christmas schedule will work out for us to see each other. I bought Matt Fall Out 3 for Xbox, an HDMI cable for his Xbox and new TV he's getting from his parents, and a gift card for Game Stop. For his parents I bought a nice snowman throw blanket from Thing Remembered that has their last name embroidered on it, his Mom loved it! They unexpectedly got me the book I've been wanting, Glenn Beck's 'Arguing with Idiots'...I already started reading it. So far so good! 

Kind of a rough picture of me at the end of the day, but you get the point. I am excited to read yet another good book from him, I'm a huge fan.

DINNER

(Not pictured, thankfully!)

3 slices of pepperoni and extra cheese pizza from Pizza King

In the event that I was over my boyfriends hosue tonight, they decided to order pizza. I told myself I wouldn't eat any because I could come home and eat dinner, but I did...all three slices of it's greasy pepperoni extra cheesy goodness. I haven't had pizza in awhile and I just may have gotten a bit over zealous. Grease and fat are something I am not accustomed to these days and all I keep hearing is my stomach churning. Yuck.

SNACKS

(Again, thankfully not pictured!)

1 homemade brownie after Lunch

1 homemade brownie as a snack

A few pieces of hard tack candy

Again, I went way over board today. Put sweets in front of me and they WILL vanish. I can't believe I ate so much bad food today. All this talk of holiday food almost has me putting on the "it's the holidays I don't have to watch what I eat" front. I need to kick it back into gear tomorrow, my body feels terrible! Working out was not an option tonight like I had hoped, my tummy is far too upset. =[ I do have some meat loaf and mashed potatoes left over from my Moms dinner tonight so I will be fitting that into my plans tomorrow.

"Patience is the companion of wisdom."

BREAKFAST

1/2 cup Quaker's oatmeal made with water

1 medium banana

Cinnamon to taste

I just bought the bananas yesterday and they really weren't as ripe as I like them today, but I figured I'd try it anyway...well, I really didn't like it at all, but I ate it anyway. I learned my lesson. Bananas are perfect to me when they aren't green, but don't have a lot of brown spots yet.

SNACK

(Not pictured)

10 reduced fat Wheat Thins

I had to work later than expected today, luckily I had some crackers in my purse! I was starving by the time I got home though.

LUNCH

(Not pictured)

Tuna wrap:

1 whole wheat tortilla wrap

2 ounces of tuna with celery, onion, and a few walnuts

No salt seasoning to taste

About 3/4 cup Campbell's broccoli potato soup from a few days ago

I was really in a hurry to eat so I chose the quickest thing I could find for lunch, plus I was really hungry by the time I did eat so I wanted to eat as soon as possible. Originally I wasn't going to eat this combination for lunch, but it did the trick.

AFTER LUNCH DESSERT

1 of my homemade mint chocolate chip brownies! 

I was full, but I couldn't help but eat a brownie before I left to do the last minute touches of my Christmas shopping tonight. Yum yum! 

DINNER

1/2 cup Special k Protein Plus cereal

1/2 cup Danon Light and Fit yogurt

Not a very good dinner, but again I was eating at weird times today and wasn't in the mood for anything heavy. I am very exhausted! Work was insanely busy today, I rushed to eat and get out the door. I didn't sit down until around 8:30! I literally ate my lunch standing up today. Haha. All  of my Christmas shopping is finisihed and gifts are wrapped...it's almost Christmas! The number one food item I will be enjoying in a few days on Christmas Eve are my grandma's homemade perogie...my favorite food. =D We only get treated to these once a year now so it's extra special. Hmmm, maybe I need to learn the tricks of the trade to make them on my own?

"As long as the world is turning and spinning, we're gonna be dizzy and we're gonna make mistakes. "

BREAKFAST

(Not pictured)

The same old, same old.

1/2 cup Quaker's oats

1/2 medium apple

Cinnamon to taste

Splenda

DINNER

(Not pictured)

I got home from work late so lunch really wasn't much of an option. A not so healthy dinner, but it was well worth it! I really have been craving this. I could have done without my second grilled cheese though, but it was soooo good.

1 cup Campbell's tomato soup made with 2% milk, not water

2 grilled cheese sandwiches:

2 slices each of Great Value brand white bread

2 slices each of yellow American cheese

Both sides slathered with margarine

DESSERT/FESTIVE SNACKING

My Dad and I had a fun night of making hard tack candy and I made mint chocolate chip brownies. Mmmm.

I taste tested almost all of the flavors he made tonight and had one square out of 12 brownies I made.

 

 

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I may have eaten a bit unhealthy today, but I don't completely wreck myself everyday. I hate to use the holiday excuse, but it makes me crazy for everything. In all honesty though, I am much better with control that I have ever been...it all takes time and I am proud of my progress so far.

"Beauty is being in harmony with what you are. "

I went out to Rumors Grille and Bar in town last night to see my boyfriend and his bands play for their Christmas party and as always had a good time out. Matt started a new band that I only heard play once so this was only my second time hearing them. I can honestly say they have improved and I'm looking forward to see where the band goes once they begin to write their own music. Sektor 7 is his main band and Head Space is his new band, both are cover bands for now. Anyway, when I left last night snow was falling, but I never expected to wake up to 6 or 7 inches of snow! The entire East Coast really got hit with snow from what I hear.

BREAKFAST

1/3 cup Special K Protein Plus cereal

1/3 cup Danon Light and Fit Yogurt

1 small apple

Cinnamon to taste (I love cinnamon!)

I ate the last of my yogurt today, which I always buy by the quart. Unfortunately the Walmart where I shop only has plain and vanilla in quarts, I'd really like more variety. On almost every food blog I read I see them using Stoney Field organic yogurt so maybe I will try it. Danon should have some yummy holiday flavors in the 6 and 8 ounce cups so I may pick some of those up as well. On this cold day I am looking forward to having some soup for lunch or dinner. Did I mention that I don't like snow? Strange, I know. It's beautiful and all, but what I really don't like is the cold that comes along with it. Brrr.

SNACK

6 Wheat Thin original cracker

1/2 tbsp. of Great Value sugar free strawberry preserves

LUNCH 

1 slice split top oat bread

1 cup Campbell's broccoli potato soup with ground black pepper

About 1.5 cups of Dole salad mix with a little added tomato and broccoli

1 tbsp. Kraft fat-free caesar italian dressing

DINNER

 

(This cellphone picture doesn't do it any justice!)

2 ounces of Starkist canned albacore white tuna in water

1/2 celery stalk and onion

About 4 walnuts

1 tbsp. light miracle whip

1/2 medium apple

8 reduced-fat Wheat Thins

DESSERT

1/2 Skinny Cow peanut butter ice cream sandwich

I was pretty full, but wanted something sweet so I just ate half of one. Tomorrow I may have a repeat of this dinner considering I still have half a can of tuna and an apple left, but I may eat it in a tortilla. I also have about a cup of potato broccoli soup left, but I may save that for another day. Currently I am learning more about fitness and how to incorporate it into my life more each day. I do about 20 minutes of yoga every day, but I am getting bored and need to tone up my middle more. Just taking baby steps. =]

"He who wishes to secure the good of others, has already secured his own."

BREAKFAST

1/3 cup Quacker's oatmeal made with water
1/8 cup Sunmaid golden raisins 

Cinnamon to taste

1 packet Splenda
Estimated calories: 183 

I have the next two days off of work and I am looking to get some things done around the house, especially with my disaster of a room. Usually, I don't let things get so messy...I think this cold weather is bringing me down. Tonight I will be going out to see my boyfriends band Sektor 7 play so it should be a good night. 

 LUNCH/DINNER?

 

Tacos:

2 "8 whole wheat tortillas

1 Morning Star south west veggie burger split 

1/2 slice of yellow American cheese 

Lettuce, onion, tomato 

Estimate calories: 316

DESSERT

 

1 peanut butter and chocolate Skinny Cow ice cream sandwich

Estimated calories: 150 (I think this is a good number of calories for an ice cream sandwich considering I've seen some around 300!)  

In all honesty, I'm not sure I'm really in the mood for dinner dinner. I woke up a bit late and don't want to eat anything to heavy late tonight. If I get hungry I'll probably snack on some wheat thin crackers. 

"Self-sabotage is the smartest thing you can do if you're sabotaging a self that is not really you."

I know that I am blogging late, but it's been a long day. Finally got a hair cut today after quite a number of months I believe, saw A Christmas Carol in Pittsburgh, and had a nice free dinner at Marks Grille so it was an over-all good day.

BREAKFAST

1 whole wheat tortilla wrap

1 small apple

1/2 slice sharp cheddar cheese

Lettuce

1/2 tbsp. fat-free Philadelphia cream cheese

(I some how mixed my lunch and breakfast around.)

LUNCH

(Not pictured, although I thought I took one.)

Omelet:

1/2 cup Egg Beaters

Onion, broccoli, tomato in omelet

1 Small Apple

About 1/8 cup cottage cheese 

This was my first time trying cottage cheese and I did not like it! I kept trying to convince myself that it was an acquired taste, but more than anything I hated the texture. I will not be eating this again any time soon.

DINNER 

(Not pictured)

1 about "4 roast beef lunch meat sandwich with lettuce and tomato

Raw veggies: 

carrots, celery, broccoli, cauliflower

2 slices of tomato flavored with olive oil and parmesan, I believe

1/2 of a giant oatmeal raisin cookie (equal of about a regular large cookie)

This meal was made after seeing A Christmas Carol at Marks Grille in Pittsburgh. Matt's professor reserved us a room and had it catered. Some of the foods there were: mini tacos, chicken strips, bacon and cheddar potato skins, chips, veggie tray, cheese and cracker tray, roast beef sandwiches, cold cut combo sandwiches, various giant cookies, etc. I ate tons of veggies to fill up so I wouldn't be as tempted to try the fried foods or actually eat the entire cookie. At the end of the day I do feel a little bloated for some reason...I'm thinking I had too much sodium or maybe more calories than I intended at Mark's. The show and dinner were a treat though, I'm very thankful Matt's musical theatre professor was kind enough to let me tag along with the class the past two shows. Tomorrow I'm thinking of making a "taco" with a veggie burger and another tortilla, but am unsure what to have with it.